were to get his
letter at San Bernardino, and if he recovered the stock the
emigrants could send back a party to receive it and drive it to
California.

Under the circumstances the company adopted his plan, and he left
them on the desert, with all their stock gone; but the danger was
over, for the stock was what Hamblin and Johnson had been working
for.

Johnson returned and ordered the Indians to drive the stock to
the Clara. The Indians acted like good Mormons, and obeyed
orders. Hamblin gave them a few head of cattle for their services
in aiding him to capture the drove. The remainder of the cattle
and horses Hamblin took charge of for the benefit of the Mission.
As the cattle became fat enough for beef, they were sold or
butchered for the use of the settlers. Some were traded to nearby
settlements for sheep and other articles.

In the winter of 1857-8 John Weston, a Danite, took an Irishman
who had been stopping with him as his guest on a hunt, and when
he got him to the brush and timber four miles west of Cedar City
he cut his throat and left the body unburied. He had received
orders to kill the man, because Brother Haight considered him a
spy.

Near the same time Philip Klingensmith, a Danite, laid in ambush
to kill Robert Keyes (now a resident of Beaver City, Utah
Territory), while Keyes was irrigating his field. Klingensmith
decided to kill Keyes because Keyes refused to give testimony
when requested to do so by Klingensmith, who was then a bishop of
the Church. When Keyes came within a few feet of his hiding place
Klingensmith raised his gun and took aim at Keyes' heart; but the
cap burst without exploding the powder, and Keyes escaped.

After the Mountain Meadows massacre Haight reported that I was
the big captain who had planned, led, and executed it; that the
honor of such a deed for avenging of the blood of the Prophets
would lead to honor, immortality, and eternal life in the Kingdom
of God. In this way it became a settled fact that I was the
leader in that affair. Year by year the story has gained ground
and strength, until I am now held responsible, and am to die, to
save the Church.

As I have stated in other places in my writings, the people in
Utah who professed the Mormon religion were at and for some time
before the Mountain Meadows massacre full of wildfire and zeal,
anxious to do something to build up the Kingdom of God on earth
and waste the enemies of the Mormon religion. At that time