The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-08

Today a friend drew my attention to
an editorial in your Saturday evenings
edition in which | am again taien to
task by your bogus "Organ of the
Lord -
With the facility Of the natural born
liar YOU seize upon an imaginary mole
hill and proceed to build mountain Of
editorial slobber The occasion Of that
recent piercing OF your poison sac is
visit that 7 made in September 10 the
scene OF the Mountain Meadows nassa
ere. and the swapping of stories OF the
SfaGEeGT waEEsG fo Mit9 o, an OLD sGnteman h wn@
the most hldeous crime thst since the
massacre Of Saint Bartholomew. has east
It's shadow upon humanity and upon pro-
fessed followers OF the meek and lowIy
Jesus. Mr, Benjamin Jlatts crime WIS
that OF talking 10 an "apostatc" Mormon
about the massacre In defiance OF the
pileSur advice 10 forever keep silent
about the slaughter ut ,he Meadows in
September 1857. My crime Is, that OF
publishing some OF The stories of rcmin-
tscences. told by my good friend al
Finto. and whom | inadvertently got into
trouble BY naming him In the new
pamphlet, The Mountain Meadows Mas
Meadows learned that MIR, Joseph Platt
and MISS Platt who Keep an extra good
%sysidc hosrelTy at that place were alb
sent on a visit to their parents home
at Pinto six miles from the Meadows.
and mat the place was temporarily
in the vicinity. Ioscpr I'latrs brother
came along cnroutc from Enterprise 20
Plnio, and leaning Of my prcdi -ament
kiindly invited me TO ride over to tno
village. where he assured me ! could
obtain accommodations during my SO
loGrn IN the locality. On a previous visit
had the pleasure. and it wss y pleas
ure, 10 become acquainted with Mr.
Joseph Flat and his exceptionally intel.
Igent sister, They knew that the ub-
Jet OF my visit was TO secure photo.
know that I am Mormon "aposlate'
| furnished The Tribune With an illus
tTated writc-up OF the points OF. great
est interest and sent a copy to Joseph
esl reason for YOU. Implication that I
Sncakcd INTO the confidence OF good Nor
mons ard then betrayed it, nor justh-
cation in YOUR charge that am. rncro-
fore. a "hvpocritc and preVa RIGA tor"
On Guy arrival at Pinto Mr.. rlstt drove
to ltis fathers homo, where was cor
even thcn we'll filed with tho SONS and
daughters of Mr.. and Mrs. Platt 1t
was . personal favor for which am vet
grateful ! was not aware. until late
that night while at the village dance.
that MIR. N"ll keeps q hotel at that
place; or under, the crowded condition
my hosts would have impelcd me 10 20
to the public house, Mr.. benjamin Piatt
closes his communication to The News"
with the following sentence:
''Hc III partuok Of Inc hospitality %
my home and now throws these stories
onto me, which he himself told me"
Ntulc deeply grateful for Mr.. Platrs hos-
ptality ] venture ia suggest that whom
parting from his courteous family asked
for my bill. aud under tine protect Of NiSr
PlatL [ paid her all that she said it was
worth
/ cheer,uily plead guilty 10 having hired
Joseph Plat to take us over 10 the
Meadows; Mr. Flat senior. had never
yisted The ground. nor even seen the
Monument at distance.
On the pleasant ride over tho divide
the subject Of the massacre formed tho
principal topic Of converse tiou. Mr..
rIatt INDUCED in "reminiscences Of tho
ZION. During three years 7 had devoted
months /" the sitting of stories 10 tho
ANALYSIS OF th" testimony Of Mormon Wit
n"sseS al tho second trial Of John u |
Lee. and to close study "f the topogra-
ply Of the Meadow IN its relation 10
the testimony ~ reputable Witnesses. and !
of tho details. The subject OF Brigham
Young responsibility f"r the ma assacrc |
was broached bv Mr.. Flat. assured |
him. promptly and on1phs ticslly. that
the-n iS NO evidence that Prcsiden. Younc |
ordered tho slaughter Of tho emiaraptg
did not car" 10 disturb tho old sen
tlemsn'e peace b. pointing out tho irrc-
fUta bio proof that tho tragedy wag The |
logical result of The fanatic out2iVincS |
Of Brigham Young, IedeJish NJ Grant |
and others Of rho Mormon prophets" |
or tho insane doctrines Of Unquestioniue |
obedience and blood atonemeut And | |
also plead guilty Ia having told my host |
that 7 worked three years for Brigham |
Young. carpenters apprentice: that |
knew him Ncll hoy can know |
= man; that as far-scolne statesman
Young would never have or
1cred the destruction OF tho cmigrants |
sven had he desired their extcrmiua tion.
And during all the years of my adult |
jfe have defended Brigham Young from |
the silly charg" that Tho was u psrti-
cops crininis before The fact And |
now say. as I have said in Lights and
Shadows of Mnrmonsnr.'' that BARRING
MS incXpli"abl" f5uaticisrn. Brigham |
Young was every inch \ man. And |
barring the incXplicabc cr.dulIty- and as
sociated faug'icism Of the Mormon peo-
pie and even OF the religion crazcd |
'auaticS who inv"igleJ tJe emigrants
rom their intrenchments al tho Meadows
and under flag Of truce shot. Drained
md cut the throats or all those men.
women and children over eigh, yoars
did are. and would have been, good citi-