Transcript

Transcript for "A Woman Rescued from the Mormons," Hornellsville Tribune, 16 June 1859

A company of returning Pike’s Peakers passed through here last Sunday, having under their protection a young lady whom they had taken from a Mormon train, a few miles west of Newton, a short time previous. It appears that, on last Sunday morning, as the Pike’s Peak boys were crossing the Skunk Bottom, they passed a train of Mormons who were busily engaged—men, women and children, in endeavoring to extricate a number of wagons that were struck fast in the mud. While stopping for a moment to witness the exertions of the Saints, they accidentally overheard a young girl of about 19 exclaim, “I wish I was drowned in that slough!” Their interest was at once awakened, and they interrogated her as to why she made such a foolish wish. She replied that she was tired of life; that she had started from Iowa City for Salt Lake with her father, who is a Mormon Elder; that she had been compelled to walk all the way thus far, and that when she expressed a wish to leave the train and return to the city, they invariably stopped her mouth. She was informed by the Peakers that if she desired to return to Iowa City she should go back with them, to which she replied that she desired very much to return. The Mormons, numbering some fifty men, gathered around, armed with guns, knives, pistols, &c., &c, and declared that she should not go back.

The Peak boys, nothing daunted, armed themselves with guns and revolvers, and announced their determination to take the girl at all hazards, and proceeded to carry out their intentions. For a time a fight seemed inevitable, but finally Mormon courage gave way, and the boys succeeded in placing the girl safely under their own protection. She then informed them that the Saints had a trunk and other baggage belonging to her, which they at once proceeded to obtain. The followers of Brigham boldly announced their intention to fight before they would permit the things to be taken from their wagons.

A show of guns and revolvers, however, cooled their ardor, and Mormon courage oozed out at their fingers’ ends, while the boys proceeded to transfer the baggage to their own wagons—the Saints looking on, and uttering terrible imprecations against the perpetrators of the horrid outrage, as they termed it. After obtaining all they sought; the rescuers drove away with the young lady in their possession, leaving the Mormons to console themselves as best they could in their loss.

The Pike’s Peakers who were engaged in the rescue, who numbered only about 28 men, were from Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa City.