The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-06-01

Hector II. Mclean. and that he was
in search of bis children. whom he
believed would be found la the neigh.
borhood OF Fort Gibson. He had
Intercepted letters between Pratt and
his wife. IN which Pratt made an
appointment 10 meet Mrs Mclean as
she came northward with her chill
dren on what was known as the Tex.
as road. a pioneer highway that led
from Kansas and Missouri through
Fort Gibson 10 Texas The meeting
place was TO be az some point on
the Texas road between Fort Gibson
and North Fork Town, a Creek In
dian town on the North Canadian
river Pratt had written that he
would send TO Fort Gibson letter
telling Mrs Mclean the exact place
where she should meet him.
Mclean asked permission TO OK.
anime the mail IN the Fort Gibson
post office, where he found prafts
letter to Mrs. Mclean. The letter
was written IN code, and Il looked as
II Mclean would be baffled In hls
search He declared however. that
nothing could defeat him, and that he
would master the code, which he dld
after three days OF laborlous investl.
CATION and located the rendezvous.
Mclean started on horseback south
on the Texas road, accompanied by
Capt. Henry Little, OF Company 70.
Col. William Garrett, Greek Indian
agent, and Constantine Perkins, "a
clerk In a trading store. The third
day out the party met a wagon drlv.
on by a man, accompanied by won.
an aud three children. The wagon
was halted and the woman proved 70
be Mrs. Mclean and her children,
The man had been employed simply
as q driver. Pratt mad not arrived,
and Mclean and his companion de.
cided to lie In wait for him. Next
day Pratt came down the road and
WAS captured
Pratt and the runaway wife were
brought 10 Fort Gibson. Pratt was
an unprep0asessng man his face
covered with an ugly. dirty beard
Military law at Fort Gibson could not
reach the offenae with which Pratt
and the woman were charged and
Col Morrison gave Mclean an es.
oort for the safe conduct OF the prls-
oners 10 Van Buren,, Ark. where
civil law would be invoked against
them Pratt was resourceful IN hts
pleadlnga and II was found that there
was NOT sufficient proven ground to
iry him OF 10 hold him IN iail,
Slain by Mclean.
The town Of Van nuren and an the
surrounding country were In lull
sympathy with Mclean. Pratt was
released and told 10 leave the city,
which he did walking rapldly Tie
had scarcely reached the outskirts
Of Van Buren when he was overlaken
aad shot down hv Mclean The lat
ter took his children and at once
went aboard a steamboat bound for
New Orleans. is time OF departure
having been conveniently arranged.
Several hours after the steamboat
had left. Van Buren discovered
that Pratt had been killed, and there
was mach running 10 and FRO lin
side the city llmlls--iO pverlako
Mclean SO great was the zeal OF
his pursuers that a ban was placed
on carrying Of news OF the killing N
outside communities. As o matter o.
fact. the people 0f Van Buren feIi
ihat Pratt had been Justly slain, and
the vengeance Of Mclean was such
as should be wreaked by any mar
whose home had been destroyed.
The killing Of Pratt became a en-
lamNy. however, to the people OF
Arkansas. The Mormons al Self
Lake heard that Pratt had been killed
under TIE very eyes OF the law, anc
that the man who slew aim had es
capped without molestation Arkan
sas should atone with blood for this
slaughter Of one Of the saints Of th'
church ard desire for revenge
grew against the people Of Arkansas
as Il he'd grown against the people b
Missouri for harassng tbe M0rm01
people a. they passed through thai
state on their way 10 Utah, N
The massacre BY the Mormonsl ol
emIgrants at Mountain Meadow "A .
matter OF history, It's cruellies and
atrocities we're revealed IN thh 50s
when The Federal Government prose
euted the mnrderers, and eyecuied
John y. Lee. the only M0ruen thai
legally paid with his life gor ihf
men. women and children Hat were
slain At Mountain Meadow After
the slaughter, two young sirls were
found hldlaE in the brush Ono ol