When the committee had examined into affairs and made
the assignment of property that the Mormons were to
retain, a pass would be given by the committee to each
person as an evidence that he had gone through an
investigation both as to his conduct and property. The
prisoners at Far West were to be retained and not
allowed \o 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 in-
humanity 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



THE MORMON WAR 89

force at Stewart. Fortunately the ax struck him only
a glancing blow on the head, not killing him, but giving
him a severe wound.
