THE MASSACRE ON THE PLAINS.
FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO HERALD OF NOV. 3.
Complicity of the Mormons with the Indians.
We have dates from Los Angeles to the 24th of Octo-ber, and from San Diego to the 17th of the same month. The news is exceedingly important.
The report of the late massacre has been fully con-firmed. The number of persons slaughtered by the In-dians was 118, of whom fifty-six were men, and that fif-teen children were taken back to Cedar City, of whom not one was over six years old. It was reported that but one Indian was killed. Great excitement prevailed in Los Angeles on the announcement, shortly after the re-ceipt of the news, that parties were in town who corro-borated all the statements that had been previously made. A public meeting was called, and the persons referred to attended it and made statements, a condensation of which we give. Their names are George Powers, of Little Rock, Arkansas, and P. M. Warn, of Bergen, Genesee county, New York. They had lately returned from Salt Lake City. Mr. Powers, in his narrative, says :
We found the Mormons making determined prepara-tions to fight the United States troops whenever they may arrive. On our way in we met three companies of one hundred men each, armed and on the road toward the pass over Fort Bridger. I was told at Fort Bridger that at Fort Supply, twelve miles this side of Fort Bridger, there were four hundred armed Indians await-ing orders; they also said that there were 60,000 pounds of flour stored at Fort Bridger for the use of their army. We found companies drilling every evening in the city. The Mormons declared to us that no United States troops should ever cross the mountains. And they talked and acted as if they were willing to take a brush with Uncle Sam.
We remained in Salt Lake five days, and then pushed on, hoping we might overtake a larger train, which had started ten days ahead of us, and which proved to be the train that was massacred. We came on the Butter-milk Fort, near the Lone Cedar, one hundred and seventy-five miles, and found the inhabitants greatly enraged at the train which had just passed, declaring that they had abused the Mormon women, &c. The people had re-fused to sell that train any provisions, and told us they were sorry they had not killed them there, but they knew it would be done before they got in. They stated further that they were holding the Indians in check until the ar-rival of their chief, when he would follow the train and cut it to pieces.
The next place where we heard of the train was on our arrival at Beaver, two hundred and thirty miles from Salt Lake. Here we learned that when the train ahead was encamped at Corn Creek, which was thirty-five miles back, and at which place we found the Indians so friend-ly, an ox died, and the Indians asked for it. Before it was given to them a Mormon reported that he saw an emigrant go to the carcass and cut it with his knife, and as he did so would pour some liquid into the cut from the phial. The meat was eaten by the Indians, and three of them died, and several more of them were sick and would die. The people at Beaver seemed also to be incensed against the train for the same reason as before reported. I asked an Indian at Beaver if there was any truth in the poisoned meat story. He replied, in English, that he did not know ; that several of the Indians had died and several were sick. He said their watermelons had made them all sick, and he believed that the Mor-mons had poisoned them.
On Friday, the 18th of September, we left Parowan, and arrived at Cedar City, some eighteen miles, about one o'clock. During the afternoon an express arrived from the Indians, stating that one of their warriors had run up and looked into the corral, and he supposed that "only five or six of the emigrants were killed yet." These were the words of the express man. The same night four men were sent out from Parowan to go and learn what was the fate of the train, and, as they pre-tended, to save, if possible, some of its members.
I omitted to mention in the proper place that Mr. Dame, President of Parowan, informed me that the at-tack on the train commenced on Monday, the 14th of September. I asked him if he could not raise a company and go out and relieve the besieged train. He replied that he could go out and take them away in safety, but he dared not; he dared not disobey council.
On Saturday, at 12 o'clock, we left Cedar city. About the middle of the afternoon we met the four men who were sent out the night previous returning in a wagon. Matthews and Tanner held a council with them apart, and when they left Matthews told me the entire train had been cut off; and, as it was still dangerous to travel the road, they had concluded it was better for us to pass the spot in the night. We continued on, without much conversation, and about dusk met Mr. Dame (I did not know that he had left Cedar city) and three other white men coming from the scene of slaughter, in company with a band of some twenty Indian warriors. One of the men in company with Mr. Dame was Mr. Haight, president of Cedar city. Mr. Dame said they had been out to see to the burying of the dead. But the dead were, not buried. From what I heard, I believe the bodies were lying naked upon the ground, having been stripped of their clothing by the Indians. These Indians had a two-horse wagon, filled with something I could not see, as blankets were carefully spread over the top. The wagon was driven by a white man, and besides him there were three or four Indians in it. Many of them had shawls and bundles of women's clothes were tied to their saddles. They were also well supplied with guns or pistols, besides bows and arrows. The hindmost Indians were driving several head of the immigrants' cattle. Mr. Dame and Mr. Haight, and their men, seemed to be on the best of terms with the Indians, and they were all in high spirits, as if they were mutually pleased with the accomplishment of some desired object.
While in San Barnardino I heard many persons ex-press gratification at the massacre. At the church ser-vices, on Sunday, Captain Hunt occupied the pulpit, and among other things he said that the hand of the Lord was in it; whether it was done by white or redskins it was right; the prophecies concerning Missouri were be-ing fulfilled, and they would all be accomplished.
Mr. Warn, in his statement, says that on his journey through the settlements, which was a week or ten days subsequent to the passage of the murdered train, he every where heard the same threats of vengeance against them for their boisterousness and abuse of Mormons and Mormonism, as was reported ; and these threats seemed to be made with the intention of preparing the mind to expect a calamity, and also when the calamity occured it should appear to fall upon transgressors as a matter of retribution.
One reason that may be assigned for the massacre of this train is that it was known to be in possession of con-siderable valuable property, and this fact excited the cupidity of the Mormons. It was said that they had over four hundred head of stock, beside mules, &c. They were well supplied with arms and ammunition, an ele-ment of gain which enters largely into all Mormon cal-culations. The train was composed of families, who all seemed to be in good circumstances, and, as they were moving to California, their outfit indicated that they might be in possession of considerable funds. The men were very free in speaking of the Mormons; their con-duct was said to have been reckless, and they would commit little acts of violence for the purpose of provok-ing the Saints. Feeling perfectly safe in their arms and numbers, they seemed to set at defiance all the powers that could be brought against them. And they were not permitted to feel the dangers that surrounded them until they were cut off from all hope of relief.
MORE OUTRAGES ON THE PLAINS.
A few days after the above meeting took place Mr. HONEA, of Arkansas, arrived at Los Angeles from the Plains. In the train in which he came they were sub-jected to constant and harassing attacks from the In-dians ever since they left Salt Lake City. They were behind the train which had been so cruelly massacred at Santa Clara canon. Two of the men belonging to the train which Mr. Honea accompanied were wounded in a fight with the Indians, and 326 head of cattle driven off. No one who reads the statement given by Mr. Honea, says the Los Angeles Star, can for a moment doubt the complicity of the Mormon leaders in these scenes of crime and outrage. The immense sums paid to the in-terpreters, and their refusal to fulfil the terms of their contracts, not to say what is very plainly charged against them by our informant—that they conspired with the Indians to commit the depredations and outrages com-plained of—would alone convict them of a participation in these murderous assaults.
From the statement published by Mr. Honea we ex-tract the following:
With the exception of an attack by the Rappaho In-dians, on the Arkansas river, on the 20th of June, on the company of Capt. Henry, of Texas, who lost 151 head of cattle, nothing of interest occurred on the journey, nor did they perceive any symptoms of opposition or of arm-ed bands till they came to Fort Bridger, in Utah Terri-tory. Here they saw a large quantity of provisions stor-ed, a considerable number of Indians encamped all round the fort, and heard the people generally speaking of mak-ing preparation to go out and meet Gen. Harney. At Fort Bridger was told by a merchant that at Fort Sup-ply over four hundred Indians were encamped awaiting orders to attack the United States troops. About thirty miles from Fort Bridger met three companies of men, generally mounted and all well armed, having abundance of baggage, their wagons being numbered in messes. Here had a conversation with one of the Mormon sol-diers, an Englishman, who camped with our company, and over the camp fire became communicative. He re-ferred in bitter terms to the treatment the Mormons had received in Illinois and Missouri, reflected on the injus-tice and tyranny of the people of the United States, and said that the time was come to get even. He said they were on their way to meet Gen. Harney to see what he was coming for. "If he was coming peaceably we will let, him come ; but, if not, we will drive him back," were the words used. Another Mormon, named Killion, an old man, who lives about seven miles from Salt Lake City, spoke bitterly against the United States, denounc-ed Judge Drummond and all the Federal officers, and re-joiced that the time had come when the Saints would be avenged on their enemies; that men were found who could face the enemy; and that Harney, with his 2,500 men, never would enter Salt Lake City. He also stated that Gov. Brigham Young had ordered the people to pre-pare for war; that they should not sell emigrants any thing; that they must lay up provisions; that the men and women must not dress up in store clothes any more, but that all must be saved to forward the cause of the church against the common enemy; that the men must be content with buckskin instead of broadcloth, and have plenty of guns and ammunition.
On the 17th of August passed through the city of Salt Lake. Remained only three or four hours. Had a con-versation with a merchant, a Gentile, who stated that on the previous Sunday Brigham Young had declared in the Temple that henceforth Utah was a separate and independent territory, and owed no obedience or alle-giance to any form or laws but those of her own enact-ment, and called upon the people to stand together and support him in maintaining the cause of God and the Church; that the house of Gilbert & Garrison had or-ders from Brigham to pack up and leave before the 1st of November.
Next morning the Indians sent down an order by the Bishop of Beaver, demanding cattle from us. Whilst in consultation on this demand intelligence was received that five of the Corn Creek Indians had come down, and the Bishop went off with the Indians without waiting for our answer. Here it was condidered necessary to remain some time, as the grass was good, and our men went up to the Bishop to obtain permission to stop, and also to have smith-work done in the town.
Dame advised us not to pass where the other train had been massacred, but to take a left hand trail, which we finally did, having first proposed to go and bury our de-ceased countrymen; but the interpreters objected, saying that the Indians would serve us the same way. While they were with us they made us give beeves to the In-dians on the Santa Clara, and advised us not to swear before the Indians, as they would know us to be Ameri-cans, and probably kill us.
On passing down the Rio Virgin we had to give more beeves to the Indians, who stole a horse from one of the company. We lost several head of cattle. Hamblin, the interpreter, sent Indians to search for them, who drove them back to Hamblin's house Other cattle strayed off and were immediately killed by the Indians. On the Virgin, Mr. Samuel Weeks lost $302.50 from his wagon. A thorough search was made in the train, but it could not be found. The opinion was that the interpreters had stolen it, as most of the company knew of the money be-ing there. A man named Lovett joined us here, who had no ostensible reason for coming to us. He lived with Hamblin, and it was the opinion of the company afterward that the plan was concocted here between Hamblin and Hatch for our robbery.
Proceeded about eight or ten miles along the canon. The cattle were in advance of our wagons about half a mile. The cattle were stopped to enable the wagons to come up. While waiting, observed Hamblin on the top of the hill, apparently looking for Indians. He came down from the hill, and by this time the wagons had joined the advance party, and the train moved on. Be-fore this, however, Hamblin had a conversation with a young Indian who accompanied us from the Muddy, and who pointed out to him where the Indians were located. When we started on the Indian asked for water; there was none in any of the vessels, and he then ran in ad-vance of the cattle and gave a whoop. The yelling then became general along the hills, where previously we could not perceive a single Indian. At this time three of the four interpreters who remained with us were in the rear of the train. The other advised the captains to fall back and leave the cattle and guard the wagons with the women and children. This was done, when a large body of Indians, over two hundred, made a descent on the cattle, and ran them off to the number of three hundred and twenty-six head and five horses. Some of the party prepared to fire on the Indians, but the inter-preter prevented them, saying we would all be killed. He then rode in among the Indians, and soon returned, saying that they had sent word if we wanted to fight to come on. He was requested to go again to the In-dians, when he asked to exchange an old gun for a valu-able navy revolver. It was given him. He then started off, in company with some of the train, and on the con-dition that, if danger threatened, he would fire the pis-tol, which would be the signal for them to return to the wagons. He fired the pistol; all the interpreters left the train, and were not again seen.
To give an idea of the fraud and extortion practised by the Mormons on emigrants, Mr. Honea states that their company paid to interpreters, six in all, the enor-mous sum of $1,815. The duty performed by these guides and interpreters was to conduct the company from Cedar City to Cottonwood Springs, a distance of not over three hundred miles; yet this contract was not fulfilled, although payment was made in advance.
FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO HERALD OF NOV. 5.
Three emigrant families arrived yesterday in Sacra-mento by the Carson Valley route. They report, says the Union, many sad evidences of outrage and murder at different points along the route, particularly in the vi-cinity of Goose Creek.
Reports brought by these families tend strongly to cor-roborate the suspicion already existing against the Mor-mons as the instigators, if not the perpetrators, of the recent wholesale massacre of immigrants at Santa Clara canon. Mr. Pierce, who came by way of Salt Lake, and joined the other two families at the Sink of the Humboldt, reports some five hundred Indians encamped near Salt Lake, who, as he learned from the Mormons, were re-tained as allies to operate against the troops sent out by the Government. He was also assured that these Indians had been instructed not to molest the emigration this year, as preparations were not sufficiently complete to enable the Mormons to make a stand against the United States.
In the city itself large crowds of Mormons were night-ly practising military drill, and there was every evidence of energetic preparations for some great event. Before his family left Salt Lake vague declarations of a threat-ening character were made, to the effect that, next year, "the overland emigrants must look out;" and it was even insinuated that the last trains this year might be de-stroyed. From the Mormon train which recently left Carson Valley, and which these families met on their way, similar statements were vaguely communicated, one Mormon woman even going so far as to congratulate an old lady in one of these families upon her safe arrival so near her destination, and assuring her that "the last trains of this year would not get through so well, for they were to be cut off."
