History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

THE AIKEN MURDERS.
and two wounded, the latter escaping to Nephi, whence
they started for Salt Lake City, but were murdered
on their way at Willow Springs. Although the guilty
parties were well known, it was not until many years
later that one of them, named Collett, was arrested,
and in October 1878 was tried and acquitted at
Provo. 39 All the efforts of Judge Cradlebaugh availed
nothing,* and soon afterward he discharged the prisoners
and adjourned his court sine die, entering on
his docket the following minute: "The whole community
presents a united and organized opposition to
the proper administration of justice."
This antagonism between the federal and territorial
authorities continued until 1874, at which date an act
39 Deseret News, Oct. 16, 23, 1878, where is a report of Collett's trial. A
sensational account of this affair is given in Hickman's Destroying Angel, 205-9.
It is there stated that the party had with them money and other property to
the amount of $25,000. See also Young's Wife No. 19, 270-6; S. F. Bulletin,
May 30, 1859; S. F. Post, Oct. 11, 1878; S. L. City Tribune, Oct. 12, 1878.
In the report of the trial I find no mention of the murdered men's property.
40 Among others, an attempt was made to investigate what were known as
the Potter and Parrish murders at Springville, an account of which is given
in Stenhouse's Rocky Mountain Saints, 462-7. The proceedings in these cases
will be found in the Deseret News, Apr. 6, 1859. In his address to the grand
jury, Cradlebaugh states that three persons were killed on this occasion, and
that young Parrish, who was among the intended victims but made his escape,
could certainly identify the parties. The judge also mentions the casesof
Henry Fobbs, murdered near Fort Bridger while on his way from California,
and of Henry Jones, said to have been castrated at S. L. City, and afterward
shot at Pond Town, near Payson. Stenhouse's Rocky Mountain Saints, 404-5.
This writer relates that the marshal and his posse approached Springville before
daylight and surrounded that settlement, but on entering the houses, it
was found that the culprits had already escaped, and after searching the canon
some few miles farther on, the party returned, having accomplished nothing.
See also Deseret News, Apr. 6, 1859. For reports of other murders committed
about this period, some of them being attributed to Mormons, see Sen. Doc,
36th Cong. 1st Sess., xi. no. 42, passim; Burton's City of the Saints, 274;
Hickman's Destroying Angd, 122 et seq.; Bowles' Our New West, 266. At
this date the newspapers of the Pacific coast were teeming with accounts of
atrocities said to have been committed by Mormons, for which I refer the
reader to the S. F. Bulletin, May 20, Nov. 26, Dec. 21, 1858; Jan. 4, 24, Apr.
25, May 9, 30, Aug. 8, 24, 25, 30, 1859; S. F. Alta, May 15, Oct. 28, Nov. 1,
1857; Jan. 25, Nov. 4, 1858; Jan. 13, May 9, Aug. 30, 31, Sept. 14, Nov. 20,
1859; Sac. Union, May 15, 1857; Jan. 6, 18, May 11, 14, Sept. 8. 1859; Jan.
16, 1860. Most of the murders committed appear to have been those of desperadoes
who defied the law. On May 17, 1860, for instance, two men of this
stamp were shot in the streets of Salt Lake City. Commenting on this affair,
' the Deseret Ncivs of May 23d remarks: Murder after murder has been committed
with impunity within the precincts of Salt Lake City, till such occurrences
do not seemingly attract much attention, particularly when the mur-
563"