one
through an investigation both as to his conduct and property. The
prisoners at Far West were to be retained and not allowed to
return home until the committee had reported and given the
certificate that all charges had been met and satisfied. I
remained a prisoner for nine days, awaiting the action of the
committee.

While such prisoner I witnessed many scenes of inhumanity even
more degrading than mere brutality itself. The mob of the militia
was mostly composed of men who had been neighbors of the Mormons.
This mob rifled the city, took what they wished, and committed
many cruel and shameful deeds. These barbarous acts were done
because they said the Mormons had stolen their goods and
chattels, and while they pretended to search for stolen property
they ravished women and committed other crimes at will.

One day, while we were standing by a log fire trying to keep
warm, a man came up and, recognizing Brother Riley Stewart, said:

"I saw you knock Dick Weldon down at Gallatin."

With this he sprang and caught at an ax that had been stuck in a
log. While trying to get the ax out, as it stuck fast in the log,
Stewart ran. The man succeeded in getting the ax loose; he then
threw it with all his force at Stewart. Fortunately the ax struck
him only a glancing blow on the head, not killing him, but giving
him a severe wound.

The night after he was wounded Stewart broke through the guard
and escaped to his wife's people in Carroll County, fifty miles
south of Far West. As soon as the citizens heard that Stewart had
arrived they notified his wife's brothers and father that an
armed mob intended to take him out and whip him severely, and
then tar and feather him. His friends warned him of the fact, and
he attempted to make his escape, but the mob was on the watch.
They caught him, and, holding two pistols at his head, forced him
to take off his coat, kneel down, and receive fifty lashes. These
were given him with such force that they cut through his linen
shirt. After this whipping he returned to Far West and took his
chances with the rest of us.

One day a soldier of the mob walked up to a house near where I
was standing. The house was occupied by an old widow woman. The
soldier noticed a cow in the little shed near the house. He said
that he thought it was a Danite cow; that he wanted to have the
honor of killing a Danite, or something that belonged to a
Danite. The old widow came to the door of her cabin and b