Lot Smith in life and death

Transcript by George S. Tanner of an article published by the Deseret News on August 3, 1892, following the death of Lot Smith at Tuba City in June. The article included the text of a letter from C. L. Christensen recounting details of Lot Smith's life.

• f e tim e aft er lish ed oy tho Do ser et News soo pub was d, ato und e, icl art s Thi Fro ra let ter fil e. Cop ied by Geo rge s. Ts.n ner . Lot Smi thv, ,.ias sho t to dea th. -- and Dea th Lot Sm ith in .Lif -- -- -e -- - -- nds , who are sta rt led ?-nd ·gri ev_o d his frie The tra gic dea th of Lot Sm ith tic ula rs of the ry as we ll as Ari z cm . The par rito Ter s thi out ugh thro s num erou rren of det ail s. che s bei ng ver y bri ef and b:;., pat dis the , gre mea te qui e e wi 11 be eve nt wer the sad aff air whi ch we be licv in nts ide inc e som of d rne G.Y T.Pa lme r Vle hav e lea ore pri nt them . 4s rel ate d by ref the and s, der rea our to int ere stin g ly retu rne d from the of Lot Sm ith, who has rec ent of Far min gto n, a son -in- lav : sce ne ,of the trag edy . e" tra der cam e to unf ort una te eve nt, a "Ge ntil A sho rt tim e pre vio us to the a, to obt ain the woo l s res ide nce , at Tu. bi, Ari zon the neig hbo rho od of Lot Sm ith' the Ind ian s, and amo ng He ing rat iate d him sel f wit h ep. she es' ajo Nav the from p cli zin g lan ds out sid e the ir had as muc h rig ht to the gra y the a ther d tol gs thin er oth e to pas tur age as the , and the ir she ep wer e as fre had men ite ·wh the as n atio res erv bec ame ver y sau cy par tic ula rly the you ng buc ks, es, ajo Nav The . tle cat 's wh ite men lan ds tak en up by erv atio n int rud ing upo n the res the off ep she ir the t s to dri ve off - and bro ugh tio n of hav ing inc ited Ind ian uta rep the has nun s Thi rs. to vras h and wh ite set tle }lt hav e a goo d pla ce at ·wh ich mie; y the t tha , ago e tim e a ran che r som cou ld get the v:o ol. she ar. the ir she ep so tha t he Ind ian tol d a rran n the sho otin g occ urr ed, zn . 0~ the mor nin g of the day whe tty soo n, Nav ajos pre be e mil es from Tub a, tha t "ma y it two day s." nam ed D. Cb: r;s and oth ers , fiv ut abo d men ," and thg_ t the y had "ta lke l one wh ite kil kil l and cle ar out som e wh ite "we sai d, e fun of his thr eat , and he Cla ws laug..1.ed at him and md er thi s, Lot Sm ith was sho t. nan , any how ." T·wo hou rs aft _,.,,-,---and tur ned in dow n the bar s of his pas tur e let had s ian Ind the s ear app It d to tur n tho to his e;ra .zin g grou r..ds and trie ack seb hor on t wen Lot eo. t bac k to the the ir she he cou ld not suc cee d. He wen and up ed" nch "bu y the but , she ep out He 6ot off his hor se o. rev olv er _in his bel t. ing hav e tim s thi d, rne retu and dra win g hou se and fai lin g a:g:'3.in he ieca rrie ang ry but , out them ve dri to in and trie d aga the flo ck, kil lin g six she op. his pis to1 ·.fir ed twi ce int o din g) aro se and ajoe s who IlP~d bee n rid ing , (hi In a moment hal f a doz en Nav the hil ls. Lot in ed fiv e, and oth er ·Ind ian s app ear the re was a. fire d at his ca~ s, sho otin g re whe , and had jus t pas sed a poi nt sta rte d bac k hor:1e on hor seb ack up on the hil l wit h a who :had bee n rid ing (hid ing ) larg e roc k, whe n an Ind ian , thi s roc k, fire d wat che d for him til l he pas sed had and er uld sho his on le rif ugh his bod y in a the bac k, the bal l goi ng thro in Lot ng iki str it, ind beh fro n ite man at a dis m:1n rod e on, and see ing a wh d nde wou The . ion ect dir ng sla nti he rod e r9.p idly to d was run nin g in a stre am as loa b The •• him to ed kon bec tan ce int o ano the r room unb uck led his bel t and v,en t d, ere ent d, hte alig He •• se his , hou the fam ily wen t soo n arr ive d, and whe n he and ed kon bec he rran ThB d. wor " His dyi ng wit hou t a ed, "Th is is the las t of me. him exc man n cke stri the :l · int o the roo! es and chi ldr enf wor ds wer e: "God ble ss the wiv en from the m a lore d tl~e act , whi ch had t::tk The old er 1h vaj oes gren . t ly dep do not w3.nt to and ry the f3.m ily tha t the y are sor Lot Sm ith and goo d frio :id. The y d e chr ed to of th hou se and crie d ove r the dea fig ht. Squav1s hav e come to tho ajoe s to tho one Ind ian The de ed is chq rge d by the Nav ed. eav ber the h wit ed dol con the co·Ns to you n 6 and the tres pn. 3s nw: sho otin 6 of and t, sho al fat the d fire who . But it is be liev od by y can def y the Uni tBd Sta tes the nk ·thi who ns, ia Ind uly unr Sm ith, and tha t a mon 6 the I:id ian s to kil l Lot y rac spi con a was re the t man y th1 is duo to the an,.: ln:: :les sne ss amo ng them ess ssn kle rec of g lin fee much of the noo l tra der ·ref orr ed to. per nic iou s inf lue nce of the J -2- Lot's De::tth came Fort Wingg.te to investig 9.t0 /from soldiers of A lieutera nt with a squad the ·rrc.tter. He was told by the Navajoe s that the Indfo.n who did the shooting the was hiding and the soldiers could not find him, but thoy proraised that if with talk officer would go vrith them alone, into the hills he should see and is the Indian. This he declined , fearing treache ry. However , a determi nation expresse d to track, arrest and try the assassin for For some weeks before his deqth, Lot Smith was greatly excited at interva ls . over strall affairs , being very irritabl e at the sliEhte st provoca tion _and much he vras disturbe d over some of his fina.nci al complic ations. However , at other times in enterta rs neighbo his unusual ly kind and cor.ununi cative to his family. N.any of regard temper, of ty for him the best of feelings , and notwith standing this infirmi him as a noble rran and a frie.n d to all who stood in need. a Vle here a?pend a letter from C.L.Chr istenson , a Navajo interpr eter and to be missioil9 .ry among the Indians for fifteen years, which he earnest ly desires valiant publishe d for the satisfac tion of many good people who recogniz ed in the Lot Smith much to admire and esteem: Editor Deseret News: As a number of journals have made disparag ing referenc e to Lot Smith, for the that consola tion of his family and friends I wish to say, there never was a man Echo the During Smith. held the life and libert~r of rran more sacred than did Lot the under well it did Canyon v:ar Lot Smith ph.yed a brave and noble part, a.nd no blood" circums tances. He had instruct ions from Presiden t Brigham Young to "shed in prompt so vras Lot and not e"Ven to fire a gun unless absolut ely in self defe nse. ho~e, vrent carrying out this advice that several men in his charge left him and that _they having a desire of gaining fame other:ds e than accordin g tr. the advice that he shed Lot held and kept most sacred. I am conscie ntious before God in saying Indians Ute the fighting in occurred have may it no blood while he lived, except r who familia are all which vrith day, early a.n in during the battle near Provo city re~d the history of Utah. Lot served his country in the fear of God and with good wi 11 to man in the arms, Mormon Ba.tall ion. He has said, "I think I was the younges t man that bore d." He accepte vras I being only sixteen ye~rs of age, bUt/r was large in stature : reading gave the followin g account of hirr'5elf , which I think worth "One day when '\'re had rrarched a long distance v;:ithout water, and nearly famlooked so ished, vre beheld a dry lake at a distanc e, somethin g called a mirage. It e assuranc full had we that one saw never who those much like a lake of water to to us ted stimula it least at effect, this had doubt, of speedy relief •• It, no miles press on, but to our horror it was only dry hnd, and we traveled fully six The corr.e." fully had night and vrater, no across this delusion and still found only writer does not remembe r ·whether it was a willow or wire grass that was the "we said, Lot feet" eight about sign that gave them still hope, but"digg ing down selected v1as I to, attended was found abundan ce to supply all our wants. After this the ·way, to go b::tck with a keg of water on a mule to help thos·e who had fallen by till I ,·-tater any one who numbered quite a fevr. T had instruct ions not to give any very ving ha. , got b-3.ck to the hst Iran, . and then I vras to work back to the company soon I particu lar instruct ions hov: to adminis ter this sacred, life-sav ing fluid. off, al~o met a tran who vras a.ID:ioGs ly inquirin g for ·Nater, distance etc. I put him stand the second, third and fourth, I thin~, but from tr.is on I could no lonGer I got vrhen drink n. had I so lcd't, some had and 11 a em th r8d their plen.din 6 s . I vr.-1.t e thorn through , a dist n. ncc of t vrelve or fourteen r:1iles. I ·was c~roful in giving keg of littlo my blesr;ed ly suro Lord The . _water, though r:n ny drank quite ho~rtily a ·behind tied vras I water in a rr..'.lrve lous rr.a nner. For mv disobed ience to orders but me, ted humilia mthor vragon and tr.a d o to wa lk in trying circums t~nccs which -3- Lots De.q, th offici al by the I felt · I couid not have done less. This was· the act of a small name of Dykes." of water, When God revrards those who give the least of his childre n a drink are there there think I I think this hero will not be tied behind a. wagon, and him. er rememb some living nO':t who were thus saved froo death who will kindly he I have travele d hundred s of miles with this good · nnn. If any were sick to first the , he was was sympat hetic and ready to help; if any wagons ·were stalled . expert an roll up his sleeves to li.rt, dig and push. If animal s were sick he was noon or nivit, Re was extrem ely fond of a good horso. V'fhen campin g time came, attende d to and anirr.al s were the first to receive his attenti on; then meals were order and prayer to called camp the find a.11 must fare alike. And you ·would always though tful t, earnes an was it praying offered to God and if he himsel f did the too must they n, brethre his d appeal to his Heaven ly Father ; but he never sli~hte take their turn. his fellowm en He ,•19.s very kind, though he could not look upon the deeds of' rather sh..arpl y, .with that charity and forbear ance that some men can. He rebuked on all manner of being of a quick temper , or, rather. , he ha.stily put his foot down knew they were iniquit y, and his rebukes were genera lly kindly receive d as all looked upon inte~de d to elevate ar~ better mankin d. And this is how his friends short of this him. His earnes t desire vra.s to have all things go right, and nothing genera lly would satisfy him, hence his peculi ar mode was consid ered and· his advice adhered to. seed The poor he never passed by unnotic ed or uncared for. Feed, grain, ds hundre to him by ed furnish grain, flour and other orovisi ons have been amply in enterta to adapted am?lY and "'ltithou t any return . He via.s kind to the,. -strang ar enterand ting interes them; Jew or Gentile , a 11 were treated kindly . He ·was very upon him for taining , both in public and in private , and any one could depend not much had , sound doctrin e. Re 7:as a wise IPan in genera l things , though he and beast, and school learnin g, but the book of Nature , both i:t?- regard to ran wide. ·world all the yronder s of God were studied by him and his experie nce was ups and the downs, He enj oy8d life we 11. He had the thorns and the thistle s, the a treache rous · and many soro trials ,, but he·· despise d. none of God's dealin gs, but him to hn.te. xran was to hira a loathin g and the only thing I havo ever known none but the Brothe r Lot -was tried . sorely in the latter part of his life and in a pulp a into crushed leg his angels can tell this story correc tly. He had l calami ty. painfu this through ng horse power, a.nd had a whole year or more of sufferi tv:o lost He . memory strong This had somewh at of a tenden cy to impair his once vrith lye water beauti ful boys in the last fe-..·r years, one drowned and one scalded and variou s and till he died. An enemy of his hired a man to ki11 him but failed, rapid·w ere his trials . his en on a fair way to becom/childr of nun:ber a has and He was a good provid er feot in height ing thoroug hly educat ed. He vm.s a large man _is stature , over six d from weighe He y. latterl 11 h so quite not v1hen in the prime of life but W'3.S liquor . no drank and tobacco no used , 200 to 215 lbs. He drank no tea nor coffee to drink with his Yfhile wit:h him in St. Georgr I ha. ve seen him rgfuse/ a. drop of ·wine r, Howeve did. that those rebuked old-tim e friends .:fo never profan ed, and always of amount the to it he vrould some tir.ios tre•1.t 9. househ old of those who desired ::::d noble work $40 to $50. He 'tras a good frontie r::m~n, active , ambitio us and ?erform. s. succes at Sunset in the interas t of the Arizon a mission and its fir..'.l.l • t -4- I.nt's De9.th His policy toward the Indians was that of Brigham Young: "Feed them not fight thera.," and rm.ny were the good and instructive letters he _received from President Young in that early day ·which he would read in public e.nd 9.lways advise the people to cn.rry them out punctually. Lot said at one time in my hearing: 11 All who feel like cursing an Indian and saying the only good Indhns is a dead one., are re le9.sed to go home." He meant a 11 he said., and hundre.ds or them came dmrn and fa!"I!led at Sunset _and he was not a whit behind in shovring them all about farming. He visited the different tribes often_ and always enquired of their welfare and asked if any of our people were intruding on their rights, often enquiring if we were welcome in their land. He was a fairly good Spg,nish interprater and always gave them good advice, encouraging them to q_llegia.nce to · this great Government., etc. He was kind to them, feedir.g them and aiding them otherwise and he stood high with the l~avajo chiefs. When Sunset was abandoned he moved .in part to Moencoppy where he found a different st ripe of Na vs.j oes, a people who know no law, a people who were not subdued by the governnent at the last big fight. They hid up near the Navajo Mountains where live those who c o:m..~itted the depredations in Southern Utah and killed _Ylhit:::nora and Geo. A. Smith, Jr. and stole IP.any sheep and horses. The writer has seen many m:ires valued at from $100 to $250 e1ch stolen in Utah, and o~me near loosing his life for In1king mention of this fact at one timo. Vlhile I lived at ~oencoppy eight years, I saw them let their sheep into gardens and orchards, breaking fruit trees till they died., and all we could do was only to pleg,d vrith them 'dnd ly, sometimes ·with good effect for a time, but soon this failed, and they vrould steal fruit., melons., grain in the shock, corn in the field, ride on our horses, stealing the bells from their necks, the hob_bles from their legs, etc • ., breaking the dams in our reservoirs·., destroying our crops and causing the loss of' our water, and a hundred other things. Brothor Lot Smith passed through t:iis and more also, and I will assure you that Lot Smith died def ending the right• • l ; .... ..