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Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows/Use of sources/William W. Drummond and murders
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Contents
Use of sources: William W. Drummond and murders
| Double standard: violence in immigrants | A FAIR Analysis of: Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows A work by author: Will Bagley
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Anonymous source: "Argus" |
Questions
- Author credits the story of Judge William W. Drummond of the Mormons' complicity in the death of Judge Leonidas Shaver, John Gunnison, and Almon Babbitt.
To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, click here
Answer
- Two of these individuals were killed by Indians; the other died of natural causes and was not killed at all. The author ignores the biases of his source.
Detailed Analysis
Noted one reviewer:
- Bagley tries to support his fictional tale of a violent society by crediting the report of Judge William W. Drummond on murders committed by the Mormons. In a report that Norman Furniss and other authorities believe probably tipped the balance in favor of sending the army to Utah, Drummond charged that the Mormons engineered the murders of territorial delegate Almon Babbitt, Capt. John Gunnison, and Judge Leonidas Shaver. In spite of its flaws and prejudice, Bagley cites Drummond's report approvingly (77). In fact, Cheyennes killed Babbitt on the high plains, Gunnison died at the hands of Pahvant Utes, and Shaver died a natural death. [1]
Notes