Salt Lake Tribune | 1910-02-12 | Page 6 | Reed Peck a Danite

REED PECK A DANITE. Further dealing wtih the investigation investiga-tion into the "Danitcs" and their connections, con-nections, we give the following from the aflidavit of Iiccd Pock, who was a member of tho gang and an officer in tho organization. In speaking of the trial of .Jnred Carter, a "Danito" leader lead-er who had dared to utter criticism of one of tho first presidency of the church, Mr. Peck sa3'6: In the evening after the trial. I was In company with Major-Gcncral Sampson Avanl. D. B. Huntington, captain of the guard: Ellas I-IIs'oee. the new captaln-genoral, captaln-genoral, and David W. Patton. ono of the twelve apostles and a member of the high council of tho church, all of whom had sal. with (ho presidency on tho trial. D. B. Huntington stated Ihat Joseph declared during tho examination that he should .have cut Carter's throat on the spot If he had been alone when he mada tho complaint concerning SIdnoy Rtg-don. Rtg-don. Tho more this matter is looked into, the more it becomes apparent that the murderous outfit which camo to bo known as the "Danitcs" was an organization organ-ization given existence at tho behest of high officials of the Mormoi church, and that tho members of the gang were sworn to protect the bogus prophet and his close associates from attacks that criminals of their stamp would natu-rallycxpcct natu-rallycxpcct to threaten. Joseph Smith nnd Sidney Rigdon had engaged in an illicit banking business at Kirtland that resulted in tho robbery of tho people of thousands of dollars of their moncj'. They had speculated in lands, using their ecclesiastical influence "in the promotion pro-motion of schemes whereby the people were swindled right and left. Naturally Natural-ly there was criticism of these acts, and being altogether lawless in disposition, intent and action, the swindlers conceived con-ceived the idea of organizing a band of cut-fhroats to silence tho complainers by force, and even by murder if necessary. nec-essary. It was Sampson Avard whom they put forward to practically engineer engi-neer the enterprise, and while the heads of the church did not participate in the robberies, arson and murder committed by the "Danitcs," they nevertheless blessed and consecrated their activities nnd received stolen property accumulated accumu-lated in tho robbing raids as helps to tho "establishment of Ziou." David W. Patton, an apostle of the church, was killed during ono of these criminal raids upon the Geutiles, and now the church goeB so far as to idealize him as n martyr to the cause of God, Patton Pat-ton was a "Danite," and the tribute pnid to him by official Mormoudom ns i being a valiant soldier in the Mormon battle is meroly recognition of tho fact that the "Danito" band was an official Mormon organization. Thorc is much fnithor evidence along these lines upon this subject, and wo bolievQ (hat (ho public should be apprised ap-prised of the nature of this proof. For that reason, and because the Deaoret News has failed to mako known the fncUi, even aftciscriously promising to do so, we shall continue to bring forward for-ward tho matter by which tho people shall havo opportunity to judge for themselves.