Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-27
THE TRAGEDY.

| Prophet Joseph and his brother,
| Hyrum, the Patriarch. were both
cruelty murdered at Carthage, juno
u. 1874. AS the question has been
raised, lately-though certainly not by
any serious inquirer for the purpose
OF ascertaining the truth-as to the
Identity OF the actual murderers, we
quote from an article by Colonel John
Hay, poet and statesman of interna-
tional fame. 1t was written before he
became secretary Of state. and he
cannot be suspected of pro-"Mormon"
tendencies. The article appeared In the
Atlantic Monthly. in 1869. fifteen years
after the tragedy. 1t Is often fiippant,
sometimes not accurate as to details,
and almost apologetlc for the mur-
derers, but the main facts are given
with historical faithfulness. Mr.. Hay
says:
There was a large body of militia
at Carthage. and q small regiment at
Warsaw. The Governor, not knowing
how to employ their idle hands, or
dered them to rendezvous at Golden's
Point. He sent Singleton to Nauvoo to
Smith. Singleton, on his arrival, found
TWO thousand men armed and equip
ped. Though little diSmayed by the
apparition, he inspected them and re-
ported to the Governor.
During this day or two the Govern
nor seemed plagued by the foul fond
Flibbertigibbet He changed his mind
every hour. with the best intentions.
When the troops had started for Col
den's Point. he began to doubt, as he
well might. They were going to
Neuvoo to search for 'bougs' Ca noun
which In that day was used to denote
an ingenious imitation OF the current
coin, manufactured in the city of the
Saints), and to oyerawe the Mormons
by calm display OF force. What If
they searched for other things. and
did not content themselves with q
calm display? These thoughts so agi-
tated Governor Ford, that he wrote an
order on the 27th, countermanding
former orders, and disbanding the
militia. He then mounted his horse
and rode to Nauvoo, to deliver a firm
and paternal address to the Mormons.
All this was done with tho best inten-
tions.
ION the morning of the 9th Of Juno,
the regiment of Colonel Levi Will
liams started from Warsaw In obedi-
ence to the call of the Governor to
RENDEZVOUS at Golden's Point, settle
ment In the vicinity OF NauVoo. They
went out in high glec. fully expecting
to march to the city of the Saints,
and not doubling that before they left
1t, some occasion would arise which
would make 1t necessary to remove
this standing scandal from the face
of the earth. There were none but
words of law and order on their lips:
but every man clearly understood that
Nauvoo was to be destroyed before
they returned. A public meeting in
Warsaw had unanimously Resolved.
that we Will forthwith proceed to
Nauvoo and exterminate the city and
its people, a manifesto which seemed
too Teppery even for the palate of Mr..
he published II. added the saving
clause. If necessary of course it will
be necessary said these law-abiding
militia-men, as they marched out OF
Warsaw on the Nauvoo road.
"Order reigned in Warsaw-for the
men were all gone. The whole male
adult population, with triAing excep-
tions were in williams regiment.
Among the captains were William NJ
Grover, afterwards a distinguished
lawyer of st. Louis, and United States
attorney for MissouH-and eminently
respectable and conservative man;
Thomas c. Sharp. editor OF the Signal,
who also on this day sowed the last
of his wild oats, and was afterwards
principal of the public school, and
greatly esteemed as county judge;
Jacob c. Davis. then State Senator,
afterwards member of Congress from
that district.
They arrived near noon at some
deserted shantles about seven miles
from Warsaw, that had been built and
abandoned In that furry and collapse
of internal improvement that passed
over the state in 1898. There they were
met by Mr. David Matthews, a we'll
known citizen of Warsaw, who had
ridden rapidly from Carthage with an
order from the Governor. disbanding
the regiment. The Governor. fearing
ne could not control the infiammable
material he had gathered together,
had determined to scatter II again.
Colonel Williams read the Cover
nor's order Some of the anti-Mormon
warriors. blessed with robust western
appetites. looked at the sun. and con-
Guided that they could get home by
dinner time, and under the influence
of this inspiring Idea started off at
quick step. Captain Grover soon found
himself without a company. Captain
Aldrlch essayed a speech calling for
volunteers for Carthage. He did not
make fair start says the chronicle,
and Sharp came up and took 1t off his
hands, Sharp. being n spirited and
impressive talker. soon had a respect
able squad about him. Captain Davis
on the contrary. was sorely perplexed
it was heavy weather for him. He was
a professional politician. and dearly
loved both Mormon and anti Mormon
votes. He was so backward in COM
ing forward that his company left him
in disgust, and followed the fiery
Grcyer.-wHose company had gone
home to dinner. Davis still could not
make up his mind to go home but
got into Calvin Coles wagon and fol-