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 A Book of Horrors ! 
 
 THE CRIMES 
 
 y/^OF THE 
 
 Latter Day Saints 
 
 IN UTAH. 
 
 BY A MORMON OF 1831. 
 
 A Demand for a Legislative Cominission. 
 
 SAN FRANCISCO: 
 A. J. Leary, Printek and Publisher, 402-404 Sansome Street. 
 
 ,-iterecl according^ to Act of Congress, in the year 1884, by A. J. Leary, in the office of the Librarian of 
 Congress, at Washington, D. C. 
 
9 
 
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PRICE, 25 CENTS. 
 
 THE CRIMES 
 
 ^ 
 
 Latter Day Saints 
 
 IN UTAH. 
 
 BY A MORMON OF 1S31. 
 
 A Demand for a Legislative Oommission. 
 
 A BOOK OF HORRORS. 
 
 SAN FRANCISCO: 
 
 A. J. Leary, Printer and Publisher, 402-404 Sansome Street. 
 
 1884. 
 
^ u, t 
 
 
Bancroft Library 
 
 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 When it became known to certain of my friends that I 
 contemplated writing a pamphlet on the Mormon Question, 
 a number of the more prominent ones expressed themselves 
 as being desirous of assisting me in every possible manner, 
 and two of them — one a Senator, and the other a Governor 
 of a State — proffered to write a preface to the work. 
 
 I intended to have accepted their services, as I knew their 
 endorsement would assist me very materially in the circula- 
 tion of my story, but on reading the action of the " Com- 
 mittee on Mormon Polygamy '' at the Cincinnati Methodist 
 Conference in October, I decided to adopt it, thinking it a 
 fitting prelude to the startling facts which the succeeding 
 pages will present to the reader. 
 
 Following is the report : 
 
 ** Mormonism is not a religion. It is a crime, therefore cannot be 
 entitled to protection and tolerance under the laws and Constitution of 
 the United States as a matter of conscience. It is not a religious super- 
 stition, but a system of masked sensuality, and hence subversive of 
 every principle of morality, and abhorrent to every feeling of virtue. It 
 is not even a spiritual delusion, and therefore cannot be condoned on 
 the ground that it is a hallucination or innocent mistake in prophecy. It 
 is a preconcerted infernal scheme, partly mercenary, partly political, and 
 chiefly licentious. It was originated in the deepest depravity, and is fed 
 by three motives — money, power and lust. It aims to diffuse itself by 
 pandering to the lowest depravities of human nature. When this cannot 
 be done directly, on account of the natural revolts of instinctive virtue 
 to the monstrous propositon of the promiscuous intercourse of the sexes 
 under the guise of marriage, a resort is had to deception and falsehood. 
 They take advantage of the ignorance, poverty, degradation and fanati- 
 cism of some persons, and of the unsuspecting credulity of unwary youth. 
 They first dupe then doom their victims. It is romance and heaven in 
 representation until liberty, virtue and respectabihty are lost ; then it is 
 slavery and debauch. 
 
 When the so-called multitudinous wives become mothers, the finest ^ 
 property in human nature is made the strongest support of this abomi- 
 nation — the property of maternal affection. Being themselves beguiled 
 women, disgraced, and having entailed that disgrace upon their off- 
 spring, they see no hope of respectability for their children but by mak- 
 ing polygamy respectable, and that can only be done by making a 
 plurality of wives legal and illegitimate children legitimate. As this 
 cannot be done under the Constitution and laws of the United States, a 
 necessity is created for an independent sovereignty. This generates the 
 
11 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 spirit of rebellion and prompts Mormons to increase their numbers and 
 strength by importations, illegitimate births, and by the corruption and 
 bribery of politicians. The work of rotten increase, we are informed, 
 is going on with alarming rapidity. The wretched plague spot is 
 spreading into all our Territories and some of the States. By conceal- 
 ment and perjury they evade the laws and defeat the Commission pro- 
 vided for by Congress and appointed by the President, to arrest the evil. 
 And such are the meshes, the slavery, and the new affections and inter- 
 ests involved in the progress of the system, that few defections from 
 Mormonism occur, and still fewer converts to Christianity are made from 
 their number. It is already so rooted in the soil, the politics, the family 
 life, and the religious fanaticism of that part of the country, that nothing 
 but prompt and extreme measures will eradicate the evil. And unless 
 the Government shall immediately take decisive steps to exterminate 
 the abomination, it will soon acquire such dimensions and potency as to 
 render it impossible to remove the evil by legislation, or any civil 
 measures. Indeed, it is the belief of some well-informed men now, that 
 this dreadful ulcer can only be removed by a resort to arms. We may 
 at least conclude that delay in the application of civil remedies will soon 
 call into requisition the sacrifice of life and the price of blood, or we 
 must submit to have our virgin soil permanently stained with the foulest 
 system of corruption and depravity that ever saw the light in a civilized 
 and Christian country. 
 
 Now, with such a huge evil confronting us, what is being done to 
 abate the nuisance ? Almost nothing. Ever since the appointment of 
 the Congressional Commission there has been a seeming lull in our 
 feelings of repugnance to the great sin,, an abatement of interest in the 
 subject ; shall we not say a guilty suspension of effort for its abolition ? 
 We have gone to sleep on the brink of a volcano ! We seem to have 
 settled down, and seated ourselves to breathe in the marlaria of Mor- 
 monism for indefinite years. While Mormon agents are exploring the 
 worst places of the Old World, and the dark places of our own land, and 
 recruiting their deluded forces by hundreds every month, we relax 
 energy and dismiss the subject. While Mormons are breathing the 
 errors of their system into the heart of society, we come to the discussion 
 of the subject ^nth lassitude and feeble convictions. Mormon polygamy 
 was dropped out of the list of standing committees this year, and when 
 a committee was extemporized as an afterthought, we fear it was with 
 no deep and stirring solicitude in relation to an evil which has been a 
 standing menace to the purity of society for fifty years. 
 
 Unless we awake and bestir ourselves, it is our conviction that the 
 children who are now born will pay the pdce of our apathy with their 
 blood and life. We know that preparations are now being made to 
 educate Mormon children, and thus to alienate them from the dissolute- 
 ness of the system. In this we rejoice. We would educate Mormons, 
 Mohammedans and heathens, under Christian influences if we could. 
 
 Now, what is the duty of the Church and State, the Christian and the 
 citizen? It is to agitate and diffuse intelligence, to quicken the national 
 science, to rouse the Churches to combine all civil and religious forces 
 against the stupendous wrongs, and never relax our efforts until its ex- 
 tirpation from the land, root and branch, shall be secured. 
 
INTRODUCTORY. Ill 
 
 Coinciding with Daniel Webster in the statement, that the first step 
 toward the removal of any evil is to expose it, we offer the following 
 proposition for adoption : 
 
 Resolved, That Mormonism threatens the morality, peace, virtue and 
 integrity of the state. 
 
 Resolved, That Mormonism is violative of every instinct of virtue, and 
 incompatible with every principle of the Christian religion. 
 
 Resolved, That a solemn and imperative obligation rests upon all 
 churches and citizens to labor vigorously and incessantly to remove this 
 cancer from the body politic and social. 
 
 Resolved, That a committee of six be appointed, composed of minis- 
 ters and laymen, with headquarters in Cincinnati, whose duty it shall be 
 to correspond with officers of the Government and other parties, to col- 
 lect facts and intelligence, and disseminate the same; to draft, circulate, 
 and forward to Congress petitions against Mormon polygamy, and in 
 favor of such measures towards its abolition as the changing exigencies 
 of the case from time to time may require ; and if expenses shall be in- 
 curred, to have contributions solicited from individuals and churches to 
 meet the same. 
 
 A. LowRY, Ch'n and Sec'y, 
 S. Bennett, 
 
 B. F. DiMMICK, 
 
 R. H. Rust, 
 
 J. F. CONREY, 
 
 A. U. Reall, 
 H. D. Rice. 
 
 Comniitteey 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2007 with funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cwmesoflatterdaOOmormrich 
 
The Crime? of iliE Latter Da^ ^aiqt? 
 
 IIST" TTT-A-H- 
 
 BY A MORMON OF 1831. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Introduction. Polygamy in England. The honor of the 
 Church. Elder McCuUo accepts feminine hospitality. 
 Silent as the grave. 
 
 Prudential reasons, which during the course of this narra- 
 tive will be partially explained, suggest the advisability of 
 giving to this brief outline of facts a general, rather than a 
 detailed method of exposition. All who have at any period 
 of their lives had occasion to differ with a society, whether 
 religious or political, can easily comprehend, to some extent, 
 the consequences of a too vigorous, and especially too per- 
 sonal an onslaught upon the representatives of the institu- 
 tion exposed for criticism. 
 
 The terrible results attendant upon the exposure of the 
 secret doings of any criminal organization are often exhibited 
 even in these enlightened times, and whenever, in the inter- 
 est of great enterprises, the life of a man (and that ifean one 
 who has made himself obnoxious by betraying the secrets of 
 his fellow conspirators) appears to be a stumbling-block ; it 
 is brushed out of existence as we dispose of an offending fly. 
 
 Notwithstanding the burden of guilt which necessarily 
 hangs oppressively upon me, I have not yet lost all interest 
 in life, and therefore I shall, while endeavoring to throw a 
 full and clear light upon the affairs which form the subject 
 of this little messenger, ensconce myself as much as possible, 
 for the present, behind the shadows of obscurity. 
 
 The doings of the Mormons while in the States of Illinois 
 and Missouri, I shall briefly pass over, as well as my experi- 
 ences with them in different parts of Europe and elsewhere; 
 
2 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 but I must remark that wherever they have at any time been 
 congregated to any considerable extent numerically, they 
 have always committed a series of outrages upon their neigh- 
 bors which resulted in a final outbreak. 
 
 In England and other European countries it was a very 
 remarkable thing for any traveling elder to start for " Zion," 
 as the house of the Mormons in Utah is called, without 
 leaving two or three illegitimate children behind, as evidences 
 of his interest in " building up the kingdom." Quite often 
 the mothers of these unfortunates at some future period. be- 
 came the polygamous wives of the father of their offspring, 
 or were afterwards attached to some other church dignitary 
 who had accepted of their " hospitality," as the elders 
 termed it. 
 
 Of 598 elders in England alone, only seven, so far as 
 could be ascertained, escaped the responsibilities attendant 
 upon the promiscuous commingling with "the sisters" in 
 Babylon. 
 
 Hundreds of cases — in fact, nearly all of them — were 
 kept from the public eye and ear, through the instrumen- 
 tality of the leading elders, who were, by their extended ex- 
 perience in such matters, especially fitted for that purpose. 
 The "honor of the Church" was held in such high esteem, 
 that at no matter what cost, it was always considered the 
 duty of every member to cover scandal. As a consequence, 
 human life in embryotic condition was recklessly sacrificed 
 in many, many instances. 
 
 One case only I will cite as a fair example of many hun- 
 dreds somewhat similar. The names are of course fictitious, 
 but the incidents are told with all . the accuracy with which 
 an unusually vivid memory now pictures them. 
 
 James McCullo was a prominent preacher in the valleys 
 of Utah, and having made himself useful in many ways, he 
 had been rewarded with four wives, and was fast rising to 
 greater eminence in the Church through his devotion to the 
 leaders, whose behests he took especial pride in obeying. 
 
 On a certain occasion a young man had changed his views 
 in regard to Mormonism, and having left the Church, McCullo 
 took upon himself the task of killing the young man to "save 
 his soul." 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 3 
 
 Accordingly, one morning, he invited the young apostate 
 to join in a hunt after some stock which had strayed, and 
 as soon as the pair had reached the mountains, McCullo de- 
 liberately fell upon his victim and " cut his throat from ear 
 to ear." 
 
 The young man was missed in a few days, but as McCullo 
 had industriously circulated the story that he had "been 
 called on a mission," but little further interest was taken in 
 the fate of young Hodge, who had no relatives but an aged 
 and paralyzed mother, who never realized her loss. 
 
 For some reason or other, McCullo began to feel unsafe, 
 and he was called to England to '' preach the gospel " while 
 the affair blew over. 
 
 One of his exploits among the sisters in England I will 
 now relate. 
 
 Immediately upon his arrival, he was ushered into an es- 
 tablishment in one of the large towns, known as the " Con- 
 ference House." The house was the home of one of the 
 members of the Mormon Church, who happened to be in 
 somewhat better circumstances than the average Mormon, 
 and accordingly the mistress of the establishment felt herself 
 highly honored in being able to extend the comforts of a 
 home to Elder McCullo from Zion. But a few days had 
 elapsed before the preacher had become very intimate with 
 a daughter of the family, and she was at once the envy and 
 admiration of the "branch" of the Church of w^hich she was 
 a member. Miss Burgis accompanied Brother McCullo to 
 all the meetings, and once or twice had made trips with him 
 into the little villages adjoining, on some occasions not re- 
 turning for several days. 
 
 Mrs. Burgis was delighted at the attentions shown her 
 daughter by the affable McCullo, and all went smoothly and 
 pleasantly, until on one of the occasions when her daughter 
 had been "visiting the country saints" with the Elder, news 
 reached Mrs. Burgis that her daughter was quite ill at the 
 house of one of the Mormon families, some twenty miles 
 distant. 
 
 Mrs. Burgis at once started to her daughter's assistance, 
 and taking a short cut across the country, met, while driving 
 rapidly along, a female doctor, who was an old acquaintance 
 of the family. Woman-like, they stopped to chat awhile, 
 
4 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 and before Mrs. Burgis could tell her reasons for being 
 there, the garrulous old doctress had informed lier that she 
 had just waited upon a young girl who had got into trouble, 
 and through grief or other causes, had brought on a prema- 
 ture birth. Said the old woman : " The funniest thing about 
 it was, that the man and woman in whose care the young 
 woman seemed to be, wouldn't let me see her face ; and 
 although they assured me that her husband would soon be 
 home, I felt quite sure there was no husband to come home." 
 
 After a few details in answer to the anxious inquiries of 
 Mrs. Burgis, the old woman described the house, and said 
 that she would be glad to know who the parties were, but as 
 they had paid her well, it was perhaps none of her business. 
 
 Mrs. Burgis drove rapidly on, and soon reached the house 
 of Brother Hawkin, and was astounded when she discovered 
 that it answered the description given by the old midwife. 
 No sooner had she reached the front door, than Brother 
 McCullo rushed out to meet her, and observing her excite- 
 ment, at once divined that she had heard of her daughter's 
 illness. 
 
 He began to assure her that the sickness was but slight, 
 and told her that the doctor had particularly recommended 
 quietness and freedom from all excitement. On that ac- 
 count he begged her not to see her daughter until late in 
 the day, when her nerves would be less unstrung, and the 
 pleasure of meeting would be less likely to produce ill results. 
 
 Mrs. Burgis expressed her determination to see her daugh- 
 ter immediately, and the Elder, finding her uncontrollable, 
 begged permission to step into the room and "break the 
 news " of her arrival. 
 
 This was of course granted, and in 'a minute or two the 
 Elder came to the door and beckoned the mother to enter. 
 The meeting was a sad one. Mrs. Burgis, under the influ- 
 ence of the excitement and the magnetism of the talkative 
 Elder, had for a moment forgotten the circumstances related 
 by the doctress, and when both her daughter and the Elder 
 assured her that the doctor had pronounced it an " intermit- 
 tent fever," the mother was somewhat more calm. 
 
 McCullo coaxed Mrs. Burgis out of the room as soon as 
 possible, so that his patient could take a litde sleep, and 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 5 
 
 returning to the sitting-room, the Elder persuaded her to 
 take a cup of tea. 
 
 Mrs. Hawkin came into the room, and upon being intro- 
 duced to Mrs. Burgis, soon made her visitor feel at home, 
 and as Mrs. Burgis was compelled to return home that night, 
 she might have left in the full belief of " intermittent fever,'' 
 but for the fact that Mrs. Hawkin, in. the momentary absence 
 of the Elder, let fall a sympathizing remark, such as women 
 will under similar circumstances. 
 
 Mrs. Burgis was at once aroused, and rushing into the 
 bedroom of her daughter, soon satisfied herself that she was 
 none other than the patient whose face cpuld not be seen by 
 the old doctress. 
 
 For the next few minutes the house was a scene of dire 
 confusion. Mrs. Hawkin endeavored to explain, and in a 
 few minutes won over the sympathizing mother, whose rage 
 toward her daughter and her seducer seemed intensified by 
 this womanly sympathy. 
 
 Mrs. Burgis could not believe that McCullo was guilty of 
 such an outrage, and calling him aside, she urged him to tell 
 her all he knew of the matter. 
 
 He told her that he was astonished when he discovered 
 the real cause of her daughter's sickness, she having told 
 him that she had caught a severe cold. 
 
 He had brought her, he said, to the care of Sister Haw- 
 kin, who was doing everything she could to hush up the 
 scandal, for the sake of the family and the "Church of God." 
 
 In answer to the expressed desire to become acquainted 
 with the seducer, he told her that no matter who it was, it 
 would undoubtedly be better, for her sake and her daugh- 
 ter's reputation, as well as the honor of the Church, to keep 
 the matter perfectly quiet. 
 
 He spoke of the wickedness of the world, and deplored 
 the immorahty of the young people of England, who, he 
 said, were doomed to destruction, but for the saving grace 
 of the Church. 
 
 The mother wept, and at last, calming herself somewhat, 
 she entered the chamber, and commenced a conversation 
 with her daughter, who finally expressed that Elder McCullo 
 had caused her trouble. 
 
6 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 With hesitation, the injured mother demanded his pres- 
 ence in the room, and although the young girl continued to 
 assert their criminal intercourse, he denied it stoutly, and 
 conjured her to remember that she was accusing, and per- 
 haps ruining, an " elder in Israel " and a holy one in Zion. 
 
 After much tribulation, it was finally decided that no mat- 
 ter what the facts were, the affair must be kept "silent as the 
 grave," and it was, with the exception of the fact that a lim- 
 ited few, among whom was the writer, knew all about it. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The Mormons in Nauvoo. Their strange doings. The 
 influence of unity. The fatal priesthood meeting. 
 
 The Mormons in Nauvoo and other places in Illinois were 
 a constant menace to their neighbors, and as a consequence, 
 many collisions occurred, which, being of a trifling character, 
 are now almost forgotten. Among the many causes of trou- 
 ble, was the constant disposition manifested by the leading 
 Mormons to ensnare the wives and daughters of the people 
 who lived near them, who were not of their faith. 
 
 Hundreds of happy homes have these lecherous old priests 
 broken up, and thousands of women are to-day in their 
 graves, or enduring lives of misery and degradation of the 
 worst possible character, through the diabolical machinations 
 of men who professed to be inspired of the Almighty God 
 to save the doubting millions of this dispensation. 
 
 Thousands of preachers like McCullo have been sent to 
 the various nations of the earth, and everywhere have they 
 left traces of their unhallowed presence in wrecked homes, 
 broken hearts and desecrated virtue. 
 
 The low and bestial character of the religion which they 
 accept, and the utter lack of anything like intellectual or 
 progressive qualities in the leaders, have naturally brought 
 the people below the level of brutes in many respects, be- 
 cause, instead of elevating them and training their minds in 
 a holy and pure love of virtue, they have wallowed in sensu- 
 ality and waded in the blood of their victims. 
 
 Man is low and degraded enough, as we are well aware, 
 and religion is supposed to fight against the natural down- 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 7 
 
 ward tendency of his animal propensities, but here is one 
 which puts a premium upon lust, and crowns the most de- 
 graded sensualist by elevating him to the highest heaven of 
 bliss. 
 
 Mormonism casts a glamour of animality over the holiest 
 and purest aspirations of the human heart. It glosses seduc- 
 tion, rapine and murder with the gilded glare of revelation, 
 and rewards the lecher and assassin at the expense of the 
 less prominent, because less guilty, members of the Church. 
 
 " The martyred saints," of which the world hears so much, 
 were no more nor less than victims of lynch law, which 
 would have been dealt out to them in any civilized portion 
 of the world. Not one can be named who did not, though 
 killed in an offensive manner, perhaps, merit the very pun- 
 ishment dealt out to them by the outraged American people, 
 who could endure their rottenness no longer. 
 
 Among the many causes for complaint on the part of the 
 non-Mormon element surrounding the communities of this 
 " peculiar people," was the stealing of children by the Mor- 
 mons, who seemed to look upon it as right and proper that 
 they should thus secure the offspring of the "hated gentile," 
 and cause them to toil toward the upbuilding of " the king- 
 dom of God in the latter days." 
 
 Dozens of little darlings were thus torn from the loving 
 hearts of their intelligent parents, and made to slave and 
 wear their lives away under the brutal overseership of lech- 
 erous old Mormons, who thus added to their working force 
 by "weakening their enemies." 
 
 Whenever these children were by any accident discovered, 
 they were always returned to the distracted parents with 
 profuse apologies and explanations, but many never reached 
 their loved homes again, and some of them are now quite 
 prominent among the Utah Mormons, knowing nothing of 
 their origin, yet bearing evidence of superior parentage. 
 
 Outrages of this kind were very common, and it is but 
 natural that an intense bitterness grew up in the minds of 
 the people against them. 
 
 In addition to these villainies, thousands of horses and 
 cattle were stolen and appropriated to the use and benefit of 
 the Mormon Church. Whenever it became known that one 
 or more of "the brethren" had "secured" some of the 
 
8 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 property of the "gentiles," it was immediately demanded 
 by the heads of the Church that one-tenth of the amount 
 be turned over to the Church as '* Tithing," to be appropri- 
 ated for the building of temples and the general uses of the 
 leaders. 
 
 Houses were robbed, banks burglarized and men mur- 
 dered by the Mormons, who worked together in gangs, which 
 were usually led by the '' missionary " assigned to that par- 
 ticular district perhaps months previously, ostensibly "for 
 the salvation of men," but really for the "milking of the 
 gentiles." 
 
 Working together under the terrible oaths imposed upon 
 them in the "Temple," and being bound in a mutuality of 
 interests in a material sense, the ease and facility with which 
 they could plan an outrage of any character, and carry it to 
 any desired conclusion, are not surprising. 
 
 Successful in nearly every undertaking, no matter how 
 seemingly hazardous, they naturally became emboldened to 
 a degree entirely beyond the conception of any person not 
 accustomed to the wonderful powers of organized effort, 
 whether for good or evil. 
 
 Thus they were enabled at any time to put in motion an 
 undertaking by which an official, even in a distant State, 
 should be assured of election, or that the Governor of Illi- 
 nois or Missouri should be assassinated, and all the time 
 keep themselves so securely hidden that none could point 
 out the slightest evidence to their detriment. 
 
 Plot after plot was laid and carried into execution, and 
 the results to-day affect the National interests in directions 
 which never suggest the slightest connection with Mormon 
 interests. 
 
 More than one leading politician, to the certain knowledge 
 of the writer, had died "a natural death" by the unnatural 
 means resorted to by this Church, which is to-day the greatest 
 blot upon American institutions. 
 
 During the warfare between the Mormons and the pro- 
 gressive people of the States which had been cursed by their 
 presence, one of the leaders in a secret " Priesthood Meet- 
 ing" at which I was present, declared that he would be 
 revenged for the losses he had sustained by the persecution 
 of " the enemies of the Mormon people," whether any else 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 9 
 
 would or not. He proposed the assassination of certain 
 leading men — Senators, Governors and Judges — whose ac- 
 tions had been inimical to the best interests of Mormonism; 
 and at once the thought spread like wildfire. 
 
 The entire assembly were then and there pledged to pro- 
 found secresy, and for the purpose of more thoroughly 
 cementing the bond of criminal participation, each and every 
 one of us was sworn to "dispose of" at least one, and that 
 one was specified by name. 
 
 The one selected for me I sought, found and did as I was 
 instructed to do. His ashes have long since returned to 
 mother earth, but his name and my act will never die while 
 my reason exists. 
 
 Alas ! How I regret that act ; but how powerless to atone 
 for it ! 
 
 My victim was a man who, but for the order going out 
 against him by the heads of the Mormon Church, would in 
 all probability have reached the Presidential Chair, and 
 wielded an influence for which his wonderful mind and bril- 
 liant attainments had specially qualified him. 
 
 When I allow myself to ponder over this deed — and often 
 the melancholy comes uninvited and at unpropitious hours — 
 it seems that Hell itself would be a relief to the dreadful 
 remorse endured by me. 
 
 How I pray to God ! How it seems that He mocks me ! 
 Oh ! the horrors of a guilty conscience ! 
 
 Others equally brilliant and important in a political sense, 
 have long since met their fate at the hands of "the brethren" 
 present at that fatal " Priesthood Meeting." 
 
 More than one of the victims selected on that occasion 
 was a woman, and as the Mormons have ever held in special 
 horror any woman who raises her voice against them, it was 
 agreed that the penalty should be unusually severe. 
 
 By unanimous vote it was agreed that one, whose name 
 shall be Elijah ' Parkins, should carry out "the sentence of 
 death against her accordingly with his best judgment." 
 
 About a year afterwards I learned of the death of this 
 lady, and by seeking in the right channel, I learned the de- 
 tails of her taking off. 
 
 Without endeavoring to give every incident in connection 
 with this horrible affair, it is perhaps sufficient to say that 
 
lO THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 Parkins commenced his persecution by disguising himself as 
 a negro, and after several unsuccessful attempts, he accom- 
 plished the outrage of her only daughter, a lovely young 
 lady, who was the pride and joy of her refined and accom- 
 plished mother. The blow was a most cruel one, as it pros- 
 trated the family and almost broke the heart of the mother, 
 at whom the injury was aimed, although it must be admitted 
 that the coarse and brutal nature of Parkins was delighted 
 by his devilish method of torturing his victim. 
 
 He continued to pierce the soul of this unsuspecting 
 woman by every heartless story which he could invent, and 
 particularly in regard to the disgrace attendant upon the 
 unfortunate daughter. He so industriously propagated the 
 story that she met the negro by her own appointment, that 
 many people lost sympathy for her, and began to believe 
 that the young girl was naturally depraved. 
 
 This and kindred horrible stories kept the poor mother in 
 constant agitation, and in addition to this refinement of 
 cruelty, he on several occasions set fire to the barns and 
 outhouses of the establishment, and by many infernal con- 
 trivances kept up such an excitement in the mind of his 
 victim as to render her mentally unsound. 
 
 Finally, he hired two stalwart negroes, who for a long time 
 had been the terror of the neighborhood, and instructed 
 them to fire the house at a given signal, and without the 
 least compunction of conscience, he had arranged to burn 
 both mother and daughter. 
 
 On the night selected, the negroes commenced their 
 fiendish work, and in a short time the entire premises wxre 
 reduced to ashes, and the bodies of the unfortunate ladies 
 were mere unrecognizable cinders. 
 
 The negroes, it seems, had secured a considerable amount 
 of money, and as they ran away from the blazing pile, they 
 passed the hiding-place of Parkins, who had secreted him- 
 self close to the scene of action, and in their excitement they 
 mentioned their good luck. 
 
 After thinking it over for a few minutes. Parkins procured 
 one or two of his particular Mormon friends, and pursuing 
 them immediately, they shot down the fugitives, and while 
 the excitement was at its height. Parkins secured the money, 
 and afterwards won great honor by " prompt and efficient 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. II 
 
 pursuit and capture of the black villains," as the prints of 
 the times expressed it. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Across the plains. By the Indians. Buried in the sand. 
 That arrow. The convenient viper. Lack of blankets. 
 
 The punishment inflicted upon the Mormon people, which 
 culminated in their departure to the Rocky Mountains, inten- 
 sified their hatred to a fearful degree, and as a consequence, 
 every conceivable opportunity for wreaking vengeance upon 
 a gentile was eagerly sought after. 
 
 During their passage towards and over the great plains, 
 they seemed to imagine every one had done them some 
 great injury, and in any case where a gentile fell into their 
 hands, his life paid the penalty. 
 
 Some of their outrages were of a peculiarly atrocious 
 character, inspired, as they were, by a mere Thuggism ; an 
 unadulterated cruelty, inspiring a desire to vent their spleen 
 upon somebody — anybody. 
 
 It sounds incredible to say that during their exodus, the 
 Mormons murdered hundreds of people, who in those times 
 had to make long and lonely trips from one centre of pop- 
 ulation to another, through very sparsely settled regions of 
 country. 
 
 Sometimes they managed to make their assassinations 
 profitable, as it not infrequently happened that these lonely 
 wanderers were in possession of horses or other valuables — 
 sometimes even money in considerable quantities — and 
 these were generally appropriated to the replenishing of the 
 Lord's Treasury. 
 
 One of the more striking examples of this tendency to 
 assassinate all who were not members of their Church, 
 whenever convenient, occurs to me at this moment. 
 
 On a certain occasion, when a party of Mormon emigrants 
 were passing along, they discovered that a little group of five 
 young men and two young women, one the wife of one of 
 the party, and the other the sister of the lady, had encamped 
 closely in the rear of the Mormon caravan for two or three 
 successive evenings. 
 2 
 
12 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 Rumors began to spread regarding this party, and one of 
 the rough riders of the train was deputized to ascertain their 
 business, and to report to the authorities immediately. 
 
 His statement, on his return, was to the effect that they 
 had evaded his investigation, and about all he could find out 
 was that they were "going West," and that the name of one 
 of the party was Williams. 
 
 The council which was called to consider the matter de- 
 cided that their actions were suspicious, and when the name 
 of the one member of the party was mentioned, their fate 
 was sealed, as it was at once recognized as that of one of 
 the "mobocrats," who had assisted in driving them from 
 their homes. 
 
 Accordingly, with the orders of the captain of the train, 
 who was also, of course, a high Church dignitary, a party of 
 ten men of the train prepared to disguise themselves as 
 Indians, and at midnight a raid was made upon the two 
 wagons, and none of the party was left alive. 
 
 In the morning the rough rider discovered the bodies of 
 the victims of the Indian outbreak, and immediately the 
 captain called all the men, women and children of the train 
 together to return thanks to the Almighty for His kind pro- 
 tection during the past night, which had been so full of 
 horrors, while they had "slept the sleep of the innocent." 
 
 The effects of the little party were taken in charge by the 
 captain of the Mormon train, and after burying the bodies 
 and erecting a wooden slab, with the words, " five unknown 
 people ; murdered by Indians," they passed on toward the 
 Rocky Mountains. 
 
 This was about the first instance of the Mormons attrib- 
 uting their deeds to the Indians, which came under my per- 
 sonal observation. Since that time I have known of very 
 many similar cases. 
 
 Some of the men who made up that party of ten " Indi- 
 ans " are to-day prominent members of the Mormon Church 
 in Salt Lake City and other portions of Utah Territory, and 
 in passing through the Territory, on my way to my home in 
 Iowa, I spoke to two of them, and called their attention to 
 ' the incident. 
 
 One of them laughed and treated it as a trivial matter, 
 but the other stoutly denied all connection with the affair. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 1 3 
 
 Rolling along toward " Deseret," and following the track 
 made by " The Pioneers," the train to which I refer met 
 with a number of mishaps, and it so happened that one of 
 the most important Church officers in the train was very 
 superstitious. Observing the vast number of minor misfort- 
 unes constantly occurring, he declared that there was sl 
 " Jonah in the train." 
 
 One day he told a few of the higher dignitaries of this 
 discovery, and it was decided to rid themselves of this un- 
 welcome presence. 
 
 It turned out that the '^ Jonah" was a young man who 
 had on several occasions failed to obey the orders of the 
 captain of the rain, and in several instances he had made 
 himself objectionable, through remarks he had made in re- 
 gard to the disposition of the property of the Williams party. 
 
 The next morning the young man was brought into camp 
 with an Indian arrow in his side, and his head fearfully mu- 
 tilated with a scalping-knife. 
 
 He had gone out as usual to hunt up the stock, and " the 
 Indians " had killed him. Of course. 
 
 On this occasion I came very near getting into difficulty 
 myself, through making an unwise remark in regard to the 
 matter. The quick glance of the old fellow who discovered 
 the *' Jonah" soon put me on my guard, and I deplored the In- 
 dian outrage as loudly as any other. 
 
 The incident which caused my ill-considered remark was 
 this: On examining the arrow, which was still plunged in 
 the heart of the unfortunate fellow, I saw at once that it was 
 one of a lot which I had bought of an Indian only a few 
 days previously. 
 
 On the day prior to this occurrence, I had been amusing 
 myself in practising shooting after the Indian fashion, and 
 for the purpose of distinguishing a particular arrow from one 
 shot just before by a friend, I put a peculiar notch near the 
 feathers, and there before my eyes was that arrow. 
 
 It was but natural that I should give an involuntary ex- 
 clamation, but being checked in time, I saved myself from 
 all suspicion. 
 
 On the first opportunity I sought my wagon, and I soon 
 saw that the bow had been used, and that particular arrow 
 
14 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 was gone, leaving only ten instead of eleven. I never knew 
 who used that arrow, but I had some very strong suspicions. 
 
 As we journeyed on, some two or three others of the 
 company made themselves offensive to the authorities, and 
 without much ado they were disposed of in some convenient 
 way. One, I remember, died of dysentery, so it was said, but 
 there was no doubt that some strychnine, which was kept for 
 wolf poison, had been put in his food. 
 
 Another fell out of a wagon while going down hill, but I 
 remember distinctly that there was a plain mark on the back 
 of the neck, exactly such as could have been made by the 
 heavy whip handle carried by one of the officers of the train. 
 
 A third was a woman, who had given her husband some 
 trouble on account of his attentions to a young girl in the 
 train. A rattlesnake was found in her wagon one night, 
 while her husband was "out on guard among the cattle." 
 
 The young woman whose charms had captured the hus- 
 band of this unfortunate wife was but little shocked, and 
 even the tragic fate of the poor woman was soon forgotten 
 by both, for one night soon afterwards I saw them both in 
 the same wagon, with apparently no fear of snakes. 
 
 To recount the many immoral and lecherous incidents 
 brought to my notice during my trip across the plains, would 
 be indeed a labor, and, in fact, it would be impossible to do 
 so in a work intended for general circulation, as the most 
 refined language would, while describing, utterly sicken the 
 reader. 
 
 Suffice it to say, that all sense of decency seemed to have 
 been abandoned, and all seemed to have surrendered them- 
 selves to barbarism to correspond with the savage surroundings 
 and the aboriginal tribes, with whom we occasionally came in 
 contact. 
 
 Whenever we met any of the Indians, it was always the 
 custom to treat them with every kindness. We made them 
 presents of beads, red flannel, whisky, corn meal, butcher 
 knives, etc., and we never failed to impress them with the 
 fact that we were Mormons, while the others were "bad 
 Amerikats." 
 
 We made friends with all of them, and we found it often 
 to our interest so to do, as in case of hostility, we were only 
 poorly prepared for them. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 1 5 
 
 While on the road, a number of matches had been made, 
 and arrangements had been concluded for quite a number 
 of polygamous marriages as soon as we arrived in Salt Lake 
 City. -^ 
 
 At this time I had but one wife, but it had been agreed 
 that a young woman in whom I had become much interested 
 should be "sealed" to me on our arrival. As I have no 
 desire to say much about myself, I will state that this young 
 woman became my second wife, and in all I married five, 
 ending in misery to myself and them. 
 
 One old fellow had grown so familiar with three young 
 women that he married them all as soon as he reached Zion. 
 Besides these he had four wives, whom he had left in Utah 
 the year before to preach to the " lost sheep of the house of 
 Israel." 
 
 We reached the valley late in the Fall of the year, experi- 
 encing some cold weather while passing through the latter 
 end and most mountainous part of our journey. 
 
 The scarcity of blankets, added to the intensely cold 
 nights, may be pleaded as an excuse for the extreme inti- 
 macy of a number of the contracting parties, whose mar- 
 riages were not technically consummated until their arrival 
 in Utah, although in the eyes of nature, and pretty plainly to 
 the eyes of everybody in the train, they w^ere dona fide hus- 
 bands and wives. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Cleansing the platter. More Indians. My financial 
 start. A troublesome wife. How she was disposed of. 
 
 Soon after my arrival in Salt Lake City, I, with a few 
 others, started, in obedience to orders from headquarters, to 
 assist in " cleansing the inside of the platter," as the removal 
 of backsliding members was sometimes called. 
 
 It appears that in a distant settlement some difficulty had 
 occurred between certain members of the Church, and when 
 the Bishop had ordered them to make peace, a few of them 
 .resented his authority. Now, as the Bishop's orders were 
 but an echo from the head of the Church in Salt Lake City, 
 the action of the dissenters was considered as a defiance of 
 
1 6 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 the priesthood, and as it had always been the policy of the 
 leaders to nip in the bud all apostate influences, it was in 
 this case considered necessary to make an example. 
 
 One of our party was the bearer of dispatches to the. 
 Bishop and other authorities of that section, and I learned 
 soon afterwards that their purport was a demand for uncon- 
 ditional surrender, or the " cutting off, root and branch," of 
 the offenders. 
 
 We delivered the message, and proceeded to a little town 
 still farther on, where we received some reports from the 
 presiding elder regarding a matter which had given the 
 Presidency at Salt Lake some uneasiness, and then we re- 
 turned to await advices from the inharmonious settlement. 
 
 The Bishop reported that all but two had immediately 
 complied with the demand, and having given us the names 
 of these men, with an assurance that nothing further could 
 be done with them, we bade him good-by, and all started 
 from the settlement in view of all the people, who had gath- 
 ered to see the elders from the city. 
 
 We rode a few miles, and then camped to hold a consul- 
 tation. We had received our orders in detail, but we were 
 forced by the peculiar circumstances to consider well the 
 best means of carrying them out. 
 
 It was soon arranged, and under cover of darkness, we 
 returned to the little town about eleven o'clock that night. 
 I had been deputed to let down the bars of the corral be- 
 longing to the fated men, and as they lived but a short dis- 
 tance apart, it was readily done. 
 
 As soon as the stock was out, we began yelling like In- 
 dians, and in a few minutes the men appeared. 
 
 We were by this time out of sight, and seeing no one 
 around, they immediately commenced driving the cattle into 
 the pens. It so happened that the horses had gone a con- 
 siderable distance up a neighboring ravine, and as soon as 
 the men discovered their loss, they started afoot, accompa- 
 nied by three boys about ten or twelve years of age, in search 
 of the missing animals. 
 
 Learning at once the path they would be compelled to 
 take, three of our number went as quickly as possible, and 
 secreted onrselves in the brush about twenty rods ahead of 
 them. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 1 7 
 
 In a minute or so they came along, the first one bearing 
 a lantern with a flickering candle, which threw a very weak 
 and uncertain light on his path. 
 
 It was but the work of a moment to render helpless the 
 two men, as we were all experts with the lariat, and at a 
 given signal they were bound with thongs from which there 
 was no escape. 
 
 One of the boys, at the moment of capture, fired a pistol 
 which he held in his hand, and the bullet, after striking a 
 limb of some oak brush, glanced into my left arm, and it 
 made a terrible wound, altogether unlike a gunshot wound 
 though, for it made • a long slit, much the same as a bowie 
 knife would have done. 
 
 This unexpected occurrence caused a change in our pro- 
 gramme, as it was intended to drag the men behind our 
 horses, and then leave them in some secluded spot. The 
 boy had dropped his pistol, and was, with the others, running 
 for dear life, yelling at intervals " Injins ! " " Injins ! " 
 
 One of the party picked up the pistol, which was a five- 
 shooter, and placing it near the temple of the nearer one ot 
 the two men, he sent a bullet through the brain. 
 
 Enraged with the pain, I seized the weapon and shot the 
 other man in precisely the same way. 
 
 Not a word had been spoken, and quietly unwinding our 
 lariats, we mounted our horses and rode away. 
 
 Though nearly thirty years ago, that wound, as I now look 
 at it, is as plain as when, a month after the occurrence, it 
 had healed so as to enable me to remove the bandage. 
 
 I learned by the reports in regard to the affair, that the 
 boy was a son of the man who fell at my hands. The last 
 I heard of him, he was a successful business man in the 
 northern part of Idaho. 
 
 Instead of returning to Salt Lake City at once, I remained 
 in one of the settlements about twenty-five miles distant, and 
 it was reported that I was laid up with rheumatism. 
 
 When I reached headquarters I was congratulated, as the 
 others had been, and a fine piece of landed property was 
 put at my disposal at such a low price that I accepted it at 
 once as payment for my services. It afterwards netted me 
 several thousand dollars, and was the first start toward my 
 financial prosperity in Utah. 
 
1 8 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 A part cf that property, which has changed hands a num« 
 ber of times, is now in possession of Christian teachers, who 
 are working for the enlightenment of the barbarous Mormon 
 people. 
 
 This exploit gave me prominence, and I enjoyed the favor 
 of the leaders to a great degree, but of course I could only 
 retain it by continuing to hold myself in readiness to obey 
 them in every particular. The result was that at short in- 
 tervals I was called, in company with others, and not infre- 
 quently I went alone, to teach some unfaithful brother his 
 duty. 
 
 In many cases the displeasure of the leaders fell upon the 
 sisters, and at times it became necessary to put them out of 
 the way. In most instances of this kind, the husband was 
 an interested party, and quite frequently he arranged the 
 plans which ended in freeing him from the inconvenience of 
 an uncongenial partner. 
 
 All that was necessary for a speedy riddance of a wife who 
 had lost her charms, was that it should be made known that 
 she had expressed herself against plurality of wives, and had 
 refused to obey the orders of the priesthood set to preside 
 over that district. 
 
 When a woman was inclined to be obstreperous in this 
 regard, and her husband desired to protect her, of course 
 she ran comparatively little risk; but if she offended him and 
 he withdrew his guardianship, her life was " not worth the 
 ashes of a rye straw." 
 
 One of these cases, where it was to the interest of the 
 Church to rid itself of the presence of a woman who had 
 given her husband and the local priesthood a considerable 
 amount of anxiety, was of such a peculiarly atrocious char- 
 acter that I will relate it — not that it in any degree exceeded 
 the villainy of many others, but because of the fact that it 
 illustrates the diabolical cunning of these natural murderers, 
 who seem to have made the study of assassination the most 
 prominent feature in their horrid religion. 
 
 The woman, whose name shall be Mrs. Jenkins had been 
 "spotted" by the authorities on account of her continued 
 opposition to polygamy. Her husband had taken other 
 wives, and had paid her but little attention for a year or more. 
 
 She had been suffering for some time with a disease pecu- 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 1 9 
 
 liar to the female sex, and in laying the plot to dispose of 
 her, this fact was made to do service. 
 
 Not far from where she resided was the home of one of 
 those eccentric geniuses often found in the Western wildSj^ 
 who call themselves ** doctors." 
 
 This man had little knowledge of anything pertaining to 
 his profession, but he had acquired quite a reputation on 
 account of having performed a number of cures among the 
 women and children, by the use of herbs and other simple 
 mendicaments, which he prepared in attractive forms. 
 
 Among other things of which he claimed to have made a 
 particular study, was the very disease which had so afflicted 
 Mrs. Jenkins. 
 
 Through the influence of her husband, one of the neigh- 
 bors had persuaded her to employ this doctor, who, by-the-by, 
 did not stand in very high repute among the faithful, because 
 on one occasion he had said that there were '' many things on 
 this earth intended for the healing of the sick, besides olive 
 oil and the laying on of hands." 
 
 The time was arranged when the doctor should call, and 
 one evening just before the sun went down, the unsuspecting 
 disciple of healing entered the home of Mrs. Jenkins, and 
 as he considered it necessary to learn all the details, she ex- 
 pressed her willingness to allow him to make the examination 
 which was customary in such cases. 
 
 They had entered the chamber, and were chatting about 
 the number of similar cases among the women of the settle- 
 ment, and expressing sympathy for such unfortunates, wherr 
 a face peeped through the space between the curtains, unob- 
 served by them, however, and soon disappeared. 
 
 Calling a companion from a cow-pen in close proximity to 
 the house, the first one said : " Here's your evidence ; come 
 and see for yourself" 
 
 Cautiously they approached the low window, and their 
 eager eyes flashed with hate as they saw the occupants of 
 the room. 
 
 The husband, turning to the other, asked : " What shall I 
 do?" "What shall you do? Do? Why, kill 'em both 
 right now ; that's what I'd do," replied his companion, who 
 had every reason to believe that he had discovered a really- 
 guilty pair. 
 
20 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 Rushing back to the pen, it was but the work of a moment 
 to return to the window, and again were the four eager eyes 
 riveted upon the inmates of the chamber. 
 
 The excitement of the men had caused the attention of 
 the " doctor " to be attracted toward the window, and he 
 raised the blind to look outside for the cause of the slight 
 disturbance ; but immediately upon the raising of the blind, 
 the men secreted themselves behind the corner of the house. 
 
 Returning again to his patient, he left the blind as he had 
 raised it, and almost instantly the two men returned, and 
 the " injured husband " thrust through the window a double 
 shotgun, and discharged both barrels in quick succession, 
 resulting in the severe wounding of the doctor, and com- 
 pletely shattering the head and neck of Mrs. Jenkins, " who 
 never knew what hurt her," as the witness testified the fol- 
 lowing day before a Justice's Court, which acquitted the 
 husband on the ground of "a very natural mistake." 
 
 The doctor is now in San Francisco, and is known as the 
 ** one-armed orange peddler." 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Obedience to the Priesthood. Immorality of the young. 
 Forced marriages. Drunkenness. Infant mortality. 
 
 The principles of the Mormon Church have no feature of 
 greater importance, nor any that have a more complete in- 
 fluence over the people, than that of "obedience to the 
 priesthood." 
 
 In every department of social, commercial, religious, po- 
 litical and domestic affairs, the officers of the Church hold 
 supreme control, and authority to dictate without limit. 
 
 Should a member desire to move to another settlement, 
 buy a farm, a horse, or sell a cow, he must first consult his 
 Bishop, or the immediate representative of the priesthood 
 set to preside over him. 
 
 He cannot marry a first wife or a second, a fifth or a 
 twenty-fifth, without the advice and consent of the priests, 
 and if a member disobey the counsel, in even the slightest 
 degree, his life is ever after a burden to him, and all chances 
 of success in life are completely destroyed. He can only 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 2 1 
 
 be reinstated in the confidence of the priesthood by com- 
 mitting some outrage, such as the murder of an apostate, or 
 the robbing of a gentile. 
 
 Obedience under any and all circumstances, right or wrong, 
 without ever questioning the judgment or the honesty of the 
 priest or his counsel, is the first and most important element 
 in Mormonism. 
 
 The effect of all this is, that the people are reduced to 
 serfdom. They may be called at any moment to give up 
 their homes and abandon everything, to start a new settle- 
 ment in some out-of-the-way place designated by the priests, 
 who have some pohtical or other point to gain, and no 
 thought or care is ever given to the interests or condition of 
 the man or his family. 
 
 This habit of "going on a mission" has become so com- 
 mon among the Mormon people, that if they escape the at- 
 tention of the priesthood for a few years, and are thereby 
 allowed to accumulate a little property, by reason of the 
 non-interference with their material interests, they regard it 
 as almost a miracle, and always esteem it a special, interposi- 
 tion of Providence in their behalf. 
 
 It quite often happens that a young couple marry, and 
 just as they are arranging to settle down near the home of 
 their parents, where perhaps everything ensures prosperity, 
 and even luxury, they are "called on a mission" to some bar- 
 ren spot hundreds of miles distant, to which they must go, 
 or run the risk of having their " throats cut from ear to ear. 
 or their bowels cut open and fed to the hogs," as the Endow- 
 ment House oath compels them to agree to. 
 
 Speaking of marriage reminds me that the best and most 
 reliable records show, that there is very seldom a case where 
 a young couple marry with6ut the ceremony and the birth of 
 the first-born being entirely too close together. Some of the 
 most respectable members of the intelligent Christian churches 
 in Utah, assert that by actual observation of the most scru- 
 tinizing character, they know that without exception, not a 
 single marriage has been solemnized in some of the settle- 
 ments for the past fifteen years, wherein the parties con- 
 cerned have been less intimate before than after their mar- 
 riage. 
 
• 22 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 It is considered to be the privilege of all young men and 
 women who are betrothed, to indulge in all the familiari- 
 ties of marriage life, and when comment is made thereon, 
 the critic is denounced as a " fool who deserves his head 
 punched." 
 
 The old priests laugh at this state of affairs, as they real- 
 ize that it welds the church together with those lecherous 
 bonds, which are the life and vigor of the Mormon Church. 
 They think it perfectly proper to allow their young daughters 
 to mix up with young men who are known to be lasciviously 
 inclined, so that their passions may be excited in early life 
 before their judgment ripens, and thus they may escape a 
 high sense of decency, which otherwise might be a stumbling 
 block in the path of their degradation by polygamy. 
 
 The doings of the .young Mormons of both sexes are even 
 now the talk of all Christian people in Utah; indeed, some 
 of the ministers, and many of the most prominent ladies of the 
 several Christian churches in Salt Lake City and other places 
 in Utah, declare that although their experience has extended 
 in many cases among the lowest classes of the people, in the 
 most depraved countries of Europe, and in some instances 
 to the heathens of Africa, they have never in any situation 
 encountered such utterly filthy and degraded young wretches 
 as are the sons and daughters of the Mormon people. 
 
 It is but the natural result of -polygamy. The members 
 of my own family illustrate clearly the degrading influence 
 of that most unnatural of all family relations. My children 
 are scattered, several of them having been more than once 
 the occupants of a prison, while their mothers are unhappy, 
 and their father practically an outcast. God has surely put 
 his curse upon it. 
 
 If the refined and moral people of America could but 
 understand the horrors and degradation attendant upon 
 polygamy, and the fearful results it entails upon future gen- 
 erations, they would rise in their might and crush out the 
 entire Mormon community, as many of the God-fearing 
 Christian people in the Territory feel assured will yet be 
 necessary. 
 
 There is not upon the face of the entire earth, a commu- 
 nity so utterly disloyal, immoral, bloodthirsty and lecherous 
 as the Mormon people, and yet they live, thrive and defy 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 23 
 
 the Government of the most magnanimous and enlightened 
 nation of modern times. 
 
 They mock the inactivity of our nation, and sneer at its 
 administrators. They declare that God will protect them 
 and utterly destroy the Republic; and they gloat in antici- 
 pation when some calamity shall occur by which the wives 
 and daughters of the Senators, and others who legislate 
 against them, shall by the power of God be placed at their 
 disposal for " the raising a righteous seed before the Lord." 
 
 They firmly believe that every beautiful woman, who is 
 the wife or daughter of any man who opposes the Mormon 
 Church, will yet be the sexual slave of the Mormon priest- 
 hood, as a reward for the persecutions endured through the 
 acts of their enemies. 
 
 Bad and low as is the moral condition of the Mormon 
 people now, it is so much better since the advent of the gen- 
 tiles than it was previous to their coming, that no compari- 
 son can hardly be instituted. 
 
 Nearly every young girl who had arrived at puberty, car- 
 ried in her pocket continually a compound prepared by 
 some of the more experienced of the sex, for the purposes 
 of forestalling the consequences of illicit intercourse. It 
 was a common thing to hear a young girl of fifteen years of 
 age, talk with the experience of a married woman, on sub- 
 jects which the best interests of her future womanhood and 
 public morality would have her wholly ignorant of. 
 
 Drunkenness was so common that it seemed to be the 
 natural condition. Thousands of children were born in 
 Utah at that time, who owe their existence more, much 
 more, to the villainous whisky known as " Valley Tan," than 
 the love of their parents. Men, and women too, used to 
 take their bottles and canteens of whisky to the meeting- 
 houses, just as the members of other churches take their 
 bibles and prayer books. 
 
 Babies were fed on whisky in every conceivable form; 
 they were dosed with it from morning to night, and when its 
 poisonous effects finally brought on serious illness, the little 
 ones were rubbed with "consecrated oil," and the elders 
 used to " lay hands on them " until they died. Thousands 
 of little graves in the Salt Lake and other cemeteries attest 
 this fact. 
 
24 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 The barbarous ignorance of the people cannot be con- 
 ceived, and only those who have been intimately associated 
 with them, as many Of the members of enlightened churches 
 now are in the sense of missionaries, can really understand 
 the nature of their degradation. 
 
 They laugh at the idea of female purity, and denounce 
 every female teacher not of their faith, as a '^ prostitute on 
 the sly." The children scoff at a Christian minister and 
 make fun of his dress and the tones of his voice. If his 
 children ever appear upon the streets, they are stoned and 
 their lives threatened, so that in most cases they are either 
 sent away from home or kept close prisoners in the refined 
 circle of its interior. 
 
 The brave men and women, who for the past few years 
 stood nobly in the front, and without regard for their per- 
 sonal safety or pecuniary reward, have with a self-sacrificing 
 spirit sown the seeds of a better life, and taught the ways of 
 salvadon to these dissolute wrecks of humanity, have carved 
 for themselves immortal names high on the imperishable 
 monument of Christian honor. 
 
 There are men and women in the community to-day, who 
 in the brave and noble spirit belonging to the superior ones 
 of earth, have set such splendid examples, that in spite of 
 all obstacles their leadership, has inspired the down-trodden 
 ones to deeds of heroism without a parallel in history. Yet 
 these heroic acts are unheralded because of the true patriot- 
 ism of the brave few, who have so long and resolutely 
 fought the alien hosts of the depraved serfs of Mormon- 
 ism. 
 
 Realizing that my own life is unsafe to such'a degree as to 
 almost force me to absent myself from Utah, I can but ad- 
 mire the wondrous tenacity with which those whose hearts 
 are so far undaunted, maintain their patriotic defiance of the 
 unholy priesthood, which but for these loyal hands about its 
 throat, would utterly annihilate all semblance of American 
 liberty on the Pacific Coast. 
 
 All honor to the brave few who so bravely battle for the 
 right, and who are steadily crushing out the filthy remnants 
 of Mormonism to implant the pure and elevating principles 
 of refined and progressive Christianity. 
 
LATTER DVY SAINTS IN UTAH. 2$ 
 
 The nation should at once come to fheir succor with 
 moral, financial and military aid, and let the consequences 
 take care of themselves. 
 
 In the language of the old Mormon song : 
 "Do what is right; 
 Let the consequence follow." 
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 About fifteen hundred murders. Blood and rapine. 
 The American citizen. The "used-up" train. The 
 baby's death. 
 
 Since the settlement of Utah in 1847, about 1500 mur- 
 ders have been committed, and nearly all, directly or indi- 
 rectly, in the interest of the Mormon Church. 
 
 Of course it is impossible for any one to tell exactly how 
 many crimes of this character have been perpetrated, be- 
 cause the extent of country embraced in the word Utah, 
 really means, with reference to early times, a very large pro- 
 portion of what is now Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Wyo- 
 ming. 
 
 All through this section " the word of the Lord " was the 
 law, and wherever the Mormons went in search of anything, 
 whether it were richer grazing lands, or the discovery of 
 mountain passes, they were always in the majority, and any 
 unfortunate gentile in their path necessarily had to " toe the 
 mark." 
 
 The slightest dispute, or even a difference of opinion on 
 such a trifling matter as the probable depth of a river, or the 
 quality of a ford, would lead to angry quarrels, which often 
 culminated in taunts being given in regard to Mormonism. 
 
 Whenever this occurred, and especially if some foolish 
 fellow, in the pride of his American manhood, told them 
 that Uncle Sam would enforce the laws in Utah as else- 
 where, one or more of that party would be made to " bite 
 the dust," 
 
 An instance of this kind came under my observation on 
 the banks of Green River. 
 
 A slight misunderstanding arose among a little party of 
 California emigrants and a large train of Mormons in the 
 
26 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 same neighborhood, in regard to the fording of the stream. 
 It was a matter of no consequence whatever, in the first 
 place, but as the Mormon Captain had declared his inten- 
 tion to pass over the stream before the other train, which 
 had the right to priority, one of the gentiles, in his rage, 
 said something against the Mormons. 
 
 One of the Mormons, approaching him, used some insult- 
 ing words, and in a few moments the Mormon Captain 
 ordered the gentile away from the camp. He refused to 
 leave, saying that an American citizen had as many rights as 
 a Mormon, and standing with his arms folded, he asked by 
 what right they had been deprived of their privilege of cross- 
 ing the river first, having been encamped there several hours 
 before the Mormon train arrived. 
 
 Without giving him any answer, the Mormon, raising his 
 arm, pointed over to the gentile camp, and said : " Go where 
 you belong." 
 
 The man stood sullenly trying to keep his temper down, 
 and was just on the point of leaving, when one of the Mormon 
 teamsters came behind and struck him a blow with an axe, 
 which, cutting clear from the top of his head, laid it in two 
 halves on his shoulders. It was the most horrible sight I 
 ever saw, and I shall never forget it while I live. 
 
 " Served him right," broke in the Captain, " served him 
 right. Brother Jardley;" and without further ado, they seized 
 the body, and carrying it a few steps to the river, pushed him 
 through some willows into the stream, which forever buried 
 the secret of his taking off. 
 
 The blood was quickly covered by the ashes from the 
 camp-fires, and when the members of the train came to in- 
 quire about the lost man, there was no trace of him to be found. 
 
 There were but four or five of the members of our train 
 who knew anything of this affair, and they were, of course, 
 immediately sworn to the utmost secresy. 
 
 We noticed that one of the gentile men looked very sus- 
 piciously at the axe, as it rested against a wagon tongue. 
 His attention was drawn to it on account of its being wet, 
 having been thoroughly washed in the river. 
 
 I immediately said something about the dry weather in 
 this country causing everything to shrink, and asked how 
 their wagon -tires hung on. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 27 
 
 Instead of crossing the river immediately, the Captain 
 gave orders to the men in the train to camp a day longer, 
 and finish the shoeing of the oxen on that side of the river. 
 
 Towards evening of that day the gentile train forded the 
 river, having given up all hopes of finding the missing man. 
 
 Some Indians had been seen in the vicinity the night pre- 
 vious, and it was surmised that he had been captured by 
 them while out alone that morning. The fact that the 
 undergrowth was very thick in the vicinity, gave some color 
 to their surmisings, as every one could see how easily a 
 party of Indians in ambush could accomplish any kind of 
 deviltry, without giving evidence of their presence. 
 
 When they had left and the camp was comparatively quiet, 
 we went to the place where the body had been thrown into 
 the river, and found there was no sign of anything to attract 
 attention. The body had evidently been carried down stream 
 by the immense volume of water. 
 
 We never saw it again, and all we ever learned about it 
 was that the man was a son of one of the prominent oppo- 
 nents of Mormonism in Missouri. I remember, some time 
 afterwards, that the Captain said " God had delivered him 
 into our hands." 
 
 A few days afterwards we overtook the small train, which 
 had passed on but slowly, in the hope of hearing something 
 about the missing man, who seems to have been highly es- 
 teemed by all the party. 
 
 We asked them if they had heard from him, and when 
 they told us they had not, the Captain offered the services 
 of two of his riders to assist in the search, as they had done 
 on the other side of the river. 
 
 We reported that a Pony Express rider had told us that he 
 saw a party of ten Indians a few miles up the river, and one 
 of them was wearing a fur cap similar to the one which the 
 man wore when they saw him last. 
 
 This seemed to satisfy most of them, but the man whose 
 attention had been attracted to the axe, on the occasion of 
 their search in our camp, seemed unable to control himself 
 further, and he blurted out, with more pluck than good 
 judgment, " It's a Mormon lie ! " 
 
 Had it not been for the presence of the Captain, a terrible 
 muss would have occurred right then and there. 
 
 3 
 
28 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 I Stepped quietly up to the man and said : " My dear fel- 
 low ! What do you mean ? Do you imagine that we are 
 attempting to deceive you ? " 
 
 His face flushed with rage, and he said : *' You are a lot 
 of murderers, and I'll prove it on you yet ! " 
 
 Our Captain said : '* It is useless to talk to a man who is 
 crazy with passion ; " and again the train moved on. After 
 we had gone a few miles, the Captain rode up alongside of 
 me and said: "That train must be destroyed, or we will 
 have serious trouble." 
 
 " When ? " I asked. " To-night," said he. " I'll think it 
 over, and we will arrange it so as to make a good job of it." 
 
 That hight, as soon as the train was encamped, the Cap- 
 tain rode back to find something which he said he had lost, 
 but his trip was for the purpose of ascertaining the precise 
 whereabouts of the doomed caravan. 
 
 Upon his return, he called us together, and bidding us 
 obey to the letter every order, he, at the head of a party of 
 ten of us, armed to the teeth, took the trail "after Indians,'* 
 as he had told the remaining members of the train. 
 
 He led by a circuitous route, and suddenly we halted 
 within a few rods of the train. 
 
 They had all retired, and the solitary sentinel sat with his 
 gun across his knees, near the last embers of one of the 
 camp-fires. 
 
 Among other weapons, some of the men had stuck hatchets 
 in their belts, and calling two of the men, the Captain mo- 
 tioned them to slip off their boots and crawl to the guards 
 and " silence him, if possible, without firing a shot." 
 
 Leaving their boots, guns and horses in our charge, they 
 moved cautiously, with hatchets in their right hands and 
 pistols in their left, while five of us remained on horseback, 
 ready for the charge. 
 
 The other men dismounted, and held themselves in readi- 
 ness to watch for fugitives, in case any attempted to escape. 
 
 It appears that there were two women in the train, and 
 one of them, as we at this instant learned, to our surprise, 
 had a very young baby, who at the moment of supreme 
 anxiety, just as the two men were within ten feet of the 
 guard, raised its infantile organ, as if in protest against the 
 attack. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 29 
 
 The sentinel raised his head, and grasping his gun, listened 
 attentively for a minute, and as the child quieted down, 
 hushed by the soothing words of its unsuspecting mother 
 he relapsed into his reverie. 
 
 Turning suddenly, however, he observed the two men 
 crawling toward him, and with the yell, " Indians ! " he fired 
 his gun to alarm the camp. 
 
 There was now no time to lose, and we all dashed on the 
 train, and as the two men had already slain the sentinel, we 
 jumped into the wagons, shooting and striking at every mov- 
 ing object. 
 
 Some three or four of the men and one of the women, 
 with a baby in her arms, jumped from the w^agons, but no 
 sooner had they reached the ground than they were shot 
 down aud trodden to death by our horses, which, in the 
 shrewdness of the Captain, had been selected from those 
 which were unshod, so that the tracks could the more readily 
 be mistaken for mounted Indians. 
 
 The men who had dismounted, as well as some of those 
 on horseback, wore moccasins, and although we never took 
 any particular pains to examine, the chances are that we left 
 no traces of the attack having been made by white men. 
 Should we have done so, however, the inference would have 
 been that Indians and "mountaineers" were associated in 
 the raid. 
 
 We selected a few valuables and appropriated them to our 
 own use, but nearly everything was left to the mercy of the 
 next emigrants over the Overland Route to the Gold Mines 
 of California. 
 
 I omitted to mention that the baby escaped death during 
 the melee, and it was decided that all should have a hand in 
 its destruction, and as a further bond of secresy, each, at the 
 order, " One ! two ! three ! " given by the Captain, fired a 
 shot at the little innocent, who, pierced simultaneously by 
 eleven bullets, bore thereafter no resemblance to a human 
 being. 
 
30 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The Law of Tithing. " How many chickens have you 
 raised ?" '' How much butter ?" '' How many socks ?" 
 The penalties of non-payment. 
 
 The matter of Tithing, one of the most prominent of the 
 Mormon doctrines, is a subject often spoken of, but little 
 understood by the "outside world," as the Latter Day 
 Saints designate all those who do not belong to their Church. 
 
 As it is the chief source of revenue, and the real sinews of 
 war of this religio-political organization, it is important that 
 a clear idea of its character, and the methods of collection 
 should be given. 
 
 One-tenth of the entire income of a member is the de- 
 mand made by the priesthood, and it is obligatory upon him 
 that he surrender this amount regularly, and in full, or the 
 results of failure are sure to follow. 
 
 A poor man's income, perhaps, is two dollars per day, and 
 working, say three hundred days in a year, he is required to 
 pay at the end of each year, the sum of sixty dollars, in the 
 kind of pay earned by him. 
 
 This amount he is compelled to take to the office of his 
 Bishop or the presiding elder of his ward or district, accord- 
 ingly as he may be situated. 
 
 He is questioned closely, and often suspiciously by the 
 avaricious priest, in regard to all his sources of income, and 
 in case of having overlooked' any item which has incident- 
 ally yielded him or his wife a few dollars, the wary old priest 
 seldom fails to remind him of it, as he has during the year 
 kept himself well posted, through the services of his numer- 
 ous spies, who make it their duty to know everything in re- 
 gard to a member, and to report it to the chief priest of that 
 particular section. 
 
 Thus the poor fellow who has saved his sixty dollars in 
 cash or store pay, or whatever kind of remuneration he may 
 have received during the year, is compelled to go to his 
 home and take therefrom a few pounds of butter, some eggs 
 or chickens as "one-tenth in kind" of the earnings of his 
 wife, who has managed a cow or cared for a few chickens 
 during the year. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 3 1 
 
 Every little detail of income of every conceivable kind is 
 questioned and closely scrutinized by the priest on the sec- 
 ond visit to the tithe-payer, and on this occasion he is re- 
 minded that "Sister Sarah" (the man's wife) ''knit some 
 men's socks and sold them at the store;" the result of which 
 is that a count is made of the woman's work, and two or 
 three pairs of socks are taken to the Bishop on the next 
 visit. 
 
 If the butter, the eggs, the chickens, or the socks are of 
 extra fine quality, the Bishop usually appropriates them to 
 his own use, and pays to the " General Tithing Office" some 
 other articles, nominally the same in value, but altogether 
 inferior in kind. 
 
 Although this trick of the Bishops is well known to the 
 highest authorities, they seldom find any fault, because every 
 Bishop is put in office on account of his inside acquaintance 
 with the murders and other crimes of the Mormon leaders, 
 who dare not "go back" on their accomplices. 
 
 After surrendering the numerous articles, which if kept 
 would have purchased a few more of the necessaries of life 
 for the man and his family, he often discovers that the very 
 things paid for tithing are turned to the uses of the Bishop 
 and the priesthood generally, who are thereby enabled to in- 
 dulge in luxuries infinitely beyond the reach of the con- 
 tributor. 
 
 No matter how much he may realize, all this he is com- 
 pelled to pay, or the chances of earning a living are all de- 
 stroyed, and in addition, his life and the lives of his family 
 are no longer safe. 
 
 Not a dollar can be earned by a member of the Mormon 
 Church, but the priest immediately claims ten cents of it, 
 and as much more as he can get, by the demands in other 
 departments of Church interests. 
 
 Hundreds of thousands of dollars are collected every 
 year to bribe Congressmen and to prevent unfavorable leg- ' 
 islation, as well as to pay men in Salt Lake City and other 
 places to write favorable newspaper and magazine articles 
 regarding the Mormon people. 
 
 This tax, which is collected from the members of the 
 Church under the same penalties of excommunication and 
 threats of personal danger, in addition to the surplus of the 
 
32 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 milliorrs of dollars paid annually for tithing, is expended 
 among the influential legislators and literary men of the na- 
 tion, and thus the power of the Church is kept up. 
 
 Whenever a man says that he is opposed to the attack 
 made upon the Mormon Church by the local newspapers or 
 politicians, no matter how mild or seemingly logical his pro- 
 test may appear, you may be assured that he is " in the pay 
 of the priesthood," as any man with sufficient intelligence to 
 be of any value as a defender, must necessarily understand 
 the villainies of the Church. 
 
 The poor ignorant people who attach themselves to the 
 Mormon Church, of course, are in some sense to be pitied, 
 although in every case, when thoroughly understood, it will 
 be seen that polygamy or some other sensual feature of the 
 institution, was really the inducement which allured them. 
 
 In the case of the intelligent ones, however, it is entirely 
 different, and although I can understand how an ignorant 
 man who know^s nothing of Mormonism may have occa- 
 sional sympathies for the constant anoyances which they 
 endure, I am confident from my experience that any in- 
 telligent person who knows nothing of them must at a 
 glance discover their unnatural degradation and criminal de- 
 basement. 
 
 To every man who, having sufficient education to write 
 an editorial, or make a speech who has done, or shall here- 
 after do, anything to prevent the utter annihilation of the 
 Mormon Church, I say, "You are a scoundrel, and you 
 know it!" 
 
 At the same time, be it remembered, I have much sym- 
 pathy for the ignorant honest ones, who through lack of 
 mental strength, are deluded, whether they are in or out of 
 this soul-degrading Church. 
 
 Cases illustrating the danger of refusing or neglecting to 
 pay tithing have often come under my personal observation, 
 and I will give a glimpse of their character. 
 
 A man, who for this occasion shall be named Frank Hi- 
 ber, had acquired, by hard work and continued attention to 
 his business, a comfortable home and a fine farm, and in 
 addition a large lot of cattle, had become somewhat luke- 
 warm in Mormonism, was on a certain occasion ordered by 
 his Bishop to take a second wife. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH, 33 
 
 His own wife, a sweet little Massachusetts girl, the mother 
 of three interesting boys, whose coming had not dimmed 
 in the least degree the graces and beauties of their lovely 
 mother, was much opposed to this interference with their 
 happiness, and she, in her winsome loveliness of person and 
 disposition, persuaded Frank to refuse. 
 
 He quietly evaded all the Bishop's attentions, and laugh- 
 ingly said, that " one was enough, especially the kind I've 
 
 The priesthood insisted upon his assuming family rela- 
 tions ^'according to the Celestial Law," but he stood firm 
 against all their arguments, and at last, as the result of ex- 
 tensive investigation and intelligent conclusions in regard 
 to '' the principle of polygamy," he told the Bishop that he 
 would not take another wife. 
 
 This led to an estrangement, to some extent, and on one 
 occasion, when his children had been abused at school, be- 
 cause their father was an "apostate," the parents decided 
 to keep them at home. 
 
 This incident set Frank to thinking about the Mormon 
 religion, and as his mind was turned more seriously in that 
 direction, he purchased a number of books treating the sub- 
 ject, and soon he became convinced that " there is very little 
 good in it," as he on one occasion told his sweet little wife. 
 
 The result of this investigation was, that at times he would 
 argue the question with "the leaders," who came regularly 
 to his house, as they did to all others in that vicinity, and it 
 was not long before the whole settlement was told that Frank 
 Hiber was "full of the spirit of apostacy." 
 
 It happened that at the commenceanent of the following 
 year, the Bishop of the town was driving along in a sleigh, 
 and Frank and his wife met them on the main road. 
 
 The Bishop said, good-naturedly : " Brother Hiber, I have 
 just started in to settle tithing, and if you'll call at my house 
 to-morrow, we'll fix yours. I see you've done splendid this 
 year, ain't you ? " 
 
 Frank hesitated a moment, but finally thinking of the re- 
 solve he had made, said : " Bishop, I'm not going to pay 
 any more tithing; all I make I have use for, and have con- 
 cluded to keep for my own use hereafter." 
 
34 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 The Bishop said, laughingly: Oh, I guess you'll change 
 your mind ; won't he. Sister Hiber ? " She replied : ** I 
 guess not." 
 
 Seeing them so determined, the Bishop, with a face as red 
 as bipod, said : " Well, by-by," and drove on. 
 
 To make short a long story, I briefly say that at this time 
 the young couple were in possession of property worth at 
 least twenty thousand dollars, and before the next year, all 
 they owned in the world was the farm and house, which they 
 gladly sold for one thousand dollars, and started to a remote 
 section of an adjoining Territory to begin life anew. 
 
 All their stock had been stolen or poisoned, their grain- 
 stacks burned and their lives endangered by the refusal, on 
 that winter morning, to "obey the law of tithing." 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 The subjugation of women. Brother Smithson's disci- 
 pline. The mission of the Jeroams. "It is best not 
 to interfere." 
 
 There is no feature of the Mormon institutions more 
 marked than the systematic subjugation of women, and 
 whenever the circumstances render a complete carrying out 
 of the plan at all feasible, the Mormon wife is reduced to 
 abject serfdom. 
 
 It is considered almost a mortal offense for any person to 
 offer any remonstrance against the cruelties of a husband, 
 and in case it should be given by one who is in the slightest 
 degree doubtful of the divinity of the Church and its doc- 
 trines, a life often pays the penalty. 
 
 I will relate a few -circumstances which are undoubtedly 
 true, but as only a part of the incidents actually were ob- 
 served by me, it is but fair to so state. What I did see, and 
 what occurred, so closely interweave, that I can have no 
 doubt that the story, as I give it, is absolutely correct. 
 
 An interesting young woman, from a well-known town in 
 England, became the third wife of an old Mormon from Ver- 
 mont, and for a time she seemed to be his idol. Nothing was 
 " too good for her," to eat, wear or indulge in. 
 
 For some reason, of which I know nothing, he suddenly 
 turned against her, and compelled her to do the drudgery of 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 35 
 
 the entire family, and I am informed that on many occasions 
 he had beaten her and abused her unmercifully. 
 
 On one occasion, early in the morning of a chilly autumti 
 day, he was seen passing through the doorway in the rear of 
 his dwelling, bearing in his arms " Betty," as she was called 
 by the neighbors. Her name was Betsy Filkins before her 
 marriage to the Vermont Saint, whom we will call Elder 
 Smithson. 
 
 Smithson had seized her as she lay in her bed, and without 
 giving her time to add other clothing, he had taken her in 
 his arms and carried her into the orchard in the lot on which 
 his house stood. 
 
 She made some attempt to scream, but he silenced her by 
 placing his hand over her mouth, and soon he placed her 
 shivering and half-exposed form against a large peach tree, 
 and bidding her stand there, he returned in a moment with 
 a chain and some ropes, which he had conveniently near. 
 
 It was but the work of a moment to encircle her body with 
 the fastenmgs, and she was securely bound to the tree. He 
 drew from his pocket a block of wood and thrust it into her 
 mouth, and so effectually gagged her that she could scarcely 
 utter a sound. 
 
 Having accomplished his work, he made some remark to 
 her, and then he passed toward the stable, and in a minute 
 returned with "a black-snake whip," as it is told to me, and 
 with it he flogged the poor woman until she fainted and fell 
 to the ground, or so near to it as her fastenings would allow. 
 
 Her single garment was of course no protection, and the 
 blood oozed through the cotton cloth, which had been cut 
 open in a number of places by the force of some of the blows. 
 
 This scene was enacted within a few rods of a street that 
 was frequented by many foot-passengers, but being at an 
 early hour, no person seems to have paid any attention to 
 the affair. 
 
 In fact, people in the Mormon towns had learned that 
 e^fen if anything of this kind did occur, it was " always best 
 not to interfere." There were, however, two neighbors who 
 saw it all. 
 
 After leaving her in this condition for a few minutes, and 
 noticing no sign of returning life, he went to the well and 
 
36 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 drew a bucket of water, and threw it at one swoop all over 
 the lifeless form. 
 
 The sudden reaction caused a struggle, and in a few min- 
 utes she regained consciousness, when he began to tell her 
 that unless she did as he told her in every particular, he 
 would " cut her head clean off," and he exhibited a butcher- 
 knife, which nearly every one in those times used to carry in 
 his belt. 
 
 She shuddered with horror at his brutality, and seemed to 
 ask him to release her, but he paid no attention, further than 
 to kick her once or twice with his cowhide boots. 
 
 He left her occasionally, but never took his eye off her, 
 and in about an hour he went to her and wrenched the gag 
 from her mouth, and seating himself near, he told her she 
 might " talk now if you want to." 
 
 The poor creature was almost crazy, but in the best way 
 she could, she assured him she would never offend him again. 
 
 Not satisfied with this, he struck her several severe blows 
 with the whip, and as she cried out, one of his other wives 
 opened the door to see what was going on, but a threatening 
 motion soon caused her disappearance. 
 
 A young man and woman were just passing in front of the 
 house, and hearing the voice of a woman in distress, he 
 slipped between the poles of the fence, and was shortly in 
 full view of the scene. 
 
 This young man, who was engaged to the young lady wh^ 
 accompanied him, we will call Harry Jeroam. He at once 
 began to remonstrate with Brother Smithson, and had it not 
 been for the presence of his affianced, a terrible conflict be- 
 tween the two men would have ensued, without doubt, as 
 Jeroam told him he "ought to have your infernal brains 
 blown out, to treat a woman like that." 
 
 Before the young couple departed, the woman was released 
 and led into the house, from which she never emerged until 
 when, some two months afterwards, she became the mother 
 of her first child, which, by the edict of nature, had been^n 
 unconscious participant in the horrible affair which I have 
 briefly told. 
 
 This narrative, however, is chiefly given to show the fate 
 of those who interfere with " husband and wife in Zion.*' 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 37 
 
 Not long afterwards, young Jeroam and his sweetheart 
 *' went through the Endowment House," and were married 
 "for time and eternity." 
 
 They had a comfortable home, and Harry was progressing 
 nicely in a business well suited to his tastes, when they were 
 ordered to move out into the country, to a small settlement 
 of four or five families in a canon, a few miles distant. 
 
 Of course it was useless to think of anything other than to 
 " obey counsel," and shortly they disposed of their place at 
 a great loss, and started to their destination. 
 
 While Harry was building a small log hut of one room, 
 they lodged in a tent which he had bought from a Califor- 
 nian emigrant. 
 
 In a few weeks the house was ready for occupancy, and 
 the young couple tried to believe that they were comfortable, 
 although they saw no prospects of material wealth in that 
 locality. They had been assured by the priesthood "that 
 the Lord will bless and prosper you, if you are faithful and 
 keep His commandments," and they had some faith in the 
 promise. 
 
 They had only been in their new location about a month, 
 when they learned, by a circuitous process, that Brother 
 Smithson had been the cause of their being "called on a 
 mission." Harry could scarcely believe it, but the evidence 
 was conclusive, and he, after a long and deliberate consulta- 
 tion with his wife, decided to say nothing about it, as it was 
 "probably all for the best." 
 
 It appears that Smithson was a great favorite of the Bishop 
 of the Ward in which Jeroam had previously resided, and as 
 the old Bishop had one or two obstreperous " women" whom 
 he found it necessary at times to subdue, they had decided 
 that " the young man had better be taught a lesson ;" and so 
 the Bishop recommended Jeroam for a mission. He was 
 accordingly called at the next Conference. 
 
 In their new home they were exposed to all sorts of dan- 
 gers and annoyances. The road over which the emigrants 
 passed was in close proximity to the humble domicile of the 
 Jeroams, and although at times a dollar or two would be 
 received in exchange for milk and butter, they were often 
 imposed upon in many ways by the rough land voyagers, 
 
38 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 who, in their reckless way, had little respect for the rights of 
 other people. 
 
 The active life which Harry was compelled to pursue to 
 earn a living caused him to be absent from his home in the 
 mountains quite frequently. 
 
 One day on his return, after an absence of two nights and 
 three days, his wife met him at the door with the usual kiss, 
 but Harry spitefully pushed her away. With tears in her eyes 
 and her heart almost broken, she begged him to tell her the 
 cause of his trouble. 
 
 He avoided her, and as soon as he had attended to his 
 team, he went to the house of a neighbor and there took 
 some food, refusing to eat in his own house. 
 
 When night came and he did not return, she went to the 
 stable, where he had made his bed, and endeavored to get 
 him into conversation, but all he would say was, " Go away, 
 and don't bother me, for God's sake." 
 
 She stood at the door, begging and crying for him to speak 
 to her, until her heart almost broke and her brain seemed to 
 give way, when she wandered down to the mountain stream, 
 and endeavored to make up her mind to destroy herself, but 
 finally nerving herself for another interview, she crept quietly 
 back to the stable, and after carefully listening, she found 
 that Harry had dozed off, and she laid herself quietly at his 
 side, on the dirty floor of the damp stable. 
 
 In a few minutes he moved uneasily in his sleep, and 
 muttered something which she could not understand She 
 listened with eagerness, and finally she heard him say : " I 
 must kill her ; it is my duty. She will be damned forever. 
 She must die — must die." 
 
 Raising his hand, he seized his pillow, and as if in the act 
 of choking a person, be said, with all the vehemence of a 
 madman: " My God ! I have done it ; but it was right." 
 
 She gently said: "Harry! Harry! what's the matter?" 
 when he seemed instantaneously to realize that he had been 
 dreaming, and glaring at her, he called her by a name only 
 applicable to the most degraded women, and seizing her by 
 the throat, he threw her on the ground, and in an instant, 
 releasing her, he said : " Let me ask you a question : who 
 was that man who stayed at the house while I was away ? 
 Tell me the truth." 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 39 
 
 Feelingassured that he was indeed insane, she struggled 
 to free herself, and finally said : " Harry ! my dear, sweet 
 Harry ! why, what has come over you ? No one has been 
 at the house — neither man nor woman. What do you 
 mean?" And seizing him in her arms, she implanted a' 
 passionate kiss upon his lips, and fainted in his arms. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 The troubles of the Jeroams. The villainous Simkin. 
 The Danite's work. " Curse you both." Brother Smith- 
 son and the Priesthood avenged. 
 
 A faint gleam of the moon had dimly lighted the interior 
 of the stable, which was roughly constructed of logs, between 
 which there were openings often three or four inches, where 
 the unevenness of the material and the crudeness of the 
 workmanship had failed to bring symmetry. 
 
 By the light of the moon, as it shone through the crevices, 
 young Jeroam could see that his wife was deathly pale, and 
 fearing fatal results, he bore her to the house, which was 
 only a few yards away, and there he laid her upon the tempt- 
 ing bed, which she had prepared for their mutual occupancy. 
 
 She had left the light burning in the house when she went 
 in search of her husband, and by its glare he saw that it was 
 necessary to resuscitate her at once, as life had almost fled. 
 
 Fearing to leave her, even for a moment, he was unable to 
 procure any assistance, so that the success of his undertaking 
 depended entirely upon his own exertions. 
 
 After continued efforts, he was at last rewarded by observ- 
 ing a slight struggle, and soon she opened her eyes. He 
 immediately raised her head, when she asked : *' What is the 
 matter? Have I been dreaming?" 
 
 He comforted her by telling her not to worry ; that all 
 would be well, and that there must be some horrid mistake 
 some way. 
 
 When she recovered consciousness, she at last persuaded 
 him to tell her what had troubled him, and although he 
 seemed fully convinced of the stories which had been told 
 to him, she soon proved to him the impossibility of anything 
 occurring like that which he had been told. 
 
4© THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 After many caresses, they at last retired to bed, and when 
 morning came, all their troubles were over, and each woi> 
 dered how such silly things could have brought so much 
 misery. 
 
 All went merrily with the young couple for a few weeks, 
 and it seemed that their hearts were more closely welded 
 than ever, through the tortures which they had recently en- 
 dured. 
 
 About this time, a young man named Simkin came to 
 live in the neighborhood, he having been called to settle in the 
 same little town as the Jeroams were living. 
 
 Simkin had been very fond of Mrs. Jeroam in her girl- 
 hood, and when she finally told him she did not love him, 
 and really did love some one else, his eyes flashed fire, and 
 he told her to beware, as he would punish her for her obsti- 
 nacy, no matter how long a time might elapse before he 
 " had a chance." 
 
 His coming to the little town was a source of much anxiety 
 to her, and at times she felt like telling her husband the cause 
 of her uneasiness, but fearing the peculiar jealousy which had 
 been aroused in him on the previous occasion, she decided 
 to say nothing about the matter. 
 
 Harry had never known of the attentions shown to her by 
 young Simkin, and as he was a jolly kind of fellow, Harry 
 had invited him to the house in one or two cases. During 
 these visits Mrs. Jeroam was always very unhappy, and when 
 she saw a growing intimacy between him and her husband, 
 she feared some disagreeable results would follow. 
 
 One day Harry said to her : " That fellow, Simkin, is one 
 of the best-hearted fellows I ever saw. He seems willing to 
 do everything for me, and I am thinking of going into a kind 
 of partnership with him. If I do, we can arrange to have 
 him make his home with us." 
 
 A look of distrust passed over the face of Mrs. Jeroam, 
 who, when asked what she thought of the proposition, said : 
 " I wouldn't do it, Harry ; " and then, with tears in her eyes, 
 she said: "I wouldn't bring him here, and I wish you would 
 have nothing to do with him." Harry was dumbfounded. 
 
 Telling her it was one of her silly whims, they dismissed 
 the subject, and were cosily discussing a pleasant breakfast.^ 
 when Simkin came to the door to ask Harry a question. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 4I 
 
 Harry invited him to breakfast, and as soon as they com- 
 menced talking, Mrs. Jeroam discovered that the arrange- 
 ments between them were almost concluded, and it seemed 
 difficult for her to understand by what means her husband 
 could avoid associating himself with this man without break- 
 ing his word. 
 
 She listened with a woman's anxiety to every word, and 
 when the breakfast was over, she was almost beside herself 
 with grief at the turn things had taken. 
 
 As soon as she could again speak to Harry, she begged 
 him to arrange so that Simkin should not make his home 
 with them, no matter what else had to be done. 
 
 While talking with her husband, she observed some small 
 stakes which had been driven in the ground near the house, 
 and she asked him what they were for. He told her that he 
 had arranged to build another room for Simkin, and that the 
 logs which were near the stable had been hauled by Simkin 
 for that purpose. 
 
 She begged of him to prevent this at any cost, as, if he 
 came, she felt that their home would be "a home no longer." 
 He laughed at her fears, but he told her he would see what 
 could be done in the case. 
 
 That morning he had a long talk with Simkin, and as his 
 suspicions had been aroused that something existed between 
 the two which was not exactly as it should be, he watched 
 very closely every word spoken by Simkin. 
 
 At last Harry said : " I wish you would say what you will 
 take to let me out of that arrangement I made in regard to 
 building a room on the house for you to live in. My wife 
 says she will need the room badly, and I really think there 
 would be no comfort for you there." 
 
 Simkin had set his mind more firmly on tTiis part of the 
 contract than on any other, and in his rage and disappoint- 
 ment he said: "That's right; back out altogether;" and 
 then, tauntingly, he said : *' Damn a man that'll let a woman 
 manage him, anyhow ! " 
 
 Harry was terribly annoyed, but keeping his temper, he 
 asked Simkin to relieve him from that part of the contract, 
 but he doggedly said : "No, I won't; either all or nothing. 
 You know I have no home, and after all the arrangements I 
 have made, it's infernal mean of you to cheat me this way. 
 
42 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 You can have the logs, and go to hell, where you will go 
 before long, you damned apostate ! " 
 
 Harry asked him to be cool, and think the matter over 
 quietly, but he refused, and said : *^ From this time we are 
 enemies, and look out that you don't cross me again." 
 
 Mrs. Jeroam, immediately upon the return of her hus- 
 band, questioned him in regard to the result of the conver- 
 sation, but Harry was too much annoyed to say anything 
 further than that it was the last time he should allow her to 
 interfere with his arrangements. 
 
 She, in her womanly weakness, begged her husband to go and 
 make friends with Simkin, and she promised that she would 
 be kind to him, and make him comfortable in every way. 
 Harry laughed at her changeability, but reasoning that the 
 delicate condition of his wife's health caused these strange 
 whims, he good-naturedly said: "No; it has gone too far. 
 We are sworn enemies for life ; and all through you." 
 
 The woman, through her .fears, cried and entreated her 
 husband to fetch him to the house, so that she could again 
 cement their friendship, and in a semi-desperation, she de- 
 clared that she would see Simkin and make the matter all 
 right with him. 
 
 Harry advised her never to speak to him again, and told 
 her that if he ever came to the house, to shut the door in 
 his face. 
 
 Mrs. Jeroam secretly determined, at all hazards, to save 
 trouble between her husband and the desperate Simkin, and 
 when Harry had gone off with his team to haul a load of 
 sand, she saw Simkin standing near the fence, and asked 
 him to come into the house, as she wanted to speak to him. 
 
 He was onl)5 too glad of this opportunity to see her, as it 
 afforded him the means of carrying out the plan which he 
 was under instructions from his superiors in the priesthood 
 to perfect, and as his own spleen was ^Iso to be gratified, the 
 task was doubly interesting. 
 
 Just as he entered the house, Harry returned on one of 
 his horses to get a chain to mend the broken brake on his 
 wagon, and he saw them enter the house together. 
 
 6nraged beyond degree, he entered the stable, in the en- 
 deavor to cool his anger, but the more he thought, the more 
 enraged he became. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 43 
 
 Rushing into the house, he demanded the cause of this 
 clandestine interview, and before either could explain, he 
 struck Simkin a blow which knocked him down among the 
 hot ashes on the fireplace. 
 
 In a moment he was up again, and the two men were pre- 
 pared for the deadly conflict. Each with a butcher-knife in 
 his hand, rushed upon the other, when Mrs. Jeroam, in her 
 excitement, threw herself between them. At this moment 
 Simkin saw his opportunity, and with a fearful thrust of the 
 knife, he slew the woman and the unborn child of the man 
 he hated with one blow. 
 
 The men fought like tigers, and at last they fell, exhausted 
 from the loss of blood. Both were mortally wounded in 
 several places, and the fight was ended. The poor woman, 
 in horrible agonies, was writhing on the floor near the dying 
 men, when Simkin raised his head upon his arm and said : 
 *' You'll never interfere with Brother Smithson again, I 
 guess. I was told to do it, and I've done it. Curse you 
 both ! " 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 How I CAME TO WRITE THIS BOOK. The principles of Mor- 
 monism. The influence of the Danites. A warning 
 voice. The brave opponents of Mormonism in Utah. 
 
 I have, as will be observed, made no attempt to paint the 
 horrid scenes which I have presented, with the colors of the 
 novelist or dramatist, who must see therein all the incidents 
 of profound romance and tragic horror. Having never 
 written a book on any subject before, it is not to be ex- 
 pected that this little work shall possess any literary merit, 
 and it is but natural that I should fail to invest the portrayal 
 with anything of the character of the real occurrences. 
 Most of the cases to which I have referred, and shall here- 
 after refer, are parts of my actual experience, and are as 
 indelibly stamped in my memory as are the recollections of 
 my life in any other particulars, intensified by the fact that 
 they have been, and now often are, the subject of my 
 dreams, which I now at last begin to realize are " the hell 
 upon earth," which we often hear spoken of 
 4 
 
44 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 Just why I should now tell, for the first time, many of the 
 incidents herein, I cannot tell, further than that I am aware 
 that a fair regard for personal safety was the chief cause of 
 my silence for a long time, added to which was a supersti- 
 tious fear that in telling anything of this kind, I was doing 
 " wrong in the sight of God," as I had often been assured 
 was the case by those " set over me in the priesthood." 
 
 Recently, although I have but little faith in the doctrines 
 of the Spiritualists, I have almost begun to believe that the 
 influences which seem to prompt me to write are no more 
 nor less than the spirits of those who, having been deprived 
 of their existence upon this earth, by the aid of myself and 
 many others of my intimate acquaintances, have formed a 
 compact to use me as an instrument to let .their friends 
 know something more of the iniquities of the Mormon 
 Church. 
 
 I have no reason for this impression, other than that a 
 horrible feeling of depression came over me some months 
 ago, and something seemed to say to me, "Write; write; 
 write." 
 
 I had no subject on my mind, and am not a writer, either 
 by profession or instinct, so that I could not understand why 
 I should be thus impressed. After this importuning had 
 continued for several days, I one Synday afternoon retired 
 to my room, and seemingly in a semi-conscious condition, I 
 fell upon my knees and asked forgiveness of God for all I 
 had done that was wrong, and while kneeling, a great change 
 of feeling came over me. 
 
 I rose and seated myself at my desk, and placing paper, 
 pens and ink near me, I seemed to be about to write a letter 
 to an absent friend, when my eyes closed involuntarily, and 
 I heard my pen scratching rapidly over the surface of the 
 paper, and when I again recovered consciousness, I saw that 
 I had written the w^hole of the first chapter and the headings 
 of the remaining sixteen. 
 
 Here was my work started and mapped out with such 
 detail, that I saw exactly what I was to do, and all that has 
 been done so far has been done apparently with no effort on 
 my part, other than that in reading over the manuscript I 
 made a few unimportant changes in the phraseology. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 45 
 
 To the uninitiated it must be hard to believe that the cir- 
 cumstances related can have any foundation in truth, but 
 when it is considered what the peculiar beliefs of the Mor- 
 mon people are, it is much more easily understood, as for 
 the effects one finds the causes. 
 
 The Mormons are first taught to believe in God " to have 
 faith," as it is termed, and coupled with their faith in God, 
 they are required to believe that God is really present in the 
 priesthood of the Mormon Church. They believe that it is 
 as great a wrong to disobey the priesthood in any particular 
 as to directly defy the Creator, because these men are in- 
 spired by God, and are really the agents of His will, dele- 
 gated with full authority to attend to the affairs of the (jod- 
 head here upon earth. 
 
 When a man once accepts this as the ground-work of his 
 faith, it is easy to understand that a ponderous superstructure 
 of fanaticism can readily be constructed thereon. 
 
 Next they are taught repentance, which, as they define it> 
 is to "cease to do evil and learn to do well ;" but the priests 
 hold the right to say what is ev'A and what is well. Then 
 comes baptism for the "remission of sins," which is sup- 
 posed to wash the convert clean from all the sins of the 
 wicked world, from which he is expected thereafter to with- 
 draw himself, and "listen only to the still, small voice" of 
 the spirit of God, "as revealed through His priesthood." 
 
 Next comes Tithing. This is the acceptance of an agree- 
 ment to pay to the Church one-tenth of the entire earnings 
 of the family, " for the support of the Church and the up- 
 building of the kingdom of God here upon the earth." 
 
 Then- the convert is taught that it is his duty to "gather 
 to Zion," the home of the Mormon people, now in Utah. 
 
 Polygamy is next in order, and it becomes the duty of 
 every man to obey the " Celestial Law," by taking additional 
 wives, and the women are taught that they must obey, 
 under penalty of being "destroyed in the flesh." All are 
 assured that obedience thereto is a guarantee of salvation, 
 even should the convert "commit all manner of sin except 
 the shedding of innocent blood, and the sin against the 
 Holy Ghost," — the latter the "unpardonable sin," so much 
 talked of among the Mormon people. 
 
46 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 The " shedding of innocent blood " does not apply to the 
 killing of a gentile or an apostate, as their blood is defined 
 as "guilty,'/ so that murders of this kind have no influence 
 against salvation, but to kill a brother Mormon without the 
 permission of the priesthood, is the shedding of innocent 
 blood. » 
 
 The " sin against the Holy Ghost," the unpardonable sin, 
 is the failure to obey the behests of the priesthood in any 
 particular, and the divulging of the secrets of the Endow- 
 ment House, or the betraying of a fellow Danite into the 
 hands of the gentiles." 
 
 For these there is no pardon, and nothing but the 
 '* blood of the guilty one offered as a sacrifice before God," 
 can " save his or her soul from utter annihilation." 
 
 A Mormon who fails to kill any person who has had " an 
 opportunity to embrace the Gospel," and then turns against 
 it, is really " derelict of duty," as the priests define it. 
 
 He is taught that the " keys of eternal life " can only be 
 received through the ceremonies of the Endowment House, 
 and he is forced through^ there by every influence which 
 can be brought to bear upon him. 
 
 This Endowment House affair is a sort of Free-Masonry, 
 to which is added oaths especially adapted to the uses of 
 Mormonism, and a number of oaths are prescribed much 
 after the manner of the A. F. & A. M. 
 
 In this case though, the oaths are all of a treasonable and 
 bloodthirsty character, and the penalties are of the most 
 horrible nature. I remember, when I '^ went through the 
 house," the horrible oaths and penalties were present in my 
 dreams and memory for several months, whereas in my 
 previous experience in Masonic initiation, there was noth- 
 ing but pleasurable recollections, although the ceremonies 
 were fully as elaborate and otherwise as impressive. 
 
 The story of this treasonable "sink-hole of iniquity," as a 
 brave and honest journal of Utah has characterized it, has 
 been so often* told, that I refrain from giving details. 
 
 Complete and absolute " obedience to the priesthood " is 
 here inculcated, and if in addition to the other obligations, 
 the responsibilities of polygamy have been assumed, as in 
 my case, all individual identity is gone, and from that time 
 the convert is a slave in the fullest sense. He must preach, 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 47 
 
 pray, lie, seduce, murder, or do anything good, bad, or 
 indifferent, in the interest of the Mormon Church. 
 
 From that time, he must no longer regard the laws of the 
 land, but must do his utmost to "break down all govern- 
 ments, destroy all peoples, and build up Zion, on the ruin 
 of its enemies," which means every one who does not submit 
 to the dictation of the priesthood. 
 
 Many of the more devout are still further " honored " by 
 being initiated into the order of " Danites," an organization 
 which is under obligations to "bite the heel" of the ene- 
 mies of Zion." They hold themselves in readiness at all 
 times to destroy any one, even each other, when so ordered 
 by the. heads of the Church. 
 
 The peculiar situation of the Mormons renders them 
 liable to many attacks from parties outside of their Church, 
 and not infrequently, some earnest man or woman becomes 
 conspicuous in opposition to their bestiality. 
 
 These prominent ones are "spotted," and the Danites 
 are told to " hold themselves in readiness as Minute Men " 
 for " final orders," which, when received, seal the fate of the 
 party concerned, although it may, for especial reasons, take 
 years in its accomplishment. 
 
 Although I have been absent from the headquarters of 
 the Mormons for a long time, I am in communication with 
 those who post me on some matters, and I am therefore 
 cognizant of the fact that several people who are now among 
 the leaders of the opposition to the Mormon Church, and 
 who now reside in Salt Lake City, are doomed to a destruc- 
 tion from which there is not and cannot be any escape, short 
 of a continued residence in a foreign country. 
 
 I have warned several of them, in an indirect way, but 
 their brave hearts seem to know no fear, working as they do, 
 in a full knowledge of the righteousness of their cause. 
 
 When I think of these noble people, I often say to myself 
 that perhaps my natural cowardice will be of use to better 
 men some time ; for if I had been brave in my opposition 
 when my eyes were first opened to the enormity of my crim- 
 inal participation, I should long since have been laid away, 
 and then I could not have raised this warning cry to save 
 others. 
 
48 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 The Mountain Meadow Massacre. The picked nine. 
 The compact. The captain's orders. The lust of the 
 brethren. 
 
 The wholesale assassination of the Arkansas emigrants at 
 Mountain Meadows, in Utah, is remembered by everybody 
 who ever paid the slightest attention to Mormonism and its 
 history. 
 
 The members of the Church always assert that the Indians 
 destroyed the emigrants for the purpose of avenging them- 
 selves for wrongs done them by the Arkansans while passing 
 through Southern Utah. 
 
 The truth of the matter is, that the whole train was 
 doomed long before it reached the Rocky Mountains ; for 
 as soon as it was discovered by Some Mormons who made 
 their acquaintance " on the plains," that there were some 
 parties in the train bearing the same names as those of men 
 who had engaged in hostilities against the Mormons during 
 their expulsion, news was sent to ''headquarters" in Salt 
 Lake City. 
 
 It had been rumored around to some extent, that a " train 
 of mobocrats " would soon pass through Salt Lake City on 
 their way to California, and many of " the feithful " had be- 
 gun to swear vengeance on t-hem, even weeks before their 
 arrival. 
 
 Along came the train, slowly moving right into the very 
 jaws of death ; but not a man in the outfit had the slightest 
 intimation of danger. 
 
 It was known only to a few at the time, and it never be- 
 came at all extensively known that a plot was laid to " use 
 them all up" before they reached Utah. In fact, there were 
 three separate and distinct plans arranged for their massacre 
 before they entered Salt Lake Valley. 
 
 The first one was arranged to culminate at the Sweetwater 
 Crossings, and a party of Mormons and Indians watched 
 for three days and nights for an opportunity to attack them 
 to advantage ; but the plan was abandoned on account of 
 the large number of men in the train, and the excellent man- 
 agement of the leaders of the train. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 49 
 
 Not far from what is now known as Echo Station, another 
 attempt was made, and after similar investigations, it was 
 abandoned for the same reasons. 
 
 The Danite and Indian forces were enlarged, and at the 
 foot of the Little Mountain, in Emigration Canon, the third 
 attempt was made to slaughter the emigrants, and as this 
 seemed to be the last chance before they should enter the 
 Salt Lake Valley, we made some desperate efforts to '' obey 
 our orders." 
 
 It was found impossible to make a "good job of it," as we 
 had been told to do, and a few of us rode in the night to the 
 Presidency and reported our failure. 
 
 I shall never forget the fears and anxieties which we en- 
 dured after we were told in the Council that we were " cow- 
 ards, or it might have been done long ago." 
 
 We considered ourselves fated, but next morning, at an 
 early hour, we were awakened from our slumbers in a room 
 not far from the Deseret News office, and told by one of the 
 clerks that we were wanted in the President's office. 
 
 It appears that a consultation lasting through the entire 
 night had been held in the Historian's office near by, and it 
 was finally decided that in case a certain number of us would 
 pledge ourselves to "carry the thing through" before the 
 train left Utah, we were to be forgiven. 
 
 While disguised as an Indian in one of the attacks before 
 mentioned, I had been wounded in the thigh by a bullet 
 from one of the guns of the Arkansans, and as it was sug- 
 gested that such a pledge ought to be signed, it was agreed 
 on, and to make the bond the more impressive, it was ordered 
 by the Chief of the Council that it be signed with " blood 
 from that wound." 
 
 A pen which had been used in ordinary ink (in fact, it was 
 one which had been used to indite a " General Epistle to all 
 the Saints throughout the World," as I remember seeing the 
 document lying on a table in the room) was pressed into the 
 wound, and a sufficient quantity of ink adhered to write one 
 of the names, and so on the process was repeated until that 
 terrible compact was sealed. 
 
 While the Chief was sealing the envelope containing this 
 document, we were ordered to draw our bowie-knives, and 
 placing the blades in contact, so that the points were aimed 
 
50 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 at the written agreement, we repeated in unison the words 
 " By God " three times, and the " Mountain Meadow Mas- 
 sacre" was " done all but doing," as the Chief laughingly said. 
 
 Of course, we had no idea at this time just when or where 
 we would accomplish the using up of the party, but while 
 it was indefinitely understood that somewhere near Provo 
 might be a good place, as '' the lake might be handy," it 
 was distinctly understood — in fact, it was written in our 
 pledge — that ^' their blood should be shed on the soil of 
 Utah, as a sacrifice for the sins of our enemies." 
 
 We returned that day to the little camp in the mountains 
 which we had left the night previous, and there were dis- 
 banded to meet again at a certain signal. 
 
 Returning to the city, we went on with our usual avoca- 
 tions, and the following day we saw the long train slowly 
 crawling up on the bench, a short distance south of what is 
 now Fort Douglas. 
 
 How lucky it would have been for the fated train if Fort 
 Douglas had been there then ! 
 
 They came and passed gradually further south, and some 
 of our party were continually on the lookout, for the purpose 
 of ascertaining all that was necessary to our design. 
 
 It so happened that some trifling disputes arose between 
 the members of the train and the Mormon settlers along 
 the line of travel, and a strong feeling of hatred grew up on 
 account of these little misunderstandings,' which, of course, 
 we, as the prime movers of the enterprise, did not omit to 
 enlarge upon in our interest. 
 
 As the story has been so often told, I shall content myself 
 with the giving of a few points never before made public, 
 trusting to my readers to find other sources for details. 
 
 Nine of us had been selected, and in our hands was the 
 responsibility of the enterprise. Our plans were, from the 
 nature of things, very indefinite, and about all that really 
 was clear was that we should employ "every Indian that 
 can be trusted." 
 
 We were all " old hands at the business," and some of us 
 could ^'talk Injin" as well as we could our mother tongue. 
 
 We were constantly on the lookout for opportunities, and 
 yet it seemed almost impossible to find a suitable place and 
 time. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 5 1 
 
 One thing was clear, and that was that we would have to 
 resort to strategy, and also it appeared advisable to increase 
 our forces very materially. 
 
 We carried with us — that -is, our Captain did — certain 
 documents, which authorized us to call to our assistance all 
 the military and other aid which might seem necessary, and 
 accordingly, as we saw the crisis approaching, the Captain 
 called on the Bishops and the presiding officers of the 
 southern settlements, and presenting his credentials, he was 
 at once supplied with whatever was required. 
 
 As he has gone beyond all further harm, it may not be 
 out of place to say that John D. Lee (the only real name I 
 shall mention in this book) was one of the men who came 
 to our assistance on the influence of the papers carried by 
 our Captain. 
 
 He was one of the last men in the world who was at all 
 fitted to bear the blame of that affair. His complicity was 
 of a trifling nature compared with men who to-day live, and 
 some others who have died without punishment. 
 
 In his heart old John revolted, I believe, but of course he 
 had to " obey those orders from headquarters," which were 
 to be seen by " those intended, but handled by no one, on 
 pain of death." 
 
 What a mystic force there is in a simple piece of paper^ 
 when subscribed with names of men in power ! 
 
 The train at last reached the spot which we had selected 
 some days previously, and the words "now or never" were 
 passed in a whisper from one to the other. 
 
 The Indians were very anxious to commence the attack, 
 as we had promised them everything which an Indian de- 
 lights in, from whisky to " pretty white squaws," and we 
 came very near to failure on account of their impetuosity. 
 
 About forty Indians and nearly one hundred Mormons 
 were engaged in the affair, and probably five hundred of the 
 members of the Church, who did not take actual part in 
 the slaughter, contributed willingly by the loaning of gunsy 
 pistols, horses, etc., to those who did the deed. 
 
 Nothing in my experience can equal the scene immedi- 
 ately after the massacre. For a long distance the whole 
 valley was covered with the dead bodies of men, women and 
 
52 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 children, presenting the most sickening and horrible sight 
 imaginable. 
 
 In several instances the Indians captured women, and 
 after glutting their animal appetites, severed the heads of the 
 victims from the bodies, and left them, in some cases, a mile 
 away from the scene of the massacre. 
 
 Some of the Mormons even outdid the Indians in their 
 horrid lust. One of them, I remember, boasted to me that 
 he had captured five of the young women, and forcing them 
 into a wagon, compelled them to submit to the outrages of 
 himself and "others of the t>rethren," who afterwards "shot 
 them through the head." 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 The DEGRADATION OF WOMEN IN Utah. The treatment 
 of faultfinders. Dipped in the pond. The brutality 
 which the degradation of women engenders in men. 
 
 A great deal has been said and written about the de- 
 plorable condition of the female sex in Utah, under Mor- 
 mon influences, but it is impossible to realize the actual 
 servitude, and worse than Asiatic slavery which belong to 
 their condition, except by a personal acquaintance with all 
 the facts. 
 
 The reason for the general ignorance in regard to the 
 miseries of these poor creatures is readily given : it is the 
 inability of the average American mind to conceive of the 
 possibility of such things existing in a land blest like our 
 nation is, with all the advantages of moral, political and 
 religious liberty. This natural disbelief in the statements 
 made precludes the investigation necessary to ascertain the 
 facts. 
 
 I ask my readers to be kind enough to remember that the 
 seeming improbability of any statement I may make on this 
 -subject be not allowed much weight in their minds, because 
 my whole life has been spent among these people, and it is 
 impossible for me to be mistaken. Further than that, 
 unfortunately, in my earlier experiences, I had as much to 
 do with demoralizing and enslaving women as any other 
 man in the Mormon Church. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 53 
 
 I am glad that my eyes were opened before my course 
 had been further followed, so that I could, as I have done, 
 make some reparation. 
 
 It is not of myself, though, that I purpose to say anything, 
 but rather to give a general idea of the effects of Mormon 
 doctrines upon the gentler sex. 
 
 Isolated as we were, " a thousand miles from anywhere," 
 with the whole theory of the Church entirely against the 
 natural instincts of womanhood, it is easy to understand 
 how, with a lecherous and avaricious priesthood, the rights 
 of women evaporated. 
 
 If a woman made a complaint about anything, no matter 
 what its nature might be, she was immediately silenced by 
 threats of bodily punishment, which was generally inflicted, 
 and just in the way that a teamster manages an unruly mule. 
 
 A pitchfork handle, a club, a whip, or any other convenient 
 weapon, was used upon the poor creatures with a ferocity 
 which exceeded that of the most violent overseers of the 
 slaves in the Southern States. 
 
 Thousands of unborn children have been slain in this 
 way by the brutal treatment of the male parents, who with 
 their heavy cowhide boots, kicked and abused delicate 
 women, to an extent infinitely beyond any brutality ever 
 dealt out to a worthless cur. 
 
 A common phrase with reference to these occurrences 
 was : " I booted it out of her ! " 
 
 There was no redress. The Bishops made it a point to 
 refuse to listen to any woman's complaint, on the ground 
 that if they did, " they might do nothing else." 
 
 The Courts were entirely beyond the reach of any woman, 
 and even if they had not been, nothing could have been 
 gained, as generally the Bishops were the Judges also. 
 
 The last poor consolation of the women was also systemat- 
 ically taken from them, as by the united efforts of the male 
 sex, all opportunity for relating their personal troubles were 
 taken from the women, under the most horrible threats, " if 
 ever a word of complaint came to their hearing." 
 
 On one occasion, I remember, a certain Mrs. Hannah 
 Jones, a very kind-hearted woman, had listened with sym- 
 pathy to the relation of the troubles and trials of a near 
 neighbor, and she, without a thought of the consequences, 
 
54 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 repeated the statements to one who carried the news to the 
 husband of the complainant. 
 
 He at once demanded satisfaction; and Mrs. Jones was 
 told that as he was "responsible for the actions of his 
 woman," something must be done by him to set an example 
 "to the other darned fool women." 
 
 Mr. Jones gently remonstrated with his wife, but she de- 
 clared that what she said "was so," and she "didn't care." 
 
 Jones the next day related this to the parties in interest, 
 and after asking him what he proposed to do about it, and 
 his replying that "he couldn't do anything else," he w^as 
 assured that " her case shall be attended to." 
 
 That night Mr. and Mrs. Jones were suddenly aw^akened 
 by being rudely dragged out of bed by a party of men, who 
 never spoke a word, but proceeded to bind, hand and foot, 
 the two terrified victims. 
 
 As soon as they were secured, a gag, made out of a corn- 
 cob, was placed in the mouth of each, and the door opened 
 to admit a woman who was in her night-clothes, and also 
 gagged and bound, but her lower limbs were free, so as to 
 allow her to walk. 
 
 Mr. Jones was thrown on the bed, and a rope secured him 
 firmly to the bedstead, when the two women were tied to- 
 gether with a rope, which had a slip-noose at either end. It 
 was thrown over the head of each, and pulled tightly around 
 the neck. 
 
 A man with a gun was left to watch the husband who was 
 tied to the bedstead, and the women were marched away 
 without a word. 
 
 The women recognized one another, and seemed to un- 
 derstand the situation, but being unable to speak, they could 
 not explain their feelings to each other. 
 
 There were four men in charge of them, all of them, like 
 the one left on guard, armed with pistols and guns, and their 
 faces were masked beyond all recognition. 
 
 They forced the women to march across a stubble field 
 and over rocks, through willows and mud, and then across 
 a sagebrush country nearly a mile, to a small lake, which, as 
 soon as they reached, foretold the fate of the women, who 
 each had heard of similar occurrences to that which they 
 now saw was in store for them. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 55 
 
 The women simultaneously fell on their knees to beg for 
 their release, but their misery elicited no sympathy from the 
 men who had been selected to attend to the affair. 
 
 Mrs. Jones was thrown on her back, and then securely 
 tied to a clump of willows which grew near the edge of the 
 pond. 
 
 The men then seized the other woman (she who had given 
 Mrs. Jones the details of her misery), and after tying a rope 
 securely around her ankles, they threw her head-first into the 
 pond, which at that point was about ten feet deep. 
 
 Many a time since then have I stood on that very spot, 
 and pictured to myself that scene ! 
 
 They imniediately pulled her out, and leaving her to re- 
 cover as best she might, they seized Mrs. Jones and threw 
 her into the pond in the same manner. 
 
 The rope slipped off one of her feet, and becoming en- 
 tangled with some weeds in the bottom of the pond, the 
 foot which was free held her under the water so long that 
 the^men became somewhat alarmed ; but by *^ main strength 
 and awkwardness," as one of them afterward said, they 
 managed to pull her out. 
 
 For a few minutes the two women, lying on the shore of 
 the little lake, seemed like two corpses just drawn from 
 watery graves. 
 
 Signs of returning consciousness being manifested, one of 
 the men pulled from his pocket a tin tube some two inches 
 in diameter and about a foot long, and placing it to his 
 mouth, so as to disguise his voice, he asked the two women : 
 ** Will you keep your damned mouths shut, and stop finding 
 fault with your husbands after this ? " And then to Mrs. 
 Jones he said : " You old cat ! you don't want any more of 
 this, and I guess you'll behave yourself 
 
 The women made signs of every kind to assure the men 
 of their utmost obedience hereafter, and finally they were 
 ordered to return to their homes, and " say nothing about 
 this midnight baptizing ; d'ye hear ? " 
 
 The younger woman had a beautiful form, and the single 
 garment, clinging as closely as the skin itself, revealed its 
 every detail. 
 
 The men in turns toyed with her person as they drove the 
 women along, and for every lustful touch with the hand 
 
56 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 which the younger received, the old lady received a kick 
 with the heavy boot of one of the men, who told her he did 
 it to keep her "from being jealous." 
 
 At last they reached the house of Mr. Jones, and the 
 guard inside was ordered to release him. 
 
 The ropes were taken from Mrs. Jones, and with a brutal 
 kick, she was hurled headlong into the house, and full length 
 on the floor. 
 
 They were told that if they made the least alarm for five 
 ■ hours, a guard who was to remain would " blow their brains 
 out." 
 
 The younger woman was then denuded of her only gar- 
 ment, and leaving the gag in her mouth, with her hands tied 
 together, the men told her to " Git ! " 
 
 They chased her for about half a mile, occasionally strik- 
 ing her with small willows, with which they had provided 
 themselves, and then they left her to make her way home as 
 best she could. 
 
 A month afterwards she gave birth to a child, who to this 
 day has never been made acquainted with the brutal treat- 
 ment of his mother, although he has now^ reached manhood. 
 
 It is, perhaps, the best possible commentary to mention 
 the fact that the son stands high in the estimation of the 
 priesthood, while the mother seems to be more staunch than 
 ever in her devotion to this beastly Church. 
 
 At this late date, though, I can readily understancj that 
 even if the poor woman should feel at any time tempted to 
 disclose her maltreatment, her life would be endangered. 
 
 Undoubtedly, she knows this fact as well as I do. 
 
 When, oh, when will this horrid institution of Mormonism 
 receive its just reward ? 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The commercial influence of Mormonism. The traps 
 and pit-falls set for the feet of offenders. The tragedy. 
 The female Mormon. " Fed to the hogs." 
 
 One very interesting feature of Mormonism, and one in 
 which we are all more or less interested, in a financial sense, 
 is the commercial influence which the priests wield in con- 
 nection with their so-called religions duties. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 57 
 
 No matter who comes into the community, and regardless 
 of the inducements he may offer in regard to the quality 
 and price of his wares, it is almost impossible to do any 
 business, because of the fearful penalties attached to the 
 "trading with gentiles." 
 
 In any other part of this great country, a man is free to 
 trade, free to do any kind of business, free to speculate in 
 any commodity, untrammeled by any church, or the priests 
 of any organization. Nowhere on the American continent 
 does the influence of any religious sect attempt to interfere 
 with the secular affairs of the people, and in no case does a 
 church prevent its members trading with those not of its 
 faith, except in priest-ridden, down-trodden Utah. 
 
 Out in a successful farming district, a clever young man 
 sees a fair prospect for business, and after making some in- 
 quiries in regard to the amount of grain raised, and generally" 
 the extent and character of the dealings of the people of 
 that section, he conceives the idea of opening a store. 
 
 Alone, or in company with other energetic companions, 
 he embarks in the new enterprise, only to reap disaster. 
 
 There is no more chance to do a successful trading busi- 
 ness with such people than there is to sell goods to the 
 buffaloes on the prairie. 
 
 The people, under the instructions of their priests, will 
 buy everything of you that you will credit them with, but 
 they never pay you. In this particular they are the most 
 dishonest and treacherous people on the face of the earth. 
 They will use every conceivable artifice to entrap you into 
 opening an account with them, and after prevailing on your 
 sympathies, will in the end insult you when you try to get a 
 settlement with them. 
 
 The only thing to do, in a case of this kind, is to bear 
 your burdens easily, for if you go before a court, you will 
 be sure to meet, both in the judge and the jury, men who 
 have sworn to be avenged on you and the class you repre- 
 sent, and it is impossible to get justice. 
 
 In many cases your life will be endangered by endeavor- 
 ing to collect an account of any of the Mormon people. 
 
 I have in my remembrance an instance bearing on this 
 point, which I will relate, as it occurs to me that sample 
 cases tell more than a mere generalization. 
 
58 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 Two young men, whose names shall be John Fisher and 
 Thomas Hunter, opened a store in a settlement not far from 
 the chief city of Utah, and being of a very pleasant nature, 
 they soon built up quite a thriving trade. 
 
 No sooner was it discovered that these young men (both 
 of whom had left the Mormon Church some years before) 
 were selling a considerable quantity of merchandise, than 
 the Bishop of the town began to lay plans for their destruc- 
 tion. 
 
 They were model young men in every respect, but it was 
 said that young Hunter had joined the Methodist Church, 
 or in some manner had associated himself therewith, and 
 that was sufficient to condemn the firm. In addition to the 
 fact that they did not belong to the Mormon Church, it was 
 discovered that this young man was a thorough Christian, 
 which, in the eyes of a Mormon, is a crime greater than the 
 stealing of horses. 
 
 Accordingly, a deeper plot seemed necessary than is ap- 
 plicable to the punishment of ordinary " interlopers," as such 
 men are generally called, and often with some very inelegant, 
 though forcible, prefixes. 
 
 One Monday morning, just as these young men were 
 about to commence their weekly labors, a rough specimen 
 ^•of the class of Mormons known as "Danites" rode up to 
 the door of the store and asked for "Tom Hunter." 
 
 He was immediately introduced by his young partner, 
 when the following colloquy ensued : 
 
 Danite. — "Your name's Tom Hunter, is it ?" 
 
 Hunter. — "Yes, sir." 
 
 Danite. — " Well, by , you take it cool ! Do you know 
 
 who I am ? " 
 
 Hunter. — " No, sir, I do not. But what do you mean by 
 taking it cool? I don't understand you." 
 
 Danite. — " You seduced my sister, you ! " 
 
 At this point Fisher endeavored to explain, declaring that 
 there was a mistake somewhere. He said it was impossible 
 that the statement could be true, and coolly gave several 
 reasons to support his statement. 
 
 Hunter was very much annoyed, but feeling assured that 
 the man had made some terrible blunder, he quietly asked : 
 
 " Who is your sister, sir ? " 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 59 
 
 Danite. — "You know, you gentile ! My name 
 
 is Bill Robson, and the girl's name is Sally. You know all 
 about it ; " and for the purpose of emphasizing this state- 
 ment, he drew a bow^ie-knife, and plunged it clear through 
 the lid of a cracker-box which lay near him. 
 
 Hunter. — "You seem to be very much excited, as is quite 
 natural, under the circumstances, but I can assure you that 
 you are entirely mistaken." 
 
 Danite. — "Am I? We'll see about that;" and looking 
 outside, he beckoned two men who had just arrived on 
 horseback, and they immediately dismounted and tied their 
 horses to a post in front of the door. 
 
 The store was a short distance from the more thickly- 
 populated part of the little town, and at this hour there 
 seemed to be no one stirring, so that these occurrences 
 attracted no attention. 
 
 It is not at all unlikely, however, that all the "faithful" 
 knew well what was about to occur, and if they did, they 
 had been too well trained to notice anything.' 
 
 Bill, addressing one of the men, said : " Sal, take off your 
 toggery, and let this fellow see who you are." Immediately, 
 the taller one of the two who had just arrived, pulled off 
 her slouch hat, and threw down on to the floor a man's 
 coat, and Sally Robson stood before them. 
 
 The upper portion of her frame was clothed with the 
 ordinary dress of her sex, but she wore a pair of pants and 
 boots belonging to her brother. 
 
 "Sal," said Bill, "this damned Methodist denies that 
 he ever had anything to do with you." At this moment 
 young Fisher endeavored to secure a gun that was standing 
 in the corner, but Bill was too keen for him, and with a 
 quick motion, he thre^v the young man to the ground and 
 raised his knife as if to cut Fisher's throat. 
 
 " Sal, what do you say ? Did he do it ? Speak quick 
 now. Did he ? " 
 
 " Yes, he did, damn him ! and I hate him ! " said Sal. 
 
 "Well," said Bill, "you know what you ought to do to 
 him. Do it ! Do it ' " cried Bill, as she seemed to hesitate. 
 
 Harry Sykes, the companion of the woman, rushed at 
 young Hunter, and with a blow that would have felled an ox, 
 struck him over the head with the butt of a revolver. 
 
 5 
 
6o THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 Fisher endeavored to rise, but Bill held ^him firmly to the 
 ground, with the knife at his throat. 
 
 The woman drew a long knife from her belt, and at a 
 signal from Bill, and right before the eyes of his helpless 
 partner, she plunged the knife into the abdomen of the 
 prostrate man, and by the assistance of Sykes, a gash was 
 made from which the intestines gushed out. 
 
 Laughingly, Sykes said : " If we just had some, hogs here, 
 it would be complete," referring to the Endowment House 
 penalty — " the cutting out of the entrails and feeding them 
 to the hogs " — the fate of one who divulges the secrets of 
 the Mormon Church. 
 
 The girl was horrified at her deed, and almost fainted 
 when she realized what she had done. Bill stepped forward 
 to catch her, and thus gave young Fisher a chance to 
 escape. 
 
 He rushed out of the open doorway, and screaming at the 
 top of his voice, he ran like a deer toward the nearest 
 house. 
 
 Bill observed this at once, and mounting his horse, he 
 caught up with Fisher before going more than an eighth of 
 a mile, and with a dextrous swing of a lariat, soon made 
 the young man a prisoner. 
 
 *' You infernal fool !" said Bill, "we meant to let you go, 
 but now your goose is cooked;" and regardless of the young 
 man's struggles. Bill rode his horse at a lively pace, and 
 dragged young Fisher behind him. 
 
 When they reached the store, Sally, assisted by her boon 
 companion, had re-adjusted her disguise, and they were 
 awaiting the command of Bill. 
 
 The two men dragged Fisher into the store, and in a few 
 minutes the two partners, one dead and the other living, 
 were tied together with the lariat, while Sally was scattering 
 coal-oil from a five-gallon can, which stood for retail near 
 the open door. 
 
 Sykes, seeing a twenty-five-pound canister of gunpowder 
 under the counter, placed it near the two men, and regard- 
 less of the entreaties of Fisher, he ignited some dry goods 
 which had been thoroughly soaked with the oil, and coolly 
 closed the door. 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 6 1 
 
 The three mounted their horses, and by the time they 
 had ridden half a mile, the whole building was enveloped in 
 flames. 
 
 They waited a few minutes, and were somewhat anxious 
 to know ^ the result, as the people of the little town were 
 running in all directions, crying " Fire ! Fire ! Fire !" 
 
 At last a loud explosion was heard, and the three knew 
 that all traces had been removed, for they could see that 
 nothing but a few fragments remained. 
 
 It was reported that the store had caught fire in some 
 unaccountable way, but the ignorant Mormons did not fail 
 to believe that the burning of the " gentile outfit " was the 
 work of the Lord. 
 
 Our next chapter will give the " true inwardness " of this 
 affair. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 An apostle's wife. The Presidentess of a "Female Re- 
 lief Society." Pre-natal influence. How they cover 
 up tracks. The influence of Mission Churches. 
 
 Harry Sykes was the son of a Bishop of a neighboring set- 
 tlement, and true to the instincts of his lecherous father, who 
 was the proprietor of five buxom women of three or four 
 different nationalities, he had made himself very officious* 
 among the young sisters, and as a result of his intimacy, 
 several of them were led into trouble. 
 
 He had become so notorious in this line that even Mor- 
 mon sensibilities were shocked, and the young man had been 
 told in the "Seventies Quorum," to which he belonged, that 
 he must reform. The advice given to him was, to " marry 
 three or four girls, and that will keep you from getting into 
 these scrapes all the time." Coming, as it did, directly 
 from the highest authority in the "Stake," Harry weighed 
 the advice in his mind, and at times thought of adopting it, 
 but he felt that such restraint might be more or less irksome, 
 and he deferred marriage. 
 
 Nothing could have saved him from the vengeance of the 
 priesthood, but the fact that he was a Bishop's son. Harry 
 took advantage of this fact, and continued his wild pranks, 
 
62 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 until he was caught in a dilemma which seemed too great 
 for even his strategy to escape from. 
 
 It came about in this wise : A member of the " Twelve 
 Apostles " became enamored of a young girl whose beauty 
 had fascinated him, and he had arranged to make her his 
 seventh wife. All went along smoothly until the apostle, . 
 just before the intended marriage ceremony, discovered that 
 the girl was enceinte. He demanded the origin of the em- 
 bryotic stranger, and the girl pleaded hard to be excused 
 from disclosing the fact. 
 
 The girl endeavored by every means to avoid further talk 
 on the subject, until her ancient admirer declared he would 
 expose her to the " Saints throughout the world," and in 
 addition, he threatened to have her " destroyed in the flesh." 
 She finally persuaded him to allow her a week in which to 
 decide upon her course, and at the end of that time she said 
 she would "tell it all." 
 
 The apostle appeared promptly on time, and the grief- 
 stricken girl confessed to him that Tom Hunter, the gentile 
 trader of an adjoining settlement, was the father of the un- 
 born. His fate w^as at once decided. 
 
 In casting around to find suitable parties to "attend to the 
 case," the brother of the girl was the first one thought of, as 
 the Mormon law makes it the duty of the brother to slay the 
 .reducer of his sister. It happened jusfright in this case, for 
 the brother was an experienced hand in such matters. He 
 had never before had occasion to avenge a sister, but his 
 bloodthirsty nature, had brought him to the front in many 
 cases which had stained his hands with the blood of his 
 fellow-man. 
 
 The girl of whom I now speak was none other than Sally 
 Robson, and the apostle was one who has since proven a 
 very important factor in the " Mormon Problem." 
 
 Bill Robson that day received orders to "put out of the 
 w^ay " the young man. Hunter. He was delighted with the 
 task, and Harry Sykes soon declared his willingness to be 
 <'in at the death." 
 
 The two men accordingly arranged their plans, and when 
 everything was in readiness, the apostle and the Bishop gave 
 them the "blessing of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob," and 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 63 
 
 assured them that their efforts should be crowned with 
 success. 
 
 The taking of the girl with them was an afterthought, and 
 in accordance with the suggestion of Harry Sykes. The 
 father of Harry was delighted to think that his son should 
 be "the honored instrument in the hands of the Lord, for 
 the carrying out of His purposes." He declared, on the 
 Sunday prior to the occurrences of the last chapter, that 
 " God has set his hand to the cleaning of the inside of the 
 platter, and the dirty gentiles had better get out of our midst." 
 
 Privetely, he rejoiced over the fine opportunity presented 
 to his son to redeem favor with the authorities, as at times 
 he had felt a little insecure, as the continued recklessness of 
 Harry was made the subject of the " Priesthood Meetings." 
 
 Tha result of the raid of Bill Robson, Harry Sykes and 
 the girl, Sally, has been narrated, and now^ comes the secret 
 of the whole affair. The seducer and the father of the in- 
 nocent unborn was none other but Harry Sykes, the son of 
 the Bishop. His association in this affair was for the pur- 
 pose of screening himself from the anger of the offended 
 apostle, and the whole scheme had been arranged by him 
 to that end. 
 
 Sally was equally anxious to do anything which might pal- 
 liate her offense in the eyes of the Church ; hence her im- 
 plicit obedience to the instructions of her paramour. They 
 considered themselves very fortunate in being able to place 
 the burden of their guilt upon the unoffending young gen- 
 tile. By it Harry escaped the responsibility of his last ad- 
 venture, and made it a stepping-stone to a high place in the 
 Church, while- she, by her zeal in avenging her dishonor, had 
 made herself a heroine among the faithful '' Latter Day 
 Saints." 
 
 Having gone thus far into the incidents in the life of Sally 
 Robson, I will proceed a little further, and show the result 
 of her " devotion to the Church of God. 
 
 The apostle did not care to ally himself with her at that 
 time, and accordingly he told her that although he had a 
 very great deal of sympathy for her, he had received a reve- 
 lation concerning her, which bade him not to marry her 
 until the Lord should so command him. 
 
64 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 Realizing her freedom, the intimacy between herself and 
 young Sykes continued. 
 
 At the birth of her child, Sally Robson was the recipient 
 of every attention, and her name was in the mouth of every 
 Mormon, old and young, within a hundred miles of the 
 occurrence. It was suggested that the baby should be 
 strangled, and the Bishop went so far as to say in public, 
 that if he had his way, he would see that it was "hung, 
 drawn and quartered ; " but he said he knew that the moth- 
 er's feelings were strong, and "the Lord knows best." 
 
 About a year afterwards Harry Sykes married Sally Rob- 
 son, and for several years he lived happily with her, and all 
 the women said that he was " as kind to the gentile's baby 
 as if it was his own." 
 
 Harry married several other wives, and finally died, when 
 Sally was united to the old apostle, who had been so smitten 
 with her years before. She is now one of the chief movers 
 m the " Female Relief Society," and a fervent advocate of 
 the " Celestial Law of Marriage." 
 
 Her son, upon whom her horrible murder of young Hunter 
 was pre-natally photographed, is now one of the many terrible 
 young hoodlums of Salt Lake City. His record is an unen- 
 viable one, as he has been imprisoned seyeral times, and has 
 been suspected of assassination at least once, with every 
 probability of deep complicity, but his shrewdness caused 
 his escape. 
 
 The incident of the burning of the store of Hunter and 
 Fisher would be remembered immediately, were I to give 
 one or two more details ; but I forbear, as I have no desire, 
 in this book, to say anything further than what I deem suf- 
 ficient to awaken a genuine interest in some of these inci- 
 dents. In a future work I shall give names, dates and local- 
 ities in corroboration of what I now relate, in addition to 
 much which I shall not even hint at in this volume. In 
 regard to the disappearance of the young men, the explana- 
 tion was given that they had told several of their friends 
 that business in that town did not pay, and that they in- 
 tended to go to the mines in Bamack. Bishop Sykes was 
 authority for the fact that they were last seen on horseback, 
 "going to the mines," and he supposed "they had locked 
 up the store and left a lamp burning, and it must have ex- 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 65 
 
 ploded, setting fire to everything." They were accordingly 
 added to the long list of " missing," and their most intimate 
 friends only *' suspected foul play." 
 
 All these details I received from Harry Sykes, who was a 
 very intimate acquaintance of mine, in return for confidential 
 revelations on my part. Of the truth there can be no possi- 
 ble question, and I withhold some of the most disgusting 
 details, for decency's sake. 
 
 Of Bill Robson it is not necessary to say much in this 
 connection, although he has attained a national reputation 
 among all who have ever given any attention to the doings 
 of the " Destroying Angels" of the Mormon Church. 
 
 I will remark, however, at this point, that although I never 
 put the question plainly to him, I am fully convinced that he 
 never knew other than that Tom Hunter was the real seducer 
 of his sister. He has several times told me that he regretted 
 letting Sally kill the man, but he felt that, after all, "they 
 got even on the d — d outfit." 
 
 Although young Hunter was often called a Methodist, he 
 had never joined any organization of that nature, as the 
 Methodist Church had not then planted itself in the heathen 
 lands of Utah ; but the young man had used arguments in 
 favor of the progressive character of that dread enemy of 
 Mormonism, and he was accordingly hated as fervently as 
 the regularly ordained ministers of that and other Christian 
 Churches, who to-day carry their lives in their hands to 
 spread the glad tidings of Jesus in Utah. 
 
 Often do I ponder over the wonderful influence of the 
 true Gospel, and regret that the situation did not warrant 
 the earlier appearance of the messengers of peace, who, 
 though encumbered and harassed in every way, are doing a 
 work which will bring them a grand reward. 
 
 When I look back to my own earlier life, and remember 
 the many wrongs committed by me, I feel very disconso- 
 late, and then, as I to some extent realize the disadvantages 
 of being so far removed from the influences which in later 
 years I trust have been beneficial to me, I say : " God bless 
 the many noble men and women who are preventing others 
 from treading the wicked paths into which my feet were led ! " 
 
 Could the Christian people universally realize, as they 
 ought to do, the great needs of the Mission Churches estab- 
 
66 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 lished in the very heart of Mormonism, every member would 
 pledge himself to aid the cause to the utmost extent of his 
 ability, by contributing largely and continuously, so that 
 there should no longer be felt the need of money and other 
 accessories in the regeneration of this modern Sodom. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 A DEMAND FOR A LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION. Something for 
 Congress to ponder over. Now is the time to settle 
 ' the question, at once and forever. 
 
 That the Government has neglected its duty in regard to 
 the Utah imbroglio, is beyond all question ; and now, after 
 having allowed this alien organization to thrive and grow 
 until it has become a national menace, it is important that 
 something of a radical nature be immediately put in force. 
 
 There is no security of life or property in any part of the 
 Territory of Utah. Any gentile who happens to say a word 
 that does not agree with Mormon philosophy, is liable to 
 suffer at any moment at the hands of this band of fanatical 
 outlaws, who think of nothing and pray for nothing but the 
 blood of all who are in any sense opposed to them. A man 
 may be as pure as an angel, and conduct himself with the 
 utmost propriety, and yet he will be regarded as a " nui- 
 sance," to be abated at the very first opportunity, unless he 
 becomes the slave of the Mormon Church. 
 
 Every officer in the government of the Territory is a rabid 
 Mormon, and he obtains his position by virtue of having 
 committed murders and other crimes in the interest of the 
 Church. You may know a man, and think favorably of 
 him as an officer in many respects, and from the treatment 
 he extends to you in most particulars, you may consider him 
 a fair man, but at heart he is a criminal, and without excep- 
 tion he is constantly plotting against your interests and even 
 your life, because he has sworn so to do in the " Endowment 
 House." 
 
 There never was a man elected or appointed to any office 
 in the Territory, who had not tied himself to the Church by 
 the commission of some crime, at the bidding of the leaders 
 of the Church. Th€re is no chance for any Mormon to 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 67 
 
 obtain political prominence unless he murder a gentile, or 
 do something which endears him to the priesthood, as one 
 who can be depended upon to perform any kind of dirty 
 work which may be needed in the furtherance of the plans 
 of Mormonism. 
 
 From a pohceman to a legislator, the rule holds good. 
 None are elected or appointed for their fitness for the posi- 
 tion, but in consideration of the value of the services ren- 
 dered in furthering the villainy of the priests, who rule the 
 Territory with a " rod of iron." 
 
 Congress can certainly no longer hesitate, for the facts 
 have been so thoroughly and ably set forth in the many able 
 articles emanating from the vigorous and thoroughly patriotic 
 pens at work on the gentile papers of the Territory, that 
 there is no longer an excuse. 
 
 Martial law should at once be declared, or the entire con- 
 trol of the political affairs taken from the Mormons who now 
 rule, and placed in the hands of loyal American citizens. 
 Let Congress enact a legislative commission of nine or thir- 
 teen patriotic men, who are known to be free from Mormon 
 contamination, and give to them complete control of all the 
 affairs of Utah. Let there be no laws enacted by the Mor- 
 mon Legislature, and no interference in any way with such a 
 commission as is proposed, and the whole Mormon question 
 can be settled in a short time. 
 
 It might not be amiss to hang a few of the leading apostles 
 to the telegraph poles on the main streets, and let them swing 
 there as an example to others who dare to advocate this filthy 
 and soul-degrading religion. 
 
 Give to this body of loyal men who shall compose the 
 commission unlimited power to adjust all difficulties which 
 may arise with reference to all the manifold phases of Mor- 
 monism. The right to vote and the right of trial by jury 
 should be immediately taken from an organized banditti 
 such as the Mormon priesthood is and ever has been. 
 
 If a large fund of money be ^placed at the disposal of this 
 •commission, every polygamous wife in the Territory would 
 feel herself free to leave her lecherous spouse, knowing that 
 she would be supported and assisted in caring for her ille- 
 gitimate offspring, instead of being compelled, as that class 
 
68 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 now is, to submit to the degradation and misery which is 
 their lot. 
 
 To enforce the decrees of this commission, a large body 
 of United States soldiers should be stationed at Fort Doug- 
 las, and not less than two regiments should be quartered in 
 the city of Salt Lake, prepared for any and every emergency. 
 
 The commission should be composed of the loyal citizens 
 of Utah, and selected from the leading men who have been 
 in the front of the fight since the first resistance to Mor- 
 monism was made. God never made more honest, patriotic 
 and upright men than the leading gentiles of Salt Lake City 
 and other parts of the Territory. They have unflinchingly 
 held the fort, and defiantly stood firm in the defence of 
 virtue, loyalty and all that makes up American manhood. 
 They have worked without fear, favor or hope of reward, 
 and have stood shoulder to shoulder in dangerous times 
 and under the most unfavorable circumstances, always de- 
 fending and upholding the honor and dignity of American 
 institutions, in the very heart of this worse than African 
 slavery and lust. 
 
 These men should be rewarded. Many of them came to 
 Utah wealthy, full of life and vigor, and full of that ines- 
 timable patriotism which cannot be swayed by dangers or 
 temptations. They set themselves earnestly to work, regard- 
 less of every material comfort, and of all that goes to make 
 life pleasant and profitable, for the purpose of refining and 
 elevating the moral tone of the community, and many a 
 patriot has paid for his temerity with his heart's blood. 
 Hundreds have fallen at the orders of the priesthood, and, 
 stabbed in the back or penetrated with the deadly bullet, 
 they have found graves in secluded nooks, such as ravines 
 and other out-of-the-way places, there to rest until the day 
 of judgment — until the fulfillment of that awful sentence, 
 "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, saith the Lord." 
 
 With the innocent victims of the Mountain Meadows Mas- 
 sacre sleep hundreds of others, who have died martyrs to the 
 cause of America's principles^ — martyrs to the cause of prog- 
 ress, of woman's elevation and social equality. 
 
 It is sickening to think that in this great country, based 
 as it is on the broadest and most enlightened statecraft the 
 world ever possessed, there is in its very heart a canker-worm 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 69 
 
 which is eating its very vitals ; a wolf gnawing at the life of 
 the nation ; a serpent stinging the hand of the benefactor of 
 the miserable creatures who make up the great mass of alien 
 Mormonism. 
 
 Not one in twenty knows anything of the institutions of 
 liberty, and nearly all of them are slaves to the priesthood, 
 to lust, ignorance and depravity. A blight, a pestilence, or 
 any calamity which would depopulate the Territory of Utah, 
 leaving not a Mormon to tell the tale, would be the greatest 
 blessing that an all-wise Providence could confer upon this 
 nation. 
 
 The thousands of degraded women and the illegitimate 
 children would shout "Hosannah!" if the Government of 
 the United States would do its simple duty — crush out 
 every vestige of power from every person who claimed to be 
 a Mormon, or in sympathy with Mormon institutions. 
 
 There must be no further temporizing with this horrible 
 monster. The honor, dignity, peace, security and future 
 progress of the United States depend upon a speedy adjust- 
 ment of this filthy plague-spot. It is the seat of every trou- 
 ble, and is the progenitor of everything immoral in the whole 
 country. The numerous divorces, the large number of cases 
 of marital infidelity, the general social degradation of the 
 entire nation is mainly due to the unhallowed influence of 
 this foul and diabolical plot against the virtue of women and 
 the honor of our race. 
 
 So long as any rights are granted to a Mormon, so long 
 will the evil exist. They are bound together by the most 
 terrible oaths, and the spirit of self-protection among them 
 is so strong that mutual interests make them much more 
 formidable than those who do not know them would ever 
 imagine to be possible. They must be crushed at all haz- 
 ards, as every day adds to the complications and perplexity 
 of the situation. Every day simple-minded women are sac- 
 rificed on the altar of lust, and their progeny cursed forever. 
 Every day they become bolder, stronger and more defiant, 
 and less mindful of their obligations to the parent govern- 
 ment. 
 
 The curse of slavery has been effaced from the national 
 history, and yet this monster, grinning defiantly, is allowed 
 to feed and fatten upon the indecision of Congress. Polyg- 
 
70 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 amy and the attendant Mormonism is so much worse than 
 African slavery, that a comparison can hardly be instituted. 
 It enslaves the heart, mind, soul and body. Every avenue 
 of the better part of human nature is paralyzed and de- 
 praved by the degrading lechery of concubinage. The off- 
 spring is cursed in its mother's womb, and the result is, the 
 race of Mormon children is a race of devils. Loathsome to 
 look upon, degraded in mind and heart, filthy in instinct and 
 deficient in intellect, the United States is caring for a nest of 
 vipers, which in a short time will insinuate themselves into 
 the better order of humanity, and poison the life-blood of 
 the universe. 
 
 They should be destroyed, root and branch, without mercy. 
 It is an awful thing to contemplate the destruction of a com- 
 munity; but when all peaceable remedies have been exhaust- 
 ed, as they have beerLjn this case, there is nothing left to be 
 done but the creation of a legislative commission to manage 
 them, without regard to their whims and notions, or the issu- 
 ance of an order of extermination, and the offering of a prize 
 for the head of a Mormon, just as we used to for wolf scalps, 
 when the beasts were so numerous as to be a nuisance. 
 
 All maudlin sympathy should should now be laid aside. 
 Let us look at the matter coolly, and decide whether it is 
 not an act of magnanimity to annihilate them now, rather 
 than to wait and allow them to strengthen, and make the 
 execution of the necessary destruction more difficult and 
 deplorable. 
 
 The crisis has come ; we must face it. 
 
 Mormonism must go 1 
 
 CHAPTER XVL 
 
 The dangers of " prospecting " in Utah. The fate of 
 Dennis and his companion. Pyrites. 
 
 Utah is a rich and fertile section of the United States. 
 It abounds with rich grain fields, fine water privileges, rich 
 pasturage and valuable minerals of every kind and character. 
 
 It has not been even prospected in the agricultural or 
 mineral resources. The Mormons have done everything 
 they could to prevent the growth of the country, so as to 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 7 1 
 
 keep out the gentiles. Their method of farming is a farce. 
 They are constitutionally lazy, and they consequently seize 
 upon the easiest methods of securing a crop — whether poor 
 or liberal seems to be a matter of small importance to them, 
 as they have no ambition whatever. It would make an in- 
 telligent farmer laugh to see the silly and inappropriate 
 methods in general use among the farmers of Utah. 
 
 So long as they do not actually starve to death, they de- 
 clare God has blessed them, and at times it would appear to 
 be the case, for they are not entitled to expect the raising of 
 any crop under such incapable management. 
 
 Ten per cent, of the number of gentile farmers, on the 
 same land, would produce more than all the Mormons, who 
 scratch and tinker on their land like old hens, whose chick- 
 ens get more clucking than food. 
 
 Their homes are the very acme of an exhibition of squalid 
 poverty. They seem to have no idea of the conveniences 
 of life. So long as they get a place to sleep, and enough 
 food to keep them from starving, they praise Zion and thank 
 the Giver of All Good for His mercies. 
 
 In regard to the mineral development, the Mormons were 
 determined that no person should ever take out of the 
 mountains, or elsewhere in the Territory, any valuable min- 
 erals, because they feared the influx of gentiles. Many a 
 hardy miner has been buried in his prospect hole and cov- 
 ered up with his dump to prevent the natural outgrowth of 
 the excitement which the discovery of valuable mines would 
 create. 
 
 In regard to the difficulties and dangers of mining, I will 
 relate an instance, which will serve to illustrate a full line of 
 similar cases. 
 
 One Dennis Flynn had driven a mule team across the 
 plains, and although he was a devout Catholic, he was a 
 wild kipd of a fellow, in that he loved a little whisky and 
 delighted in singing an Irish song. He had intended to go 
 through to California, but it so happened that the train to 
 which he was attached was partially sold out in Salt Lake 
 City, and Dennis remained as a consequence thereof 
 
 Dennis had heard a good deal of the good hunting which 
 was to be had within a few miles of Salt Lake City, and one 
 day he purchased a rusty old *^ yauger " of a Mormon gun- 
 
72 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 smith, who charged him forty-five dollars. The same kind 
 of a weapon could now be purchased for a couple of dollars. 
 Dennis started out early, thinking to find a deer, and return 
 the same evening ; but in wandering along in one of the 
 canons, he lost himself, and remained alone in the mount- 
 ains until the next day. 
 
 Almost dead with hunger and exposure, he was returning, 
 footsore and weary, when his eye caught some glittering min- 
 eral, and in a moment Dennis forgot his troubles. Seizing 
 his gun, he used the stock as a bludgeon, and in a little while 
 he had secured several pounds of the coveted treasure, and 
 stuffing it into his pockets, he resumed his march. He was 
 so elated with the discovery that he never thought to take 
 notice of the location, so that all he had gained by his won- 
 derful luck was the small quantity which he carried in his 
 pockets. 
 
 As he neared the city that afternoon, he was accosted by 
 a number of Mormon spies, who evidently suspected him of 
 some sinister design, but as he quietly strolled along, he suc- 
 ceeded in gaining his lodgings without serious altercation. 
 
 When he reached home, he handed a small piece of the 
 gold to the woman of the house, telling her she might keep 
 it, as he had " plenty of it." Her face turned pale as she 
 said : '^ You mustn't say a word about this, or your life ain't 
 worth a cent here. Orders have gone out to kill every man, 
 Mormon or gentile, who finds any gold or silver around 
 here." 
 
 Dennis laughed, but as the woman repeated her w^ords 
 and looked so seriously when she said, "They killed my 
 poor brother Tom for the same thing," that he concluded it 
 was best to say nothing about it. The next day, however, 
 when walking up the main street of the city, he purchased a 
 plug of tobacco, and pulled out a piece of the gold to pay for 
 it. The keeper of the little store — a Mormon, of course — 
 asked him where he got it. He coolly replied : " Oh, within 
 a moile or two ; " and forgetting all about the matter, he 
 went about his business. He had occasion to buy other 
 articles, and in several other instances he was questioned 
 suspiciously as to where he had procured it. 
 
 Being somewhat annoyed at the continued questions, he 
 told one man that it was " nobody's business." This led to 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 73 
 
 further talk, and before Dennis could realize the situation, 
 he was seized from behind the counter and bound, hand 
 and foot, by a party of Danites, who had been watching his 
 movements. 
 
 The poor fellow was soon rendered totally helpless, and 
 pushed through a trap-door into the cellar, and guarded by 
 two men, who condescended to tell him that he had for- 
 feited his life by *' digging for gold against the orders of the 
 Church." 
 
 Dennis begged to be released, and promised that he never 
 would touch a bit of the stuff again ; but he had to remain 
 until the Bishop of the Ward came, with several of the High 
 Priests, and after assuring themselves that Dennis could 
 never find the place again, they agreed to spare his life, on 
 condition that he remained silent in regard to his discovery. 
 
 Accordingly he was allowed his liberty, and in a few days 
 the thoughts of the treasure almost crazed him. He deter- 
 mined to find the place again, and accordingly, after night- 
 fall, he quietly sauntered along in the direction of the canon 
 which he had before explored, and having stowed away a 
 Uttle food, he vowed not to return until he had again feasted 
 his eyes on the treasure. 
 
 Dennis at last found it, and secreting as much as possible 
 about his person, he erected piles of stones and other signs 
 by which he would be enabled to find the spot again. 
 
 As he was walking along, thinking of the many wonderful 
 enterprises which he intended to inaugurate with the unlim- 
 ited wealth which he had discovered, a bullet struck the 
 stock of his gun, and cut off^ at the same time two of 
 the fingers of his right hand. It had been well aimed at 
 his head, but happened to miss by only a few inches. 
 
 He quickly glanced in every direction, but no one could 
 be seen, and thinking it must have been a stray missile fired 
 at a deer, he endeavored to stanch the flow of blood, and 
 quickened his pace so as to get assistance. 
 
 He had gone but a short distance, when another bullet 
 came flying past him, and almost before he could realize it, 
 still another, each of them in dangerous proximity to his 
 person. At this juncture he yelled, with all his might: " Ye 
 bloody villains ! phat are ye about ? " 
 
74 I'HE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 The only answer was another bullet, w^hich suggested to 
 Dennis the advisability of an effort to screen himself. He 
 threw himself on the ground, and at that instant another 
 bullet buried itself immediately behind him. 
 
 Taking fright at these continual dangers, he ran toward 
 the mouth of the canon, and in a few minutes the firing 
 ceased, so that he escaped further injury. When he reached 
 home, he explained the loss of his fingers by saying that his 
 gun went off accidentally, so that no person knew of his at- 
 tempted assassination, except those in the plot. 
 
 A few^ days afterward, he made a confidant of a young 
 Welshman, whose acquaintance he had made on the street, 
 and they agreed to become " partners " in everything. 
 
 Together they " prospected " for awhile, and then Dennis 
 led him to the great discovery. The Welshman expressed 
 some doubts of the value of the mine, and endeavored to 
 urge Dennis to go with him to a part of the country where 
 the prospects were richer, but Dennis would not leave. 
 
 Further than this I had no means of learning, other than 
 than that their dead bodies w^ere found, filled with bullets, 
 not far from the famous mine, which Dennis had entitled 
 **The Harp of Erin." A particularly intimate friend se- 
 cured for me a piece of paper which had been nailed near 
 the place of location. It read as follows : 
 
 TAIK NOATIS! 
 
 Theas tew fellows hunted fer goald, 
 
 and they got lead insted. 
 
 Look out yew dam gentiles 
 
 this country belungs to us, and 
 
 hell akross lots is whot you will 
 
 get. Naa mining here. 
 
 by ordre of * 
 
 Dan and his BROxiiERs. 
 Look out ! Talk notis ! Look out ! 
 
 The original of the above I have in my possession, and 
 the marks of bloody fingers are as plain now^ as when, twenty 
 years since, the deed was done. 
 
 The terrible fate of these poor fellows had the desired 
 effect, and prevented many others from daring to attempt 
 the discovery of gold and silver. 
 
 I had occasion to visit the spot on which the assassination 
 occurred, and was surprised when I finally saw that they and 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 75 
 
 their murderers alike had made the egregious blunder of 
 supposing that a great gold mine had been discovered, when 
 nothing was there but iron pyrites. 
 
 Millions of tons of this comparatively valueless mineral 
 may be had in the mountains of Utah, at about the same 
 price as gravel ; and when I reflected on the awful conse- 
 quences, the pyrites seemed more worthless than ever. 
 
 The leaders of the Church thought it was gold, and for 
 the unpardonable crime of mining, these men were doomed 
 to death by the bloodthirsty priests, who claimed everything 
 for themselves. 
 
 Oh, what horrible crimes they have committed ! What 
 fearful retribution awaits them 1 
 
 The Lord will smite them, hip and thigh. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. V 
 
 Encouraging signs. The noble women or^mSiA. 
 
 establishment of industrial homes. A demand for the 
 destruction of Mormonism, complete and entire. 
 
 At last, it seems, the people of the United States are wak- 
 ing up to a sense of their responsibilities with reference to 
 the Mormon question, and there is strong showing of a de- 
 termination to wipe out this disgraceful plague-spot. 
 
 There is no redeeming quality in the Mormon Church or 
 its people, and the folly of temporizing with this evil is now 
 clearly manifest. 
 
 The voice of the clergy is unanimous in declaring that the 
 military arm of the nation should at once be used to strike 
 a forcible blow at this fearful beast of the West. 
 
 The time has assuredly arrived when, at any cost, the 
 Mormon power must be crushed out of existence. All sym- 
 pathy with such heartless rebels is completely wasted, and 
 all time devoted to listening to the appeals of the thousands 
 of paid scribblers who have a few good words to say about 
 their industry, etc., is lost. 
 
 The United States must at once and forever stamp the hfe 
 out of this hydra-headed, defiant devil, or its fast-increasing 
 power will seize by the throat all our republican institutions, 
 
76 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 and in a few years reduce the nation to a mere slave-breed- 
 ing machine. 
 
 It is dreadful to contemplate the awful speed' with which 
 this repulsive institution is growing. The American people 
 cannot understand the dangers of the situation, or in their 
 loyalty they would place upon the altar their lives, fortunes 
 and sacred honor in pledge for the destruction of Mormonism. 
 
 It must be done, and done quickly, and there really does 
 seem some ground for hope when we look around and see 
 the many organizations for the suppression of the evil. 
 
 The recent subscribing of large sums of money by the 
 Christian women of America, toward the establishment of 
 industrial houses and houses of refuge, for the benefit of the 
 degraded Mormon women, is very encouraging. 
 
 There can be no doubt that thousands of polygamous 
 wives would leave their wTetched homes immediately, if they 
 could but see the slightest means of subsistence held out to 
 them by friendly hands. 
 
 The building of places where there is a chance for even a 
 night's lodging and a breakfast, free from the espionage of 
 the Mormon Church, will enable thousands of forlorn women 
 to escape from their lecherous and brutal masters. Let it 
 once be known that a woman who leaves the fated den of 
 her diabolical, slave-driving owner can receive a little assist- 
 ance by the way of shelter and food for herself and children, 
 if even for a few days, and such a revolution will occur as 
 will shake Mormonism to its very centre. 
 
 All and every influence must be brought to bear on this 
 cancerous growth, that its blood-poisoning may be checked 
 before it impregnates the whole people. 
 
 Already is the baneful influence of this soul-destroying 
 religion making itself felt in the lack of moral tone in the 
 nation. 
 
 The marriage tie is now looked upon as a farce by a large 
 proportion of the people of the Eastern and Western States, 
 and it is but natural that such should be the case when the 
 legislators of the country allow the existence of such a de- 
 grading example as Mormonism to flourish defiantly. 
 
 All sense of virtue will soon die out of the public mind, 
 if we allow this lustful Church to set the pattern, as it is now 
 doing. Thousands, yea, scores of thousands of our young 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 77 
 
 women sell themselves for gold, with the utmost disregard 
 for social, national and personal consequences. Why? 
 Largely because the foul and filthy religion of the Rocky 
 Mountains has spread its baneful influence like a blight over 
 the moral health of the people of the republic. 
 
 Soon will it be said that a virtuous woman cannot be 
 found, if we do not prize them more highly than to allow 
 the libidinous Turks of Mormonism to thus degrade the 
 sex. Our mothers and our sisters cry out in unmistakable 
 tones, demanding that we purify the moral atmosphere at 
 the peril of our lives. 
 
 The God of Nature demands that we hold our manhood 
 in higher estimation than to deprave our race by the inter- 
 mixing of the foul polygamous brood of Mormonism with 
 the noble stock of American manhood. The dead — the im- 
 mortal dead — appeal to us in voiceless agony, and piteously 
 beg us to defend the honor and purity of their paternity. 
 
 The founders of this republic cry out and intercede at 
 the Throne of Grace for the purification of our hearts, that 
 we may sense the importance of the trust they imposed in 
 us. They plead for our enlightenment, that we may see 
 and sense the danger of the times, fearing that in our leth- 
 argy the proudest nation on the earth may find the elements 
 of decay and disgrace. 
 
 The glorious spirit of the immortal Washington, as it 
 sheds its halo o'er the land of liberty, is troubled by the 
 manifestations of disregard in this particular. His noble 
 heart must bleed as he glances at the evidences of unfitness 
 in our legislators, who idly allow the teeming corruption of 
 Mormonism to spread its malarial poison amidst the children 
 of his native land. 
 
 Though hell itself should be raked, and all its vilest sinners 
 chosen therefrom, none could be found who would excel the 
 viciousness of the Mormon leaders. It would seem that 
 Lucifer himself had selected this heartless band of villains 
 for the purpose of allowing them to illustrate his wondrous 
 hold on humanity ; but the great God will stretch out His 
 hand and crush them into powder, if we only do our duty. 
 
 Who can retain that respect and love for his native land, 
 which every honest man and patriot desires to have, when 
 
78 THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 such institutions as Mormonism rear their defiant heads in 
 mocking scorn at the nation's power ? 
 
 Who has a right to expect his children to grow up in the 
 spirit which made America a glorious orb in the universe of 
 nations, if we allow — indeed, if we foster — such unnatural 
 and outrageous excrescences to fatten on the body politic ? 
 
 Why did this nation shed the life-blood of half a million 
 citizens in the crushing out of slavery, if it shall continue to 
 encourage the enslaving of women, the mothers of the race ? 
 
 Polygamy and slavery have been declared the " twin relics 
 of barbarism," and slavery has been abolished, regardless of 
 cost or consequence ; yet polygamy thrives and bids fair to 
 injure the national interests to a greater degree than its twin 
 sister. 
 
 America has made herself the laughing-stock of the civi- 
 lized world, through its foolish policy in the treatment of 
 Mormonism. It is our boast that we are the most enlight- 
 ened nation on the earth, and it should be our pride to be 
 able to make a good showing ; yet the most insignificant 
 may point the finger of scorn at us, and we must " grin and 
 bear it." 
 
 It is enough to make a man ashamed of his native land, 
 when he hears the seditious threats of the Mormon elders in 
 the various meeting-places in Utah, and then is compelled to 
 say : " Well, I can do nothing, and the Government cares 
 nothing." 
 
 The untold wealth of Utah should be developed. All the 
 varied products are needed for the enriching of the nation ; 
 all its splendid resources belong to America, and should be 
 laid at the feet of her people, as the reward of honest enter- 
 prise. Under the dominance of the hierarchy of Mormon- 
 ism, this is impossible. These alien land-grabbers have taken 
 all the valuable territory, and use every effort to prevent any 
 development. They are determined to break down the Gov- 
 ernment and power of the United States, and they care not 
 what means they employ. 
 
 Bribery, treachery or murder they are always ready to put 
 in use for the accomplishment of their objects, and their vast 
 experience fits them for every form of villainy. They never 
 surrender a point. They always gain the advantage over 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 79 
 
 their enemies because of their superior opportunities, which 
 they never fail to utilize. 
 
 There is an irrepressible conflict, and of course it must 
 end in the annihilation of the Mormon Church — that most 
 rotten of all the rotten institutions on the face of the earth. 
 
 Just when the crushing-out process shall commence de- 
 pends upon the honor and integrity of the national law- 
 makers. So long as Congress, or any of its members, can 
 be approached by the emissaries of Mormonism, who, with 
 well-filled purses, purchase friendly action, or forestall inim- 
 ical legislation, so long will this iniquitous banditti remain 
 in power. 
 
 Have \v^e no honest men at the head of our Government ? 
 Are all corrupt ? It cannot be ! 
 
 Let us hope and work. Let us do anything rather than 
 wait. 
 
 Agitation — constant and fierce agitation — is the remedy. 
 We shall eventually break down the strength of Mormon 
 organization. Soon will the walls crumble, and the victory 
 will be ours. Long enough has this vile monster held us 
 in terror and enslaved the heavenly sex, to the degradation 
 of the entire human race. 
 
 Now we will march onward to victory ; onward to the 
 speedy establishment of national decency ; onward to the 
 annihilation of the devil incarnate — the priesthood of Mor- 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 What should and must be done. The attention of states- 
 men demanded. The military should be ready to en- 
 force law. 
 
 As this little work must now come to a close, I will give 
 a brief resume of the best methods for the crushing out of 
 Mormonism. 
 
 First let me say that it is utterly ridiculous to talk about 
 doing any good in the case by being friendly toward the 
 religion or the people. It and they are such abominable 
 frauds, that there is no more chance of convincing them 
 than in converting a burglar when you catch him in the act. 
 
8o THE CRIMES OF THE 
 
 The most feasible plans are, therefore, the placing of Utah 
 under the control of the Governor of the Territory, who 
 shall be assisted by a small commission of about the numer- 
 ical strength of a jury, the whole number to be selected 
 either by Congress or the Governor. Give to this commis- 
 sion unlimited authority, even to awarding capital punish- 
 ment for any offenses which they may deem wisdom to 
 render odious. 
 
 Give them the control of all the military in the Territory, 
 with the right to the use of any part of the army which may 
 be necessary. Let them hear briefly, and determine all 
 offenses, and let the United States Courts be abolished dur- 
 ing the supremacy of the rule of the commission. ^ Trial by 
 jury should be refused to every Mormon, and all the ordi- 
 nary processes of law should be disregarded in this anoma- 
 lous case. 
 
 Let the publication or the advocacy of any proposition 
 inimical to the United States or the commission be the 
 signal for prompt and speedy execution on the public scaf- 
 fold. Teach these alien rebels what it is to offend the dig- 
 nity of a nation like ours. 
 
 Show them no mercy. Listen to no apology. Let the 
 only object of the commission be the proof of wrong-doing 
 and the immediate dealing out of rigid penalty. 
 
 Upon the demand of this commission for documentary or 
 other evidence, make it a capital offense to obstruct the path 
 to the fact. Whether on the part of a lawyer or other person, 
 let none defend them on any technicahty. If it can beyond 
 question be shown that they are not guilty, as charged, let 
 them go free, subject, however, to a second investigation, 
 should any new points appear m evidence. 
 
 None should escape. Old and young, rich and poor, 
 leaders and laymen, men and women — all should be treated 
 alike. 
 
 If the whole colony should be transported to Van Dieman's 
 Land, or any other place, it would be a godsend to the na- 
 tion; therefore, in consideration of their worthlessness, points 
 may be stretched to fit their cases without any material cause 
 of anxiety or compunction of conscience. 
 
 The best and wisest men in all this land have thoroughly 
 investigated the abominable crime of Mormonism, and all 
 
LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 8 1 
 
 agree that as the Mormons refuse to respect the Government 
 of the United States in a state of peace, they should feel its 
 power when aroused in military anger. 
 
 They have tried, and are now trying, to break down the 
 nation ; now let the nation break them down. 
 
 As we would destroy a pair of vipers before they reproduce 
 their kind, so should we destroy the incestuous nest of Mor- 
 monism to prevent the further output of this hell-brood. 
 
 WTien a man is attacked by a venomous serpent, and he 
 realizes that his life is endangered, he hesitates not in regard 
 to the means of destruction. He seizes upon the first and 
 most effective method, and deals out without mercy every 
 available means of disabling and destroying his dread ag- 
 gressor. 
 
 So should and must this nation deal with the outrageous 
 crime of Mormonism. Without regard to the method, the 
 result must be attained. The end will justify the means, no 
 matter how harsh or cruel it may seem. 
 A Punic proverb here seems apropos. 
 "EKAWA NEMSETATSY! DEYTALIHINYNA 
 EBY TON TYSUM TYSEW EHT. GYNIMOCHY- 
 TROF EB DYLUOHYS DYNA DYNYAMED NI SYI 
 MODSIW. ESUYAP LYLIW NEYM ESIWY. NOI- 
 TULOVYER YA TUOHTIW DEIDEMEYR EB LYLA 
 NAC SYNOMROYM EHT FO STLUAF EHYT. 
 DEIFSITAYS EB LYLIW ROHTUAY EHT NOITA- 
 GITYSEVYNI ECUDNI DYNA DYNIM CILBUPY 
 EHYT NI NOITUAYC ECUDORP LYLAHS TI YFI. 
 SYNOMROYM EHYT TYSNIACAY SRFHYTO TY- 
 SOM EKIL TYSUJY EILY DETARETYLUDANU 
 NAY YSI KOOBY SYIHTY." 
 
 Which, being liberally interpreted, is: When a commu- 
 nity has incurred the displeasure of the gods, so that its 
 members feel constramed to confess their crimes, to free 
 their minds from the curse of their abominations, then shall 
 the hand of their superiors prevail against them. Disgrace 
 and death await the unjust. The horrors of the lower world 
 are hungry to devour them. 
 
 Whether this may have reference to the Mormons or not, 
 there can be no question that many of their members have 
 
82 THE CRIMES OF THE LATTER DAY SAINTS IN UTAH. 
 
 been forced, by some unseen power, to confess their crimes 
 to ease their minds. 
 
 After having written this book, I feel that my mind is 
 more at ease. I have a consciousness of having done a 
 duty, and now I only await a suitable opportunity to con- 
 tinue in my exposures in courts of laW and elsewhere, until 
 I have done my whole duty. 
 
 For years I have struggled against my good intentions, 
 and labored to avoid the exposures which I have * here 
 made ; but some time since an irresistible power seemed to 
 urge me to write, and even now I can scarcely explain how 
 I came to do what I have done. 
 
 My readers, in all probability, will hear from me again be- 
 fore long. 
 
 It may be as a witness against prominent Mormon crimi- 
 nals, or as the prosecutor in matters almost forgotten ; but 
 my work has commenced and must proceed, regardless of 
 where it may lead me, or what may be the result. 
 
 In the meantime, I shall not give my enemies an oppor- 
 tunity to take advantage of me. 
 
 I have given enough to open the eyes of many, and shall 
 give more ere long. 
 
 "A word to the wise is sufficient." 
 
 THE END. 
 
A BOOK OF HORRORS!