The Mormon Menace Part 29

"That is right," said he. "G.o.d bless you for it. Tell Brother John to stand to his integrity to the end, and not a hair of his head shall be harmed."

What is there more? I wait within the reach of death. There is no help for the widow's son. Still, all is for the best.

Camp Cameron, March 23rd, 1877.

Morning clear, still and pleasant. The guard, George Tracy, informs me that Col. Nelson and Judge Howard have gone. Since my confinement here I have reflected much over my sentence, and as the time of my execution has come, I feel composed. I hope to meet the bullets with manly courage. I declare my innocence. I have done nothing wrong. I have a reward in Heaven, and my conscience does not accuse me. This to me is a consolation. I place more value upon it than I would upon an eulogy without merit. If my work be finished on earth, I ask G.o.d in Heaven, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to receive my spirit, and allow me to meet my loved ones who have gone behind the veil. The bride of my youth and her faithful mother; my devoted friend and companion, N. A.; my dearly beloved children, with whom I parted in sorrow, but shall meet in joy - I bid you farewell. Be true to each other. Live faithful before G.o.d, that we may meet in the mansions that G.o.d has prepared for His servants. Remember the last words of your most true friend on earth, and let them sink into your aching hearts. I leave my blessing with you. Farewell.

John Doyle Lee

APPENDIX I - BLOOD ATONEMENT

As exhibiting the Mormon position on the doctrine of "Blood Atonement," the following extracts are taken from the sermons and preachings of the Prophet Brigham Young:

"I could refer you to plenty of instances where men have been righteously slain in order to atone for their sins."

"Now, when you hear my brethren telling about cutting people off from the earth, that you consider is strong doctrine; but it is to save them, not to destroy them."

"All mankind love themselves; and let these principles be known by an individual, and he would be glad to have his blood shed.

That would be loving themselves even unto eternal exaltation."

"This is loving our neighbor as ourselves; if he needs help, help him; if he wishes salvation, and it is necessary to spill his blood upon the ground in order that he be saved, spill it."

"Any of you who understand the principles of eternity - if you have sinned a sin requiring the shedding of blood, except the sin unto death - would not be satisfied or rest until your blood should be spilled, that you might gain the salvation you desire.

This is the way to love mankind."

"It is true the blood of the Son of G.o.d was shed for sins through the fall and those committed by men, yet ye men can commit sins which it can never remit. As it was in the ancient days, so it is in our day; and though the principles are taught publicly from this stand, still the people do not understand them; yet the law is precisely the same."

"I have known a great many men who have left this Church, for whom there is no chance whatever of exaltation; but if their blood had been spilled, it would have been better for them. The wickedness and ignorance of the nations forbid this principle being in full force, but the time will come when the law of G.o.d will be in full force."

"Will you love your brothers and sisters likewise, when they have committed a sin that cannot be atoned for without the shedding of their blood? Will you love that man or woman well enough to shed their blood? That is what Jesus Christ meant. He never told a man to love his enemies in their wickedness. He never intended any such thing."

"I have known scores and hundreds of people for whom there would have been a chance in the last resurrection if their lives had been taken and their blood spilled upon the ground as a smoking incense to the Almighty, but who are now angels to the devil, until our elder brother, Jesus Christ, raises them up, and conquers death, h.e.l.l, and the grave."

"There are sins that can be atoned for by an offering upon an altar, as in ancient days; and there are sins that the blood of a lamb, of a calf, or of turtle doves cannot remit, but they must be atoned for by the blood of the man. That is the reason why men talk to you as they do from this stand; they understand the doctrine, and throw out a few words about it. You have been taught that doctrine, but you do not understand it."

"Now, take a person in this congregation, who has a knowledge of being saved in the kingdom of our G.o.d and our Father, and being an exalted one, - who knows and understands the principles of eternal life, and sees the beauty and excellency of the eternities before him, compared with the vain and foolish things of the world; and suppose he is overtaken with a gross fault - that he has committed a fault which he knows will deprive him of that exaltation which he desires; and that he cannot attain to it without the shedding of his blood; and also knows that by having his blood shed, he will atone for that sin and be saved, and be exalted with the G.o.ds, is there a man or woman in this house but what would say, 'Shed my blood, that I may be saved and exalted with the G.o.ds'?"

APPENDIX II - THE STORY OF LEE'S ARREST

United States Marshal's Office, Beaver City, Utah, April 1st, 1877.

My Dear Sir: As requested, I send you the facts of the arrest of John Doyle Lee, from the time the warrants were placed in my hands until I arrested him and brought him to Beaver City. I tell it in my own way, and you can use it as you see proper.

About the 1st of October, 1874, warrants were placed in my hands for the arrest of Lee, Haight, Higbee, Stewart, Wilden, Adair, Klingensmith, and Jukes (the warrant for the arrest of Dame not being placed in my hands at that time). I received instructions from General George R. Maxwell, United States Marshal for the District of Utah, that Lee was the most important one of all those indicted, and that he wanted him arrested first, if possible, but that it was a dangerous undertaking, for he was satisfied by what he could learn that Lee would never be taken alive. He wanted me to take him alive, if possible, but not at too great a risk; that he did not want to give me any plan of operations or particular instructions how to act, as he believed I knew more about that kind of business than he did, and that he did not wish to give any officer under him any plans when he was sure, as he was in this case, that it would be laying a plan to have one of his own officers killed. I took the case in hand, thinking at that time that I would have to go to Lee's place on the Colorado River. I was arranging for that trip.

On the 28th day of October, 1874, I started south from Beaver City, to summon jurors for the November term of the District Court for the Second Judicial District of Utah Territory, to be held at Beaver City. I also intended to procure a guide, if I could do so, and go to the Colorado River to make the arrest.

When I reached Parowan I learned that it was currently reported that Lee had come from the Colorado River, and was then in the southern counties of Utah. He was supposed to be at Harmony, because it was known that he had some accounts due him there, which he was then probably collecting, in the shape of provisions, to take back with him to the river. I at once started again, on my way south, determined to arrest him at Harmony, and to do so alone, for I did not know where reliable aid could be had. I considered there was no time to lose, and that I was taking no more chances in attempting the arrest alone than I would be taking if I found him at the Colorado River, at his stronghold, even if backed by a strong force.

On my way I met Thomas Winn. I told him what I was intending to do. I told him I was going to arrest Lee. Winn said he considered it madness, as it was reported that several of Lee's sons were with him, and all armed. He volunteered to go with me and take even chances.

We finally decided that he should go to Iron City and get help, as there were then several men there that we could depend on. He was to get these men and be at Harmony by daylight on the morning of the 30th of October. I was to go to Harmony and get there soon after dark the night of the 29th of October, and make the arrest, if I thought I could do so and get away in safety under the cover of night. If not, I was to find out where he was, and wait for a.s.sistance.

When I got to Hamilton's Fort, eight miles south of Cedar City, I learned that Lee had left Harmony and gone back to the Colorado River, by the way of Toquerville, and was then several days ahead of me. I then sent a boy out on the Iron City road to stop Winn and send him back. I proceeded on my way and summoned my jurors.

I could hear nothing of Lee in the southern country. On my way back I stopped at Thomas Winn's house, and got him to go over on the Severe River, to see if Lee had not gone by the way of Panguitch, and stopped there to lay in more supplies.

Winn started on the 5th day of November, and took Franklin R.

Fish with him. They pretended to be looking for stock. They were to report to me at Parowan, on the night of the 7th of November.

I returned to Beaver City, and made my returns.

On the morning of November 7th I started for Parowan to meet my men, Winn and Fish. That same day Brigham Young went from Beaver to Parowan. He pa.s.sed me near the Buck Horn Springs. I have no doubt but that he thought I was there to a.s.sa.s.sinate him, for he had four of his best fighting Danites with him as a guard. They were armed with Henry rifles, and as they came up to me the Danites rode between me and their beloved Prophet's carriage; but they had no reason for alarm. Brigham Young was not the man that I was after at that time. I met Winn and Fish at Red Creek. As they were coming out of Little Creek Canyon Winn remarked:

"Your man is there!"

As the men had found that Lee had made everything ready for a start, we rode on to Parowan, where I arranged my plan of action.

Fish was to go back over the mountains to Panguitch that night, with instructions to come out and meet us, in case Lee should start away from Panguitch. I was to start back toward Beaver City until I had pa.s.sed Red Creek settlement, and then go up Little Creek Canyon. The others, Thomas Winn, Thomas LaFever, Samuel G.

Rodgers and David Evans, were to go into the mountains in different places, and all to meet near Thompson's Mill on Little Creek. We followed this plan, and met at the mill. We then went over the mountains towards Panguitch.

The snow on the way would average fully two feet in depth, and the night was very cold. We stopped at a place about three miles from Panguitch for the night. I sent David Evans into Panguitch to see Fish, and find out if all was right. Long before daylight we saddled our horses and started on, for the night was bitter cold. We had no blankets with us, and dared not build a fire, for fear it would alarm Lee and notify him that we were there. We reached the place where Evans was to meet us sometime before daylight; he was not there. We waited until after the sun was up, but still Evans did not come. Then thinking that my plans had been found out in some way, and that my two men, Fish and Evans, were captured, and more than likely Blood Atoned, I concluded to act quickly and effectually.

We mounted our horses and dashed into the town at full speed. We found Evans, and learned that Fish had not been able to locate Lee, but knew that he was in town. I then ordered my men to go to different parts of the town, and keep a good lookout, and not to let any wagon go out of town until they had searched the wagon. I inquired of the citizens about Lee, but could learn nothing from them about him. Some said they never knew him, others that they never heard of such a man, had not even heard the name.

The citizens soon came crowding around in disagreeable numbers. I saw I must resort to strategy, or I and my friends were in danger; so in order to disperse the crowd, I took out my book and pencil and took down the names of those around me. I then summoned them to a.s.sist me in finding and arresting Lee. They each and all had some excuse, but I refused to excuse any of them and ordered them to go and get their arms and come back and aid me. This worked well, for in less than five minutes there was not a Mormon to be seen on the streets of Panguitch. About this time I rode near Thomas Winn, when he said:

"I believe I have Lee spotted. I asked a little boy where Lee's wife lived, and he showed me the house."

This was something to work on. I rode around to the house that Winn pointed out to me. As I turned the street corner I saw a woman looking into a log pen, and when she saw me she turned back towards the house, then turned and walked back to the pen, and appeared to be talking to someone in the pen. She seemed to be very much excited. I rode by the house and around the lot, and while doing so I saw a little girl go out and look into the pen for a little while; she then took up a handful of Straw and went buck into the house. I, like Winn, was then satisfied that Lee was in that pen. I then told Winn to keep the place in sight, but not appear to be watching it, while I was getting ready to search for Lee. I soon afterwards met Samuel Lee. I took down his name and ordered him to a.s.sist me in searching for and arresting John D. Lee.

"John D. Lee is my father, sir," said he.

At that I told him it made no difference to me if he was his grandmother, that I was going to search the house and wanted him with me. He said he was going down to the thres.h.i.+ng machine to see his brother Al, and started off. I drew my revolver and told him to stop. He walked right along, looking back over his shoulder at me all the time. I then spurred my horse and went in front of him. He said:

"You can shoot and be hanged. I am not heeled, but I am going down to see my brother Al."

While we were talking, Alma Lee came up and asked what was up.

Sam said:

"This is the officer come to arrest father."

"Is that all! I thought there was a dog fight."

He then took Sam one side and talked to him for a time. Sam soon came back and said he was ready to go with me. I then dismounted and had Winn do the same. I first went into the house, where I found several women. I searched the house thoroughly, but found no one in it that I wanted. I then said to Sam:

"We will go over to the other house."

"All right, come on," said Sam, and started out ahead of me.