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History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

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554<br />

THE MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSACRE.<br />

for mercy; clutching the garments <strong>of</strong> their murderers,<br />

as they grasped them by the hair, children pleaded<br />

for life, meeting with the steady gaze <strong>of</strong> innocent<br />

childhood the demoniac grin <strong>of</strong> the savages, who<br />

brandished over them uplifted knives and tomahawks.<br />

Their skulls were battered in, or their throats cut<br />

from ear to ear, and, while still alive, the scalp was<br />

torn from their heads. Some <strong>of</strong> the little ones met<br />

with a more merciful death, one, an infant in arms,<br />

being shot through the head by the same bullet that<br />

pierced its father's heart. Of the women none were<br />

spared, and <strong>of</strong> the children only those who were not<br />

more than seven years <strong>of</strong> age. 19<br />

To two <strong>of</strong> Lee's wagoners, McMurdy and Knight,<br />

was assigned the duty, as it was termed, <strong>of</strong> slaughtering<br />

the sick and wounded. Carrying out their<br />

instructions, they stopped the teams as soon as firing<br />

was heard, and with loaded rifles approached the<br />

wagons where lay their victims, McMurdy being in<br />

front. "O Lord, my God," he exclaimed, "receive<br />

their spirits, it is for thy kingdom that I do this."<br />

Then, raising his rifle to his shoulder, he phot through<br />

the brain a wounded man who was lying with his<br />

head on a sick comrade's breast. The Mormons<br />

were aided in their work 20 by Indians, who, grasping<br />

the helpless men by the hair, raised up their heads<br />

and cut their throats. The last victim was a little girl<br />

who came running up to the wagons, covered with<br />

19 In the <strong>of</strong>ficial report quoted by Burton, City <strong>of</strong> the Saints, 412, it is<br />

stated that a girl 16 years <strong>of</strong> age knelt before one <strong>of</strong> the Mormons imploring<br />

mercy, but he led her away into a thicket, ^iolated her, and then cut her<br />

throat. Beadle attributes this deed to President Haight, and says that after<br />

violating the girl he beat out her brains with a club. He also accuses Lee <strong>of</strong><br />

selecting one <strong>of</strong> the young women for his harem, and relates that, when he made<br />

known his purpose, she attempted to stab him, whereupon he shot her through<br />

the head. Life in <strong>Utah</strong>, 1S3-4.<br />

20 Lee, in his confession, denied having killed any <strong>of</strong> them, but admits that<br />

he intended to do his part. He says: 'I drew my pistol and cocked it, but<br />

somehow it went <strong>of</strong>f prematurely, and I shot McMurdy across the thigh, my<br />

pistol-ball cutting his buckskin pants. McMurdy turned to me and said:<br />

"Brother Lee, keep cool; you are excited.'" Mormonism Unvailed, 242. As<br />

we shall see later, it was clearly proved at his trial that he killed several <strong>of</strong><br />

the wounded.

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