Show 2002 27 Unanswered questions “Blood of the Prophets” by Will Begley (University of Oklahoma Press $3995) Hjonru IKlt-tl- S V Friday Cache picking up Will “Blood of the Prbphcts” have two bookmarks handy One to hold your dace in the text and another to mark the footnotes for quick access to the back of the bode when you want to know ' “Where did that come from?” What the reader soon finds is that much of Bagley’s “new” information comes from secondary sources — not the journals ami diaries promised in press releases Instead of a new look at the tragic Mountain Meadows Massacre much of the book is a rehash of pld rumors slanders and accusations Will Bagley is an independent historian who lives in Utah He writes a column for the Salt Lake Tribune and has ties to Mormon pioneers He Before The 10 Page has spent the last several years of his life researching and writing this comprehensive study of the incident known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre In 1857 10 years after Brigham Young and his followers entered the Salt Lake Valley rumors of US troops marching on Utah and deposing Young as governor had the residents in a state of anxiety After being run out of Ohio Missouri and Illinois by mobs and government officials the saints were determined that it would not happen again Into this climate of suspicion came an emigrant train from Arkansas rumored to have connection with the recent murder of apostle Parley P Pratt On Sept 11 1857 Mormons and American Indians attacked the helpless party of men women and children with only a few children under the age of 6 spared Ultimately one man John D Lee bore the full burden of responsibility “Blood of the Prophets” is the account and Bagley’s interpretation of what happened before during and the nearly 150 years since foe attack The book is interesting to read but as a researcher the author commits some sins that cast doubt on his credibility In foe introduction he states CZxissaEIrscN events of Sept 11 2001 while the subsequent cover-u- p and denial are reminiscent of Watergate and the Iran Contra affair- - s Upnehooklsinterestlngtoreaibatasa researcher me author commits some 0 sins that cast doubt on his credibility his “purpose is to examine how decent men believing they were doing God’s work” can commit unbelievable acts of carriage But in his zeal to convince the reader of Brigham Young’s ability to order the killing of innocent men women and children he paints a picture of a man without any redeeming qualities whose every act following Joseph Smith’s death is motivated by premeditation deceit and revenge Bagley’s unorthodox handling of direct quotes is espe cially disturbing He attributes words to Young and others that a check of the footnotes reveals come from other sources In at least one place he presents John D Lee’s version of what happened in the text without comment and in a footnote reveals that Lee is not a reliable source Buried as it is in the footnotes the noncritical reader will completely miss such information In the author's defense he does warn that “Believers” should not expect “an inspirational recounting of LDS his- -' tory” Bagley tells a story of political and religious intrigue With some guidance from the author the reader quickly sees parallels between the Sept 11 1857 events and the infamous ’ - Although the actual events themselves are spellbinding it is the aftermath that caught this reader’s attention The chapter on Juanita Brooks and her early attempts to shed light on the massacre make fascinating reading as does the Epilogue which tells the story of the reconciliation among the LDS church and the families most affected by the tragedy the Lees of Utah and foe Fanchers of Arkansas Of equal interest are the insights into the victims of this tragedy For foe first time I realized a personal connection in that their families and mine both have roots in Carroll County Arkansas The realization that my family members might have been acquainted with some of these people moved their plight from the statistical to the intimate Often portrayed as rabble rousers mid troublemakers' Bagley instead introduces a peaceful party of travelers with strong familial and religious ties who are “in the wrong place at the wrong time” and caught in a web of historical circumstances that determine their awful fate SeeHIRSCfflonpll |