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Show A STARTLING INTERVIEW. 307 ments.' And, to be sure, why should we risk any thing, and maybe have a fuss with the Indians, to save people who done nothing but abuse us? But I still said, ' Let'em go; they've been punished enough.' " I never will mention any names, or betray my brethren. Those men were God- fearing men. Their motives were pure. They knelt down and prayed to be guided in council. But they was full of zeal. Their zeal was greater than their knowledge. " I went once more to the Indians, and begged them to kill only the men. They said they would kill every one; then I told them I would buy all the children, so all the children was saved. There was not over fifteen white men actually went in with the Indians, and I don't believe a single emigrant was actually killed by a white man. " An express had been sent to Brigham Young at first to know what to do, and it is a pity it didn't get back; for those enthusiastic men will obey counsel. The president sent back orders, and told the man to ride night and day, by all means to let the emigrants go on; to call off the Indians, and for no Mormons to molest them. But the thing was all over before the express got back to Provo. There was about eighty fighting men that was killed. I don't know how many women, though not many. All the children was saved. The little boy that lived with us cried all night when he left us, and said he'd come back to us as soon as he got old enough. Old Forney, when he come for ' em, got all in his tent and would not let ' em visit or say good- bye to any body. One run away and hid under the floor of the house, and For-ney dragged him out and beat him like a dog with his cane. They say he murdered the baby on the plains, because it was sickly and troublesome. " It is told around for a fact that I could tell great confessions, and bring in Brigham Young and the Heads of the Church. But if I was to make forty confessions, I could not bring in Brigham Young. His counsel was: ' Spare them, by all means.' But I am made to bear the blame. Here I am, old, poor, and lonely, away down in this place carrying the sins of my brethren. But if I endure, great is my reward. Bad as that thing was, I will not be the means of bringing troubles on my people; for, you know yourself, that this people is a misrepresented and cried- down community. Yes, a people scattered and peeled, whose blood was shed in great streams in Missouri, only for worshiping God as he was revealed to them ; and if at the last they did rise up and shed blood of their enemies, I won't consent to give ' em up." Such was the remarkable story told me by Major John Doyle Lee. I |
