REVENGE OF AN INJURED HUSBAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 590, 11 April 1870, Page 3

REVENGE OF AN INJURED HUSBAND.

An Inside View of Mormon Life. A travelling contributor of the New York Wor d — a lady, by the way — has furnished that journal with an interesting series of pnpers descriptive of social life at Salt Luke City, her views of Mormonism being diametrically opposed to those of Mr Hepworth Dixon. Among other persons whom she visited in the city of the " prophet " was a Mrs Pratt, concerning whom she gives the following particula*- s : — " I had been previously informed by my friend that she was the Mrs M'Clane through whom Parley P. Pratt, a leading Mormon apostle, lost his life. It seems that Pratt, during one of his missionary tours in 1556 or 1857, brought up in Arkansas, where he made the acquaintance of Mrs M'Clane. Her husband was absent at the time, and she remained at home with the children, a hoy and two girls, who were quite young. The wily Pratt soon ingratiated himself into the good graces of Mrs M'Clane, preached Mormonism to her, and finally persuaded her that it was her duty to embrace him and Mormonism, forsake her husband, and with her children accompany him to Zion, there to become one of his polygamous wives. The unexpected return of M'Clane frustrated their plau for taking thechildren with them, butMrs M'Clane succeeded in escaping to Salt Lake City, where she was sealed to Pratt. She was, at that time, pretty good looking, although anxiety of mind, and perhaps remorse of conscience, has since interfered greatly with her good looks. Although she was, apparently at least, happy in the society of her seducer, yet secretly she pined for the company of the children she had left behind. She accordingly persuaded Pratt to return the next year and attempt their abduction. Pratt went to Brigham for counsel, and Brigham advised him not to go, for if lie did M'Clane would kill him. He therefore refused to go, but the constant entreaties of Ele mor at last overcame his resolution, and, procuring a light waggon and span of mules, he started, in company with a Mormon train, taking Mrs M'Clane with him. They finally arrived in the neighbourhood of M'Clane's house, and lenrning that ho was absent, the mother sought an interview with her children and tried to persuade th m to leave their father and go with her to Salt Lake, but they refused. M'Clane had antic pated some such move en the part of his faithless wife, and had informed his children of the iniquities pract : sed by the Mormons, which made them unwilling to go. M'Clane had also left a friend to watch for any attempt, upon the part of Pratt and his paramour, to steal the children away, swearing that he would have the heart's blood of auy Mormon who attempted it. M'Clane's friends forwarded a hasty despatch to him informing him of the situation, and he returned very unexpectedly to the would-be abductors. Pratt was informed of M'Clane's return a few moments before he entered the town, and that he was armed with a bowie knife and two revolvers, which he purposed usingupon Pratt's body. The latter immediately mounted his horse and endeavoured to

escape.l pie rode out ofittown at one end as M'Clane entered at the other. M'Clane soon found the bird had flown, and the presence of his wife, with the fact of the attempted abduction, added fuel to the flames nlre.adv raging in his heart. He again mounted his horse, a fleet antl powerful one, with the determination tc pursue Pratt to Salt Lake City, if he could not sooner overtake him. After a chase of several miles M'Clane came in sight of Pratt, riding up a lons hill. When Pratt gained the ton, he looked back and saw M'Clane close behind him, pistol in hand. He immediately put spurs to his horse, in the vain hope of escaning, looking back every now and then, with fear depicted upon his countenance, at the near prospect of a speedy ending to his villainous career. But his days were numbered, and n shot from the pistol of M'Clane passed through his body. He immediately fell from his horse, and it is said that M'Clane, dismounting, cut his throat from ear to ear. Such was the miserable end of a Mormon apostle, who had broker, up the happiness of a man's family by seducing his wife and afterwards attempting the abduction of his children. Mrs M'Clane, after she had witnessed the burial of Pratt, returned to Salt Lake City without the children. She was received by thp widows of the deceased Pratt with reproaches and contempt, as being the cause and indirect means of his death. Brigham, however," interfered, and assigned her a smull portion of Pratt's land, upon which she built a house, nnd now teaches a school for a living. She is crazy upon two subjects, Mormonism and the killing of Pratt by her husband M^Clana." | Subsequently the writer of this letter visited the widow of the murdered man, and found her a strenuous opponent of Mormonism:—" My testimony, like that of many other first wives in polygamy is," said Mrs Pratt, that I have suffered greatly, and have only become reconciled when I could bring myself to regard my husband without affection, and as a woman would look upon a husband from whom she had been divorced for ever." The correspondent of the New York World goes on to say:— "At this moment the door opened, and a young lady entered, who was introduced to us as Miss Zina Pratt. She is the daughter of Orson Pratt, by another of his wives, but she is a bitter opponent of Mormonism, and especially of rolygamy. She appeared to he a lively, intelligent girl, possessed of much good sense, and evidently believing in the < Gentile ' fashions denounced by Brigham. Two years ago she was engaged to be married to a young ' Gentile, but the match was rather forcibly broken up by her father. It appears thnt she Avas introduced to a young man n-uned Frank H'Govern, by a mutual friend, upon one of the skating ponds near Salt Lake City. M'Govern, an elegant skater, undertook to teach Miss Pratt to skate, and, while thus engaged in gliding over the ice together, it was but natural that they should glide into each other's affections. On account of the prejudice against ' Gentiles ' entertained by her father, their meetings were clandestine. They finally arranged a marriage, the ceremony to be performed by one of the federal * judges. But the Argus eyes of the secret police had kept a close watch, and discovered their plans. On the evening agreed upon for the marriage, they met at the house of a mutual friend. No sooner had they entered tho house than the police spies, who were on the watch, informed Orson Pratt of the intended wedding. Pratt repaired immediately to the house, accompanied by several policemen, and entered as the couple were about starting for the house of the judge. A scene afc once ensued, which ended in two policemen holding M'Govern firmly by the arms, while the meek and venerable ' apostle ' beat and kicked him until he was tired. After this valiant performance the policemen informed M'Govern that if he did not leave the city in twenty-four hours, he would be effectually disposed of. M'Govern took the stage for the South Pass City the next morning; Miss Pratt retu* ned home with her father, more bitter than ever against the Mormon institution. Our conversation with Mrs Pratt was an interesting one ; but, situated as she is among the Mormons, for reasons which must be apparent, I do not think it advisable to report it. As evening approached, after a pleasant interview, we took leave of Mrs Pratt with sincere regret."