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Show He also told the Indian that it was alright to deal with the enemy in salt and furs, but he must not take then anything to eat. He said that if the troops had their way they would make this City (Salt Lake) a perfect bedlam and corrupt this people as far as they could. Simons told the President that Johnston had offered to pay him and his men $150 for every Mormon they could bring to the Fort, and $1,500 for Lot Smith. He said he told the Colonel that he was a friend of the Mormons and would not accept the offer. In another report, Simons said that the government had promised to bring gifts to the Indians. Instead, they gave the red men powder and lead for their muskets and 50 pounds of tobacco to be dis¬tributed among 500 Indians. Government agents also promised to deliver 'big pre¬sents' to the Indians in the near future. When Colonel Thomas L. Kane, friend and champion of the Mormons, visited Utah he traveled to Simons' ranch on the Weber for a day of shooting 'in that beautiful Valley of Mountain Green.' Simons also had a camp on the Bear River where he was visited by several Chur¬ch leaders. At that time he repeatedly assured the leaders that the Indians were friends to the Church members. In his book, "Giant of the Lord," James S. Brown, missionary and interpreter, told of an encounter with Ben Simons at the mouth of Weber Canyon. He said he be¬lieved the Simons were Cherokees. "I was called by General Chauncy West to visit the camp of Ben Simons and Ms brother, James, who lived about 20 miles up Weber Canyon. The men....were in po¬ssession of some important information which General West needed. He told me to learn what I could from the men, as they were friendly. "When I got to the mouth of Weber Canyon I chanced to meet Ben Simons coming from Salt Lake City. It was evident that the Indian had been drinking. As soon as I met him he drew his Colt revolver and said, "Hold on there!" He threatened to kill me if I was 'Uncle Sam's man. ' I succeeded in riding alongside him, grabbed his pistol and held the muzzle away from me. I tried to persuade him not to shoot, for we must be good friends. He yelled again that if I were a Mormon I must fight his 'old uncle' or he would kill me. 29 Col. Albert Johnston Historical Society |
