The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-11-01
Random sketches
A Weird Historical Scrap.

A Weird Historical Scrap.
About twenty-eight years ago this
local historical event OF an unwritten
treaty was told by me in q newspaper
In neighboring city, but as the in.
cidents connected with 1t concerned
Keokuk and Lee county. while the
actors in the striking event are still
known to memory or prominent In
the historical records in this vicinity,
it is pertinent to renew the story
about as It came to me from the
mouth Of prominent pioneer and old
settler who has long since passed over
the river.
About the year 1889, the Mormons
under the leadership. of their prophet,
Joseph Smith. were driven from Mis-
souri, and sought safety in a new
promised land at Nauvoo, H., which
is on the opposite side Of the river
from Montrose, Lee county, Iowa.
About 1s46 the tribe became quite
numerous on the Iowa side, and many
stories are told Of the murders, rob-
berries, thefts and other outrages COM
mitted by the Danites, a band OF dar-
ing desperadoes OF the Mormon faith.
It is referred to as a singular fact that
the Dante band, at one time under
the leadership OF the Mormon, Bill
Hickman, should derive its name from
scriptural quotation. Genesis XIX,
II: Dan shall be servant by the
way, an adder in the path. that biteth
the horses heels, SO that his rider
shall fall backward" Yet the fact Is
explained when We are told that the
Mormons INDUCED in many Bible quo
tations. and any ignorant and finati-
cal Mormon could quote Scripture by
the chapter. The Mormons had SYM
pathizers among the residents of Lee
county, who were called Jack. Nor
mons" and the crimes committed by
the followers OF Smith and those will
ing allies against the citizens, especial
ly known as antiiMormons, were num-
erous and fragrant At last, said the
old settler, forbearance ceased to be
q virtue. Self-protection demanded
prompt and vigorous action, and the
citizens arose in their might, deter
mined to drive the outlaws from the
county. The ringleaders and those
who were poor and more the victims
of misplaced faith than naturally evil
and devilish by nature, were permit
ted to remain. but wene kept under
close surveillance. The last of the
tribe left the county In 1847.
5 There were several old settlers liv-i
ing in Lee county, at the time this
story was first written, to tell Of that
memorable reign of terror and among
these was Hon. Daniel F. Miller, Sr.,
then resident OF Keokuk, twelve
miles south Of Montrose, who became
a settler in Lee county in the spring
OF 1889, after obtaining license to
practice law at Pittsburgh, Penn. He
was early member of the Iowa legis.
lature and was elected I'd the con-
gress Of the United States in 1s4S-
When / talked with him on this sub
ject he was hale, hearty man OF
seventy-two years, and by an inter-
view with this cherished old friend, so
many years ago, am indebted for
this curious and very remarkable
scrap of history: After desperation
had come to mark the contest between
the Mormons and anti-Mormons, David
Kilbourne, described by Mr.. Miller as
leading citizen Of Montrose. kind
and gentle in his manners and withal
possessed of great influence, arose
above the passions Of the hour and
determined II possible, to'&stop the
outrages committed on every hand
and to avert further impending vio-
lence and bloodshed by affecting a
treaty. Negotiations were opened and
David Kilbourne was deputed to rep
resent the anti-Mormon party in a
proposed conference, and John Smith,
8 venerable old man and uncle of the
so-called prophet, Joseph Smith, rep
resented the Mormons. When they
met, Mr.. Kilbourne proposed to put
the terms in writing, but Mr.. Smith
objected on the ground that at the
time Of the great confiagration, when
the earth was to be destroyed by fire
at the last day, Or sooner, the writing
would be burnt Or otherwise destroy
ed and he wished an impartial man to
be the witness of the terms Of this
important treaty, so he could give tes-
timony in the other world Thereupon,
Mr.. Kilbourne agreed to the PROPOSE
ton OF Mr.. Smith and suggested the
name of d. F.. Miller, Esq, then OF
Fort Madison. twelve miles north Of
Montrose as proper witness. and to
which suggestion Mr.. Smith consent
ed. A few days afterwards Mr.. Miller
requested by Mr.. Kilbourne. met the