READINGSIN EARLY MORMON HISTORY
(Newspapers of California)
Naked Truths About Mormonism
Oakland, California: Deming & Co., 1888
(printed on the Seventh Day Adventist Pacific Press)
Volume I, number 1 (Jan. 1888)
Pg. 1SalutatoryIntro.ApologySpaldingDerbyto Rice
Pg. 2MSs.OsbornSaundersAnderickButtsW. Hine
Pg. 3AldermanBellSayerStaffordRev. Whitney
Pg. 4O. WhitneyOberlin MSMcKinstryBriggseditorial
Volume I, number 2 (Apr. 1888)
Pg. 1StaffordRogersSmithHarmonPolygamyS. 132
Pg. 2FordGoldsmithMillerRockafeloGrangerMorley
Pg. 3AldrichWilsonBarberLillieGroverSherman
Pg. 4ParrishPrattCowderySmithTinkerB. Young
Volume II, number 1 (centennial edition) (a 1988 one-shot revival of Deming's newspaper)
Transcriber's comments on Deming's sources /
Old Newspaper Articles Index | Misc. California Newspapers
READ AND LAUGH AS YOU NEVER LAUGHED BEFORE!COPYRIGHTED 1888, BY ARTHUR B. DEMING. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Published Monthly by DEMING & CO., 856 Market St., Oakland.
Terms. - Fifty Cents per year in advance; Single Copies 5 cents. In Clubs of Five, $2.00; Larger numbers in proportion. VOL. I. OAKLAND, CAL., JANUARY, 1888. NO. 1.
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SALUTATORY.
PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF, Historian of the Mormon Church, Salt Lake City, Utah --
Dear Sir: Remembering the cordial reception you extended me when I called at the Historical Rooms in October, 1882, and the high compliment you bestowed upon my father, together with information obtained from Mrs. Woodruff while again visiting your Historical Rooms in April, 1886, lead me to address to yourself these lines.
While visiting a former clerk of mine who had purchased a farm in Kirtland, Ohio, I learned that a debate was to be held in Kirtland, on the subject of Mormonism. I was urged to and did reluctantly become one of the Moderators. Mr. Braden, the opponent of Mormonism, was unable to satisfactorily prove some points he claimed, and he engaged a party to collect evidence to sustain his position. The party did not accomplish much and I undertook the business. I began in March, 1884, and have been engaged in it much of the time since.
Owing to legal or other troubles, I suppose, Mr. Braden was unable to fulfill his agreements with me, and I determined to continue the important labor on my own account. The parties whose statements I intend to publish are, I believe, of unimpeachable character, and Mormons will be compelled to accept their testimony. I presume your Historical Society have not paid enough attention to their origin and early history. I hope to remedy the deficiency. I desire to thank your Society, through yourself, for the privilege they accorded me of making a catalogue of publications on Mormonism from your library, also for valuable extracts from the same. For want of money I have not succeeded as I might have done. I hope to derive means from the sale of my newspaper and continue the work, and with competent assistance re-edit, and present your Society with several copies of my intended book, "Naked Truths about Mormonism." I trust, as an honest man, you will carefully weigh the evidence and act accordingly.
Sincerely for the truth,
ARTHUR B. DEMING.
INTRODUCTION.
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WHILE fasting and reading the Old Testament in New York City, in 1880 -- '81, I was strongly impressed that I had revealed to me (not by Mormon revelation) the principal reasons for great intellect in children. While on a visit to Boston, in September, 1881, I spoke to a prominent physician about it. He replied it was new to him, and said, "Talk it wherever you go." I did as far as Minneapolis, Minnesota, and went to Colorado and Salt Lak[e] City, where I was kindly received by leading Mormons.
The evening of my arrival in Salt Lake City I called on Gen. D. H. Wells, whom I had known in Illinois. I visited with part of his numerous family until 10 o'clock P.M., when he accompanied me to the Continental Hotel. We conversed on the sidewalk until 11 o'clock P.M. He said he had told me things about polygamy he had never told anyone. The hotel Manager, Mr. Davis, said everybody in the city admitted that General Wells was an honest Mormon. For the information of my readers who are not Mormons, I will state that Gen. Daniel H. Wells lived on a farm near the Mississippi River, in Hancock County, Illinois, before the Mormons settled Nauvoo. He told me their temple was built on a part of his farm. He was Justice of the Peace and was elected Coroner and my father was elected Sheriff in August, 1844. Polk was elected President on the same ticket. General Wells' first wife remained in Illinois, and he went to Utah and became a double brother-in-law to Brigham Young, and his Second Counselor. He was Mayor of Salt Lake City ten years, and had six wives and twenty-four children. I told one of his daughters that her mother loved their father more than
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his other wives because her children resembled their father much more than theirs. Her reply was, "I know she does, and I wish he only had mother for his wife." The first wife's children claim to be superior to the plural wife's children. There certainly is a great difference between lawful love children, and illegal lust children. General Wells commands the Mormon Militia of Utah, and has held various other offices.
One evening the General commenced to preach Mormonism to me. He began about Brother Joseph and the Hill Cummorah. I laughed and said, None of that, it would do no good. I afterward regretted I did not hear his argument. He desisted, but in a few minutes handed me the Wells genealogy, and requested me to read a statement he showed me. It read: "In 1666, at Wethersfield, Connecticut, Gov. Thaddeus Wells married Elizabeth Foot, daughter of John Deming." and then he claimed a relationship, and to make it stronger he offered me two of his daughters, before I left the city, who were own sisters, for wives, which offer I declined (no reflection intended towards the ladies, one of whom has since married and died with her first child).
One of his daughters said that she was a Bob Ingersoll woman; that as soon as any of the young ladies were active in church work, the Elders were after them for plural wives. I made so many inquiries about their institution they became somewhat annoyed and another daughter inquired if I was writing a book. I replied I had no such intentions, which was true at the time
One evening at a late supper with the General, one of his wives stood and waited upon us throughout the meal. I felt sorry for the lady, who was a superior woman that most any man of suitable age would be proud to claim for his wife. The supper was good, and very neatly prepared.
The General told me he caused the following notice to be inserted in the Deseret News, the church paper:--
"THE SON OF AN OLD FRIEND. --
Yesterday we had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Deming, of New York, who is on a business visit to this city. He is a son of the late General Deming. mentioned in the early history of the church, and whose memory, on account of his friendly offices to the Latter-day Saints in days when they were in deep trouble, is held in respect by them. General Deming was an intimate friend of Gen. D. H. Wells."
"Gen. Minor R. Deming was elected Sheriff of Hancock County, Illinois, in August, 1844. General Deming was an officer of militia, and a citizen previously in no way identified with the Mormon fraternity. He had resided on a farm some miles (14) out of Carthage, was well educated and capable, and we think he was conscientious in his endeavors to do right. But he was extremely conservative in his respect to law and order." -- Gregg's History of Hancock County, Illinois, 1880, page 336. This was written by a political opponent.
When father was Sheriff he often took me with him to Nauvoo and elsewhere. He usually stopped overnight with Orson Spencer or Brigham Young. Joseph A. Young, his oldest son, showed me the places of interest in the city and the temple. I played on the green, evenings, with Orson Spencer's children. His daughter, who is Bishop H. B. Clauson's first wife, informed me that father carried her in his buggy to Carthage, and she stayed one week at our house, and slept in the room the prophet occupied before he leaped from the window and was shot and killed. Father made a great many enemies by his efforts to protect innocent Mormons from mob violence, in Hancock County, Illinois. He lived in constant expectation of being killed. Our neighbors sometimes, evenings, would rap on our windows and tell us to pull down the shades or we would be shot, as men were prowling about with guns.
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One evening I answered a loud rap at the east door and invited Mr. ___ in. He handed me a letter for my father, and told me to tell him he was wanted at the Court House immediately. He read the letter and reached for his hat to go. Mother said he must not go, they meant some evil for him. She prevailed upon him to remain indoors. The next day we were informed that Mr. Wilson, a hotel-keeper, stood near the jail with a gun, intending to kill him when he left the house.
After he killed Doctor Marshall, the CountyClerk, in self-defense, for the night before the doctor made a speech to a crowd, from the north door-steps of the Court House, and said either he or Deming should die the next day. Gen. D. H. Wells informed me that he saw the doctor assault father, who backed out of the CountyClerk's office, and when Marshall had him by the throat, shot him with his pepperbox revolver, and killed him. Mortimor Thompson, I think his name was, who was a bitter enemy of father's, and a member of the Carthage Grays, came to the district school and informed the teacher, who was a bitter anti-Mormon, that Dr. Marshall was killed. He immediately closed the school. I started with my younger brother, for the jail. We lived in the dwelling part, which was distant two long squares after turning the corner west of the school house. When I turned the corner, I saw Lieut. Frank Worrell, of the Carthage Grays, and another of father's enemies, standing in the road near the wool-carding mill, which was half way to the jail. I surmised they intended harm to myself and brother, so we went east of the school house, and through the premises adjoining, and skulked along by the fences crossed the road leading north of the Court House on the run, unobserved by the men, and finally reached the jail through Colonel Freeman's garden.
The teacher often, without sufficient cause, whipped me severely. I told father he did because he belonged to the mob party, and hated him. Father, whose profession was a teacher, always sided against me, until one day he whipped me very hard; it made me so sick and sore I ate no dinner. I plead so earnestly he permitted me to remain home that afternoon. I think he remonstrated with Price, the teacher.
Father was treated as meanly as the guard of the Carthage Grays could devise. He was put in the middle dark cell, and mother, my brother and I slept on beds on the floor with him. Judge of Probate, Greenleaf, and others of father's friends saved him from mob violence. He was soon bailed for $5,000, and Murray McConnell was engaged to defend him at the trial, to be held in Peoria, but father removed his flannel during a very hot day late in August, and caught cold, which resulted in brain fever, from which he died September 10, 1845, within twenty feet of where the Mormon prophet was shot. During the sickness, when delirious, four men were required to hold him in bed; he said they were coming to kill him. His dying request to mother was to give the boys educations if able, if not, trades.
The pretext for assaulting father was his selling land Marshall claimed, at Sheriff sale. The cause was Mormon politics and hatred. While father lived he had a restraining influence over the violent opponents of the Mormons. They feared he would cause their arrest and punishment. The mob did not discriminate between the Mormons who were good, industrious, and peaceable citizens, and the Danites and bad Mormons, and consequently many innocent Mormons were wronged. I admit that it was almost impossible to capture, convict and punish Mormon criminals and those who stole on Mormon credit after they reached Nauvoo.
The anti-Mormons, mostly Whigs, as soon as they heard of father's death, began burning the houses and other
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property of Mormons. According to Gregg;s history of the county, published in 1880, they burned September 11, 1845, Yelrome or Morley Town, named after Isaac Morley, of Kirtland, Ohio, which contained about one hundred homes. The burning continued until the Quincy Rifles and other troops were stationed in Carthage, when order was restored.
Soon after this hundreds of Mormons before leaving Nauvoo and the State, visited Carthage jail to see where their prophet and his brother were killed. It was my business to show visitors through the premises and explain the circumstances connected with the event. Sometimes they gave me a picayune, or bit. Mother said the Mormons were poor and not to accept anything from them. and I did not knowingly.
I write these few of many similar facts to convince all who have become Mormons since 1846, that from childhood I have been friendly to them, and I propose to continue my friendship until all honest Mormons are thoroughly convinced that they have been most wickedly and cruelly deceived.
I visited Carthage, Illinois, in August, 1882, and the old jail building, Court House and old school house now used as a carpenter shop. Judge J. M. Ferris accompanied me to St. Mary's, fourteen miles southeast of Carthage, where father had purchased from the Government, about 1836, 600 acres of land. He told me, as did [High]-Sheriff Patterson, that mother sold the farm much below its value, and that several persons they knew would have been glad to have paid much more than $6,500 in 1854. The homestead tract was a lovely mound on St. Mary's Prairie, about seven miles from Plymouth on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy. The Judge said father's friends would have prevented its being sold were it not stated it was to remain with his relatives. Another piece of property was sold for $1,000, $600 cash, endorsed note $400. The agent neglected to have the note protested, and it never was paid. Within two years the lot was sold for $2,500, after removing the house.
After returning to Carthage, I visited Quincy, Illinois, where father was buried beside his brother, who was killed by lightning in 1843 or '44, in Deacon Kimball's barn near the cemetery in the eastern part of the city. Although the lots were paid for, and the city authorities were offered $13 per year for the grass, by a man who agreed to mow it, in 1881-82 they leased it to a livery stable keeper, who pastured much of the time sixteen horses in the cemetery, and he let a man pasture two or three cows in it for watering his horses, for which the city received $25 annually. I was informed that there were many prominent citizens buried there, but their relatives had moved away. O. H. Browning had relatives buried there, also Henry Asbury told me he had. Instead of purchasing another lot in some better kept cemetery, and removing my father's and uncle's remains, I have devoted my time, and all the money and aid I could earn, borrow, or beg, with scarcely any assistance, in continuing my search for the evidence needed to prove the true origin of Mormonism. Various persons have respectfully called me a fool for so doing.
I offered, when seventeen, to sign off my interest in my father's estate for $500, to be used in obtaining an education. I was compelled to learn a trade I always disliked, and after serving five years' apprenticeship, never did two weeks' work at it. Had my father avoided Mormon influence, I would no doubt received a thorough education, and most probably have lived a better and much happier life, and possibly some other more competent person with abundant patriotism and means would have succeeded much better than myself in securing sufficient proof of the fraudulent origin of Mormonism to have fully satisfied the most credulous Mormons, and cause
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them to voluntarily abolish the institution because they believe the truth
My life has been one of strong hopes and continued disappointments. I can prove, I believe, that my father did more for the Mormons than any other man in Illinois, in defending the guilty, I regret to say, as well as the innocent. All my <MISFORTUNES< i>through life are direct or indirect of his friendship to the Mormons, as he virtually gave his life fro them. Had he spent one-tenth of the time and money that I have, he could easily have obtained very much more evidence as to the fraudulent origin of the "Book of Mormon," and early rascalities of the Mormon leaders and many of their followers. They have in many ways acknowledged him as their friend, and I expect that all honest Mormons will eventually provided they read all the evidence I intend to offer them (if they do not kill me, as I have several times been creditably informed they intend to do) will acknowledge that I am a much better friend to them than was my father. "Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?" It will make you free.