July 30, 1875 deposition of Brigham Young

Territory of Utah Beaver County S. S.

In the Second Judicial District Court of the Territory of Utah Beaver County

Indictment for Murder Sep 16 1857.

The People &c vs. John D. Lee, Wm. H. Dame Isaac C. Haight, et al

Questions to be propounded to Brigham Young, on his examination as a Witness for the Defence in the case of John D. Lee and others, on trial at Beaver City this 30th of July 1875.

1st State your age, the present condition of your health, and whether in its condition you could travel to attend in person at Beaver the Court now sitting there, if not, state why not?

2nd What Offices either Ecclesiastical, Civil or Military did you hold in the year 1857?

3rd

State the condition of affairs between the Territory of Utah and the Federal Government in the summer and fall of 1857?

4th

Were there any United States Judges here during the summer and fall of 1857?

5th

State what you know, about trains of emigrants passing through the Territory to the West, and particularly about a company from Arkansas en route for California passing through this City in the summer or fall of 1857.

6th

Was this Arkansas company of emigrants ordered away from Salt Lake City by yourself, or any one in authority under you?

7th

Was any counsel or instructions given by any person to the citizens of Utah not to sell grain to or trade with the emigrant trains passing through Utah

at that time, if so, what were those instructions, and counsel?

8th

When did you first hear of the attack and destruction of this Arkansas company at Mountain Meadows in September 1857?

9th

Did John D. Lee report to you at any time after this massacre what had been done at that massacre; and if so, what did you reply to him in reference therto?

10th

Did Philip Klingen Smith call at your office, with John D. Lee at the time of Lee making his report, and did you at that time order Smith to turn over the stock to Lee and order them not to talk about the massacre?

11th

Did you ever give any direction concerning the property taken from the emigrants at the Mountain Meadow Massacre or know anything as to its disposition?

12th

Why did you not as Governor institute proceedings forthwith to investigate that massacre, and bring the guilty authors thereof to justice?

13th

Did you about the 10th of September 1857 receive a comunication from Isaac C. Haight or any other person of Cedar City, concerning a company of emigrants called the Arkansas company?

14th

Have you that communication?

15th

Did you answer this communication?

16th

Will you state the substance of your letter to him?

The answers of Brigham Young to the Interrogatories hereto appended were reduced to writing and were given after the said Brigham Young had been duly sworn to testify the truth in the above entitled cause and are as follows:-

1st

To the First Interrogatory, He saith:-

I am in my seventy fifth year. It would be a great risk both to my health and life, for me to travel to Beaver at this present time. I am and have been for some time an invalid.

2nd

He saith:-

I was the Governor of this Territory and ex-officio Superintendent of Indian affairs, and the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the year 1857.

3rd

He saith:-

In May or June 1857 the United States mails for Utah were stopped by the Government,- all communication by mail was cut off. An Army of the United States was en-route for Utah- with