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Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, December 18, 1896, Image 2

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Persistent link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86091111/1896-12-18/ed-1/seq-2/

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PATSY G0U6HLAN EXECUTED
the
of
Unflinchingly He Faced His
Doom.
T
Iln
of
Alisas« With Hla Ute 1er the Murder
•f Coast, blea Mtacg and Hawes at
Cabin—Hlatory of the
palnaer'a
Crime.
by
sait Lake City, Dec. 16, 1896.—Patsy
Coughlan, the youthful desperado, was
ahot yesterday at 10:24 a. m„ at Sage
Hollow, In Rich county, for the murder
of Constables Stagg and Dawes In
Palmers's cabin, near Evanston, in
-August, 1895.
S He died as gamely as any man who
Shas ever faced death at the hands of
8 men, without a tremor of voice or a
(quiver of muscle.
y£. The place where the execution took
2»lace Is three miles from Woodruff and
nine miles from Randolph In a little
canyon or gulch among the hills off the
ffemain travelled road.
The execution passed off without a
-hitch. It was exceedingly well planned
YjMMAiand managed. No miscalculation was
H4tMà^>made. Conghlln Is not believed to
have even heard the report of the rifles.
-■*'.''nitetoeath was not Instantaneous, though
insensibility seized him at the moment
»eputy Sheriff Calvelry gave the word
) fire. Four minutes later he was pro
ounced dead. At 10:18 oiclock the
heriffs wagon appeared In view.
Wien the canvas-covered wagon drew
p In front of the executlou chair
iherlff Dickson, Rev. Father Galligan,
JfyjB-Pr. E. Lee of Randolph and Dennis
,ane, of Park City, a cousin of Cough
n, decended. A moment later Cough
n followed. He alighted almost in
ront of the chair upon which for a
econd's space his gaze fell. He was
rrapped In a heavy storm coat. The
verehoes had been removed from hts
eet, leaving as their covering a new
►air of patent leather slippers. The
rons were taken from his ankles, and
lit overcoat, coat and vest removed.
Coughlin stood upright, the ashen hue
if hit face intensified by the black silk
hlrt he wore. HIs eye roved slowly
iver the little stern-visage gathering.
"Patrick Coughlin have you anything
Jfesay?" broke in Sheriff Dickson. .
"Nothing," redlied Coughlin, "except
iny request that I don't want my picture
laken."
Then in obedience to the Sheriff's
:jAaysolnted finger, the doomed man sat in
jpSBBie chair, while the Sheriff, assisted by
Deputies D.W. Eastman and Archie
SppTkcKinnon, began to fasten hfm tightly
to the oaken teat. By the ankles and
Wrists and shoulders they bound him to
^the chair with stout hemp rooe. Mean
while, Father Galligan was administer
l»g to him mnd encouraging him to be
Jl good heart.
°Y good courage," said the father
once, and Coughlin replied:
jgjjgÄ "You bet your life."
gKSfe Father Gallagher was last to leave
!m and as he shook his hand and fell
ick, Bob Calverly stepped to the door
E the tent and In a low tone began,
Dne, two, three, four, five, six, seven,
ght, nine, ten." The reports of the
fies rang almost simultaneously.
Coughlin stiffened in his chair, the hour
jpJifclng 10:25. The priest wa6 at his 6Îde
5n an Instant and began administering
■He rite of extreme unction. When
Ml e mask was removedjfrom his face,
iughlin's head was erect and defiant
t in a few seconds the muscles re
ted, the eye6 closed and his head
opped on his shoulder. Dr. Hocker
Evanston aud Dr. Lee of Randolph,
Id that while the criminal felt no pain
latever, it was four minutes ere the
il spark was extinguished and the
1 of Coughlin took its flight.
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
^.Coughlin's descent was rapid. It is
fÿfià of him that his first criminal act
f|É0ks the theft of a few strawberries.
Sjlfext he stole some chickens, then a
_ # < 5f^ rse , after which he crowned his crim
HfeM career by the murder of two men,
who were assisting a posse to accom
|Msh his arrest.
?y'he theft of the horse was the joint
Mt of Coughlin and his partner in crime,
a? JRfed George, who is now serving a IHe
MNitence in the penitentiary for partici-
- In Coughlin's villainies.
-»SW jrhe horse was stolen in Murray July
14. 1895, and learning that the thieves
|gjg§kh»d gone In the direction of Patk City,
*** authorities here notified Sheriff Har
^pl^ffagton of Summit county to look out
them. Sheriff Harrington did so,
~*^|u|d it came near costing him his life, as
jHbullet from Coughlin's Winchester
$||uffied through the horn of his saddle
'■Wnlle he was endeavoring to arrest
* :
M

Y
^^Thls incident impressed the sheriff
pjth the belief that the arrest of the
■■irdless bandits would only be encom
pMsed by the exercise of great caution,
Ati his subsequent acts were jgo\ erned
iccordingly.
£3jfct this time Coughlin and George
3jSr|re on their way to Wyoming and, or
fgjufnlzlng a 6trong posse, Sheriff Har
Npgton took up the trail where he had
Mat it, and started in pursuit.
JljMrhe trail led to a deserted cabin in
Rich county, only a few miles distant
from the Wyoming line, where Cough
lin and George had dropped in to secure
a little much-needed rest.
. Apltched, battle followed, in which
was riddled with bullets and
e St«« at^cho and ex-City
S
kUÏéi^.. ■;
In a few hou&4&q qïSjp
had been flashed over tKF territory .ÜB
preparations were Immediately made fr
what proved to be one of the most
citing man-hunts In the history of
killing of Stagg and Dawes
nation the arrest which took place five
later might have been brought
about in much less time; hut as It was
Officers were at sea. From all parts
the territory reports were being re
ceived in this city and Ogden with ref
ence to the movements of the murder
According to these reports Cough
ers.
and George were traveling hundreds
miles per day and were being seen In
Innumerable places by countless people.
The first actual encounter between
the officers and the murderers after the
killing of Stagg and Dawes was at the
head of City Creek canyon, when
Coughlin and George were encountered
Officers Pratt and Shannon and a
posse of pursuers from this city, on the
morning of August ist. Officer Pratt
attemp'ed to fire at the bandits, but the
trigger of his gun caught, and the next
moment a bullet from Coughlin's rifle
whizzed uncomfortably close to his head.
fusillade followed, but In the end the
murderers escaped without Injury to any
one
This encounter intensified the prevail
ing excitement and during the four days
that intervened before the murderers
were finally captured, people were al
most afraid to risk themselves outside
of their doors at night for fear that they
might catch a stray bullet
In October,
George
murder of the two men. George, realiz
ing that he was in a very close place,
pleaded guilty to the charge of murder
in the fir«t degree and threw himself
upon the mercy of the court. The
that he was sentenced to life
895, Coughlin and
rere tried at Ogden for the
result
imprisonment In the State prison. But
Coughlin looked at the matter in a dif
ferent light, pleaded self-defence and
fought the case. The evidence was so
overwhelmingly against him, however,
that the jury promptly returned a
verdict of murder in the first degree
without a recommendation for mercy,
and Coughlin was sente.iced to be shot.
It was on the morning of August 5th
that Coughlin and George were finally
captured. They were surprised at their
camp at Willow Creek canyon, Tooele
county, by Sheriff MacKeller of that
county and a large posse of determined
citizens, who had been upon their trail
since the proceding night.
The murderers were parctlcally ex
hausted through forced marches'and
loss of sleep, and when they awoke to
the fact that thev had been sourrounded
they informed the officers not to shoot,
and gave themselves up.
From Tooele county they were brought
to Salt Lake where on August 7th they
werearraigned before Commlsioner Mor
ris Sommer on a charge of horse-6teallng \
Later Sheriff Hardy swore to'a com
plaint charging them with the murder of
Dawes and Stagg. The next 6tep was
the removal of the murderers to Ogden,
the killing having occurred in that dis
trict.
To Uo To Cuba.
Boise, Ida., Dec. 13 —A company is
being organizaed here to go to Cuba to
fight for autonomy of the island. In
this connection it is learned that soldiers
at the post whoso terms are about to ex
pire have received offers from the junta
in New York, non-commissioned offi
cers with good records being promised
commissions in the insurgent army. It
is evident the junta has secured a list of
ail enlisted men in the United States
vhose terms are about to ex
army
pire, and is endeavoring to enÜ6t them
under the banner of Cuban lndepend
ençe.
«real Slnsrlan bead.
St. Louis, Dec. 13.—Martin Kaiser, a
singer and musical director known the
world over, died in this city today, aged
83 years. Deceased w
many. He was engaged with musical
matters up to within a month of his
death,
oorn in Ger
The Case of Ivory.
London, Dec., 13.—The amnesty asso
ciation has taken up the defense of Ed
ward Ivory, alias Bell. Messrs. Day,
Russell and Broughman have been In
structed
quest, upon the ground of their recent
introduction to the case, the treasury
has consented to postpone the case,
until the January sessions at the Old
Bailey. It will probably be called Jan
uary i ith.
sölicitors, and at their re
I*anie In a C'liareh .
Pittsburg, Dec. 13.—A panic occurred
in St. Agnes' Roman Catholic church,
thi6 city, this morning, caused by the
bursting of a steam pipe, but fortunately
no on was injured. A large crowd was
in attendance at the mass. Several
women fainted during the excitement.
Temperance People.
York, Dec. 13.—At a meeting of
the American Temperance union, which
held in Chickering hall, and at
which Rev. Dr. C. H. Head, president
of the union, presided, Rev. Dr. I J.
Funk, editor of the Voice, denounced
the Raines law, Senator Raines, city
officials and police officers of this citv
and Brooklyn, and charged officers ap
pointed under the Raines law with
neglect of duty. He demanded the dis
missal of the officers, especially of
Commissioner of Police Wells, of Brook
lyn, who, he said, should be sent to the
penitentiary for trading off ia^
votes. Dr. Funk said in part:
"It is a gross trifling with the public.
It is a roaring farce for Senator Raines
and his committee to come here and ask
whether the Raines law has been vio
lated on all sides ever since it has been
put in force, with the knowledge of Sen
Ato r Raines, with the knowledge of
■glfr'newspaper man in the state, with
jPprguilty knowledge of the police, of
^Ke superintendent of buildings of New
York and Brooklyn, and with the guilty
knowledge of the distilct attorneys; and,
most inexcusable of all, of the officers
appointed under the law to tee to its
Ne
for
CUBAN LEAGUE ORGANIZED
Chauncey M. Depew One of
the Vice-Presidents.
Object of the l.eagne la lo Meeure
For Cuba the Polltteul Independ
ence For Which »he In Mow atruir
gllnc, am. to arsase the Kntlre
American Motion to Itrnssd nn Rod
to the Campaign of Harder and
Deatrnrltoa In the Inland.
New York, Dec. 14.,— The Cuban
League of the United States was for
merly organized In this city this even
ing- .
The men behind this movement are
well known and carrÿ so much
weight that It Is beyond a doubt that this
the beginning of a movement that
will take no small part In the history of
both coontrle«. The meeting organized
with Colonel Ethan Allen as president,
and the following as vice presidents:
Charles A. Dana, ex-Governor Roswell
P. Flower, ex-Postmaster General T.
M. James, Chauncey M. Depew J R. De
Passos, Theodore Roosvelt, ex-Mayor
Thomas F. Gilroy, George Hoadley, J.
Edward Simmons and C. H. Dennison.
Francis Wayland Glen was elected
secretary, Darwin R. James treasurer,
and the executive committee was made
up as follows: John Jacob Astor, Paul
Dana, General Daniel Butterfield, Col.
Fred D. Grant, Walter Lafan, Edwin
VVardman, John C. McGuire, R. C. Al-
exander, Constant A. Andrews, Frank
B. Carpenter, John D. Kelly, and Thos.
E. Stewart.
-In opening the meeting, Colonel Allen
read the call:
"We the undersigned citizens of this
republic, anxious for the success of al
people In obtaining the clvil'and political
liberty which the nation secured more
than a century ago, and still enjoys unite
In organizing the Cuban League ol the
United States of America.
"The object ot this league is to seccre
for Cuba by all lawful, peaceful and
honorable means, the political inde
pendence which her patriots are now
endeavoring, by tremendous sacrifice of
treasure and life, to gain; to encourage
them with our sympathy and moral sup
port and to arouse the whole nation to
demand an end of the campaign of mur
der and destruction In that island.
"Mindful of the help which
our
lathers received in a similar struggle,
we are constrained by a sense of grati
tude to return to Cuba the kindness
whieh was so affectively given lo us.
"It is apparent to all thoughtful ob
servers that Spain has not the power to
crush the Cuban patriots, and, therefore,
the continuance ot the cruel struggle in
Cuba can only serve to prolong a sense
of abasement and humiliation in the
minds of all men, who are confident that
this republic ha6 the power to end it,
and is in honor called upon to do so for
the highest good of all parties directy
concerned."
Colonel Allen predicted that the
movement thus started would become
historic.
A monster mass meeting will be held
in Cooper's union next Monday night,
when Senator Morgan of the foreign
relations committee, and Congressman
Hitt, of the same committee in^the
hoûse: Congressman Reed of Maine
and Senator Cullom of Illinois will
speak.
Counterfeit Coin«.
St. Louis, Dec.
counterfeiter is flooding the circulating
medium of St. Louis with an exceeding
ly well executed counterlelt of United
Sta'es $5 gold coins.
The dies aie almost perfect, and the
only rough work about the counter
feit coid is in ..he milling, the edges
being irregular and thicker than on the
the genuine pieces; the metal, however,
is soft, wears easily and the color
clearly indicates plating. With all these
defects, however, the counterfeit is a
dangerous one and calculated to deceive
the unwary.
3.—Some clever
The lrlah Protest.
Cork, Dec. 13.—A meeting was held
here today to proteit against the exces
sive taxation imposed on Ireland by the
British government, as compared with
the taxation in England, Scotland and
Wales. Lord Castletown of Upper Os
sory, made a speech in
nounced the obstinacy of the British
treasury in refusing to right the griev
ance of the Irish in respect to the mat
ter of taxation. He added that he hoped
history might not repeat itself, and that
the people of Cork would'follow the ex
ample set by Boston in 1773, when in
dignant residents of that place threw a
quantity of tea into the harbor as a pro
test of the tax of three pence per pound
imposed on that article by the British
parliament.
This utterance called forth cheers
from the audience.
hich he de
Teller sort TnrilT.
Washington, Dec. 13.—Senator Telle
reached Washington yesterday. For
hour he was closeted with Chairman
Jones of the national Democratic
mlttee and Senotor Duboiss of Idaho
After the conference Mr. Teller in
sisted that they had met in a social
only, it being the first they had seen each
other since the election. Senator Teller
stated that If he had been here he should
have declined to go Into the Republican
caucus this week, at did his sliver col
league who left the StXouis convention.
What policy he should pursue fn the fu
ture he declined to say.
an
com
way
'MOSES THATCHER'S REPLY
to
no
or
to
is
ill
Stands Now Where He Has
Always Stood.
Thatcher Repllea to Prealdent »bow's
Communication. Meeting All lia
Chargea Point by Polnt-A Mtrong
Doenment.
Logam, -Utah, December 12, 1896.
Elder Lorenzo Snow, President of the
Twelve Apostles:
Dear Brother —Your recent letter
written for publcatlon in the Deseret
News at the request of five young men
Salt Lake City demands an answer
from me In the intrest of fairness, friends
family and the Saints throughout the
world
painful, Indeed, that personal consider
ations would be a motive insufficient to
induce me, even on a matter so vi'ally
important to me and mine, to take up
my pen in self-defense.
I have read and re-read your open let
ter and have purposely delayed replying
to It hoping and praying that a sense of
right and justice may dictate what I
write lo one holding the high and re
sponsible position you occupy in the
church and for whom I entertain senti
ment of profound respect, no matter
what you may think or say about me.
confess astonishment, not only at the
letter, but at the spirit of your commu
nication; for as I have always under
stood your disposition, your ideas of
justice and your love of
communication does not appear to your
advantage. Lorenzo Snow, as I have
known him during all these years of his
presidency over the quorum of apostles
no where, to my mind, appears fn that
bitter and acrimonious communication.
Our political différences in Utah have
unfortunitely and,, as I believe, unneces
sarily resulted in criminations and re
criminations and the resurrection of
misunderstandings long since explained
or settled. Before their introduction I
The duty is a paiuful one; so
ercy, that
never saw you turn a deaf ear to plead
ings for specifications on the part of an
accused brother.
Nor is it like you to
ignore my earnest, often repeated re
quests for charges against me, which
you furnished by the column, with evi
dent alacrity, for a public print in order
to gratify the apparent curiosity of five
yung men of Salt Lake City. If, as you
say, I was not entitled to a public hear
ing, as my case
not a public matter,
why did vou make public charges
against me in a newspaper when you re
fused to give me even an intimation of
them in private?
It is difficult for me to understand
why youjhave publicly accused me when
privately you would not; why you pre
sented specific charges against me after
my déposai instead of before; why you
so readily granted the request of thç
five young m**n when you preslstently
refused mine; why you gratified their
curiosity and that of the public con
cerning an affair in which you declared
I wa6 "the principal party interested."
This treatment, this discrimation, is diffi
cult for me to comprehend.
Nor can I conceive the object of those
young brethren in asking a further ex
planation of the conduct of your quorum
towards me, the entire correspondence
on the subject being In their possession.
The Deseret News had already declared
officially that the action of deposing me
had been "inspired, dictated authorized
and approved of God." Holfllng »he
News' 6tataments in view, it may seem
strange to many of the saints that the
young men should ask further reasons
for my disposal, and stranger still that
you should deem it necessary to furnish
them.
Besides, the published corres
pondence was complete. It told its own
ßtory of the patience and forbearance
whicli had been shown me.
The appearance of those letters in sec
ulaar newspapers (and I infer from your
remarks tnat the Deseret News is not
secular) was probably brought about by
the direct personal altacks of *he News,
which has not appeared to oe friendly
to me under the present management.
And why should I have gone to the
News when its columns were daily filled
with misrepresentations of my conduct
and position? When it was falsely de
clared that I had been pledged political
support for months?
forcing me upon a platform I never
constructed and attributing to me words
I had had never uttered? But have you
not 6een even official declaration from
those occupying higher positions than
I ever held, appear first in a secular pa
per and afterwards in the organ of the
When it was
ch
h?
Why should you feel called
tpon "to
meet some of the statements" contained
ii
that public correspondence? Were
you not satisfied wi'h the judgment of
the people as to the merits of t'.»e contro
versy ? Y our side w-as placed before them
just as fully as it had been placed be.
fore me. If you believed a further ex
planation was due, why did you not gh
it to me when I requested it time and
again?
Pardon me for quoting the following
harsh expression from your letter: "The
evident purpose m t«uollshing these com
munications was to excite public sym
pathy ; and the unnecessary and super
fluous appeals they contain convey the
impression that they were con
cocted for that purpose." Juding from
the way these appeals were treated, they
were indeed "superfluous and unneces
Had I known that they would
sary.
have been so regarded I never would
have made them. I will confess they
were appeals, ..ot to the public but to
my brethren. They were, cries oi an
guish from a heart racked with pain.
They were pleas for mercy—prayers for
light—for information at to my offeud
But why should you imagine that
d to excite pub
-
1 ;
tress, In jeopardy, is not "concocted. 1 *
Rather does It not require the delibera
tions of a trained, skilled and diplomatic
mind to close the ears and hearts of men
against such appeals?
You say: "During that Interval (April
to October) he was visited by many of
his brethren, some of them apostles, and
no change was effected, but he failed
even to attend the October conference
or to manifest a disposition to conform
to the principles of the declaration. It
is true that he was in poor bodily health
during that period. But he was not too
ill to upbraid brethren who tried to im
press him with the danger of his posi
tion, nor to accuse some of them of
having "blanketsd
signing the declaration.'*
Did you, President Snow, ever hear
me say anything of the kind? Which of
the brethren did I upbraid or accuse of
"blanketing** his conscience? you do
not seem aware of the fact that, of all
the apostles and members of the first
presidency, only one, Apostle F. D.
Richards, ever talked with me about the
manifesto ßlnce the day it was presnted
to me for my signature. True, Brothers
Richards and Young called one day just
as I was leaving my residence in Salt
Lake City for the depot, with guests and
we talked a few moments while the car
riage was waiting at the door. At an
other time, I aaid to Brother John Hen
ry Smith. "How could you, knowing as
you do of my work in the church for a
quarter of a century, vote for my sus
pension 6imply because I could not see
my way clear to sign the manifesto?
How could you adjudge me guilty con
demn me and execute your judgment
all within* a few hours and without a
hearing?" He replied: "I will not talk
with you about that, for you are too ill,
and conversation on that subject
will make you nervous." I then said:
"Which, Brother John, do you think
would make me most nervous and ill,
to have the bretheren humiliate and de
grade me by dropping me out of my
place, or talking about it after the deed is
done?** Said he: "I am with my breth
ren."
During all these weary months,
while friends and physicians believed I
was on the verge of the grave, I was
administered to only once by members
of our qnorum, althogh day after day
engagements made for that purpose
were, for reasons unknown tome, not
kept. And after the manifesto was re
turned to you unsigned, none of the
apostles, excepting the three mentioned,
ever came to my house or i isited me for
any purpose whatever. I do not men
tion this by way of complaint, but be
cause, from the general tone and certain
statements in your letter, you do not
9eem to be fully acquainted with these
facts. •
A few men holding a lesser authority
in the church called and argued with
me, and sometimes may have heard the
peevish plaints of a sick man, which, it
6Äm8, were carefully delivered and pre
served, and with which you are now
willing to reproach me. It appears that
every groan that I uttered in my pain
and weakness was borne away and used
to poison the minds of those living in
the light against a weak and helpless
brother.
In this connection I would like to
r iate that even before the presentation
of that manifesto for my signature not
one of the brethren had tatcen
labor with me concerning any of the
matters it was made to embody.
You contend that I should have signed
It simply and solely because other offi
cers of the church had signed It, with
out hesitation and "without requiring
time to deliberate." I cannot see how
that statement adds to the credit of
the document. Such matters demand
their conscience in
day my name was dropped from the list
of church officials, ! understood it then
as I understand it now. But when I
heard its claims had been discussed for
weeks by the other members of the
quorom of apostles, thst a systematic*'posted
presentation of its grounds had been
devoted to Brother Roberts I was led
up
deliberation, and because I always so
contend I am called "contumacious and
obstinate.'
It may he that Elder B. H.
Roberts signed it without consideration,
but I have been authoritatively informed
that, strong and healthy as he was in
mind and body, several members of the
to which I belonged labored
quoru
with him dav after day for weeks before
he consented to accept the principles of
absolutism it contains. How many of
the brethren deemed it necessary to
waste their time oq me, though I was
sick and near the portais of death? Not
Yet they expected me to sign
it when it was presented, although you
say I was considered "contumacious and
obstinate^' If that ^vas my disposition
why was I not lahoredfwith for weeks?
Or why w* I expected to answer it
without such attention? Did you really
believe nie "contumacious and obsti
nate?"
I do not desire tobe understood as
complaining of the short time given me
for the consideration Df the manifesto
—the hour and a half at noon on the
to wonder if the brief tl.ne allotted
was the result of design or accident.
You say that "out of mercy and com
passion" the reasons for degrading me
were not given at the April conference.
I fall to see wherein I was benefited by
a compassion which gave rise to so
many rumors, ffiysterious hints, dark in
sinuations, slanders and attacks, unjust
allusions and unfair comparisons which
have been studiously created and dis
seminated since that 'line. Nor, can I
appreciate the manner in which my case
was left, "fn statu quo," by the remarks
of the brethren at«the October confer
ence. I had received assurances and
reassurances that nothing would be
done or said affecting my case until I
should report myself ready for trial,
You «ay: "The assurance to wh|ph he
réfers were faithfully ftillilled. He
left in statu quo." The average man
might be hard to convince that his In
would not be affected by creating
was
ten
judlclng the people against him. When
tribunal pronounces a man .guilty and
announces to the world Its judgement,
has he been left In statu quo?
You complain because I did not for a
time attend my quorum meetings as
regularly as others had done. The time
to which you call attention covers the
period of a lingering illness from which
have now almost entirely recovered.
But I do not offer mv sickness as an ex
cuse for my absence, as you had ex
cused me from all official duties during
a great poition of that time, advising me
to travel, to seek enjoyment and health.
The charge that I have "treated the
council with contempt" needs noanswer
hut a reference to the letters which
passed between us. I endeavored per
sistently, patfen+fyyimdyÄS l thought, re
spectfully, to ascertain what mv breth
ren held agaldst me—what differences
there were between us—in ofder that
we might arrive at an understanding
ard finally what their requirements
were. When I went to the meeting
place of the quorum of apostles after
being assured by* the brethren that I
would be welcomed and no objection
would bë made, I found the door closed
in my face. From that time until my
déposai I plead for a statement of the
grievances against me, but dared not in
trude on my quorum again without an
Invitation, a6 I had no desire to give of
fense. I was never aware that I had no
right to speak in public meetings until
publicly reprimanded for so doing; I
did not think I was barred from the
temple until its door was closed in my
face. And now you sav that I "pre
sume to attempt an entrance to the
temple." What could I have done?
Every move I made was criticised and
condemned and 6eemed to invite new
forms of censure and humiliation.
I have no desire to quibble, but here is
a passage in your open letter to which I
desire to call your attention: "It was
but a few days after the October confer
ence, even if it had entirely closed, be
fore he appeared and fpokè at public
meetings as though he still held the
authority in which he had not been sus
tained at conference. This necessitated
the announcement from the first presi
dency through the Deseret News that
he had no right to officiate in the priest
hood whHe in his suspended condition.
Notwithstanding that announcement,
when he chose to present himself to the
authorities he presumed to attempt en
trance to the temple for that purpose,
and at a time when the first presidency,
as well as the twelve, met for the con
sideration of other church matters and
for holding their prayef circle.*'
I presented myself at the door of the
Salt Lake temple at u o'clock a. m.,
Thursday, October 15, 1896. The meet
ing which promulgated the announcs
ment you refer to was then in session.
It was not published In the Deseret
News until evening and was not re
ceived by me for at least five hours after
my return home from the temple. You
will not deny that these are facts and
yet you blame me for "attempting en
trance to the temple" in disregard of an
announcement which had not been for
mulated. At no other time did I "at
tempt entrance to the temple" to be re
fused admittance.
This point is in direct line with your
former statement in our original corre
spondence \o the effect that, because I
had seemingly disobeyed your letter of
the 23d of October, I was refused ad
mittance to the temple on the 15th, or
eight days before. When I could-not
derstand that, you explained it by
saying I was in the dark. No doubt the
same explanation will answer in regard
to the paragraph above quoted.
I did not mention my last contribution
to the temple In the way of a boast, but
the fact remains that the temple
nevertheless, constructed with funds
contributed by the Saints. But when
President Joseph F. Smith declared
that I .only gained admission to its dedi
cation "by the <klnof my teeth," a state
ment'your open letter seemed to cor
roborate, I could not recall any hesi
tancy on the pait of any one about ask
ing or receiving my donation during the
period of its construction.
Another paragraph in jour letter is
truly remarkable and especially wherein
the public is Informed that silence in my
Interest had been maintained by Presi
dent Cannon, "now absent," as you say,
"from the statt." How far that busi
ness transaction between two members
of the church has had a bearing
affairs as recently made public from the
public and press, I cannot say; but fu
ture developments may show its rela
tion to past and present conditions. Its
frequent iteration in garbled form, as In
this instance, and as it has been told in
public and private, on highways and by
wavs, shows that it is no secret. And
so far as I am concerned there is notV
ing in It that I would have anybody
trouble himself to keep as a secret. I
will endeavor to convice you, President
Snow, that you have not been well
on this matter. For that, how
ever, I attach no blame to you, for the
story of Bullion Beck is a long one. I
shall not hesitate to face, willingly, n»y
part in the affair. Here is an extract
i
"When President George Q. Cannon
after the decrease of President Taylor,
was in prison for infraction of the anti
polygamy laws, Moses c'aimed that
Brother Cannon had defrauded him. and
. a * r. .
he threatened in the j.resence of Presl
dent Woodruff-and others of the twelve
to sue him at law and thus bring many
private affairs before the public through
the courts. Only on being emphat- 1
ically warned by President Woodruff and j
othera that such a course, particularly in
Brother» Cannon's condition, would re
»ult disastrously to him In his church
„ _... . .... ,, ,, I
p , , President (
t anuon s release from confinement
the matter was fully investigated and it,
was demonstrated that instead of Bro-.'
!
my
from your letter:
ther Cannon's owing him h<f was In
Brother Cannon's debt tt>
Ahich he subsequently paid.
an amount
For his
I
j
I "If in your view, there is anything in
j these remarks erroneous, contrary to re
corded revelation and history, or con
trary to the spirit of inspiration and rev
elation In you, or, if their utterance by
I nie was premature or Imprudent, do me
j the kindness at your earliest con
venience to point the same out,
i and suggest the means best c.alcu
lated in your judgment to correct the
Rame . should the enclosed notice
(which, if you *hinkbest, can be sent t
tbe News for publication) be const
e , red '"«"«'clent to stop the multiplica
t,on ant * circulation among the Saints of
erroneouR reporU o! ren , arks
heretofore mentioned."
1
1
j Any printed or written document cir
culated, or that may becirculated among
ti>* Saint» of God a»« report of any ser
mon ' or part of 8ermon . sermons or
I parts of sermons, or of any private or
( public remarks said to have been made
by me, are unauthorised unless person
it, aily revised bv me, or written over my
signature. And the making and circu
! latlng of any such unorthorize*report is
without my sanction and without my
Moses Thatcher.
referred to In President Caunon's ah
sence from the state.
He has al
ways
preserved silence on this matter and did
not wish it mentioned against Brother
Thatrher. But it is important in show
ing Moses Thatcher's spirit and bearl
towardh is brethren."
"g
The closing sentence
doubt satisfies
the public as to the reason for bringing
the matter up. I am not
mentioned It, as It gives me
tunlty to correct the rumor which has
sorry you
an op%,r
been well circulated among the people,
tn answer to a letter written by Presi
dent Woodruff on the 5th of December,
1888, on this very topic, I wrote Decem
ber 7th, or two days later, making the
following statement of my position:
"In conclusion you will permit me to
say that I have no disposition, and never
have had, to take advantage of anv of
my brethren In the position in which
Brother Cannon was placed, for T regrek
his imprisonment, I believe, quite as
sincerely as any of my breth'ren. Upon
that point I hardly think that Brother
Cannon himself entertains any doubt."
For the present, at least, there Is no need
to go into further details regarding Bul
lion-Beck matters, except to correct
our assertion that "instead of Brother
Cannon owing him, he was in Brother
Cannon's debt." I can think of no ex
planation so brief and authentic as a
copy of the receipt I gave him ip set
tlement of our financial differences. It .
reads: - , '
Know all men by these presents. That
I do hereby acknowledge the reclpt from
President George Q. Cannon ot
order signed by him and dated Aug. 5,
i889, on Secretary George Reynolds,
for the transfer to my self of twenty
three hundred and sixty-eight, 16.63rd
(2,368,16.63) shares of the pooled Btock
of the Bullion Beck and the Champion
Mining company, and that I have t-eclved
all the dividends delared and paid by said
company on the said 2,368 i668rd shares
as shown by the books of the company,
less one fourth or 25 per cent, on ail div
idends declared and paid, by said
company since Sept. 1. 1888; the said 23
per cent having been paid, as I am in
formed,to the Bullion-Beck and Califor
nia Mining company.
This receipt is Intended and shall op
erate as in full of all demands and
claims by myself, heirs and assigns
against President Georga Q. Cannon
account of said 2,368 16-63 shares of
stock, when the same shall have b-en
transferred, on surrender to the seére
taro of the company of the proper stock tf
certificate upon which said tranafer
be made; and it is in full for the divi
an
1
on
may
dends thereon, as specified therein.
Moses Thatcher.
Salt Lake City. Utah, Sept. 24, 1869.
These shares, for which I had paid,
represented a value lo me at that time
exceeding $25,0000—an amount I did
not feel able and willing to lose. My
anxiefy about It was natural, if not par
donable. And now let
call your
attention to another astonishing asser
tion in your open letter of Information
to the young men. You say :
"In 1886 he proclaimed in public dis.
courses ideas and predictions not en
dorsed by his brethren. At Lewiston,
Cache connty, notes were taken of hi-,
utterances and published on a flyleaf
He was subsequently written to by Pres.
Ident Taylor, and his answer is on file.
While he claimed he had not been ac
curately reported, he gave his own lan
guage, under his own hand, to the effect
of predictions of events to occur within*
five years, which have failed of fulfill
ment and which are founded
on erro
neous interpretations of Scriptures. He
wrote for publication
tlon, which really took nothing hack,
but merely charged partial errors in the
report of his extravagant remarks."
sort of retrac
Not one word uttered by
ton on the occasion referred to partook
of the nature of a prophecy as coming
from
at Lewi
; nor did I predict anything
whatever. I stated mv belief upon
numerous topics, but predicted nothing.
I quoted somewhat extensively from the
books of revelation held by us as ortho
dox, and also from the history of the
Prophet Joseph Smith. I was not and
could not be held responsible for long
hand reports of what I said, nor for type
written or printed slips said to have
been multiplied and circulated among
the people. Besides it is well understood
by the Saints that the sermons, even of
apostles, are not regarded as doctrine
Nevertheless, I have constantly endeav
ored to avoid teaching anything errone
ous or out of harmony with the revala
tions of the Lord.
While in Mexico, in 1886, I was
ten to bv President Taylor and Cannon
vrirt.
regarding this matter, and in reply T
stated, in substance,
Lewiston. Of com
hat I had said In
I could not re
vords I had used, but
s follows :
member the exact
I closed my letter
L
Jr
as
The "notice" was apparently Ratisfac'
tory, as it
eref Weçkly News of December r, i88^,
as follows:
•w published in the De*
consent.
In the same Issue the News comment-

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