friend of mine, was one of the party, and gave me an account of what was done. On arriving at the place where the Martins were, some of the party proposed putting them to death, but the measure was strongly opposed by Strang. It was finally decided by vote that they should be robbed of everything and sent adrift. Accordingly, everything valuable was taken out of the boat, the men were forced into it, and it was shoved off. As it was shoved off, Chris threw into it a pair of oars."

The "Gentile" fishermen, of whom there were a considerable number on the islands and the adjacent shores, suffered more or less from the depredations of the Mormons. Not being strong enough to resist successfully, they were often compelled to submit to such exactions as were put upon them. A characteristic incident, related by the gentleman quoted above, will illustrate the relation that existed between the "Gentile" residents of the Mormon kingdom and the Mormons. It may also serve to show how those Mormons, or those who passed for Mormons, whose sense of right would not permit them to engage in the current unlawful practices enjoined by the church, were compelled to perform the parts assigned them. As before, we give the narrative nearly in his own words:

"A man named Martin (not one of the Martins mentioned in a preceding paragraph) was fishing at the head of the island. At the beginning of winter he packed up his property, hauled his boats out on the beach, and left all in the care of one of his men. One Saturday Strang preached a very able sermon, advocating the right and duty of "consecrating," and declaring he would not ask others to do what he would not do himself. The next day Silas Miller, who was a 'Gentile,' and myself went to Sand bay after hay. There we found one of Martin's boats, loaded with his own property, stuck in the ice, near the shore, and Strang and old Gen. Miller drying themselves by a fire, in a shanty. They appeared to have been in the water. On returning to the village, Strang and Gen. Miller sent out teams to bring in the goods, but boat and goods were missing. The man in whose care they had been left, discovering the theft, had followed to Sand bay, and, arriving after the departure of Strang and Miller, had taken the property back home. The next day a party was organized, under Gen. Miller, to go to Martin's and recover salvage on the goods, Strang and Miller pretending that they had found the boat abandoned in the ice. I was ordered to accompany the party with my team, to bring home the goods. I made excuses, but was given to understand I must go. Thinking to get rid of it, I hid my harness, and started with my horses for the interior of the island. A

party of 10 or 12 men pursued me. Finding that I should be overtaken, and concluding that final escape was impossible, I turned back and met them, saying if they would not force me, I would go. They replied that that was all they wanted. A strong party went to Martin's. We found there 10 or 12 fishermen, some of whom seemed to be putting their guns in order. Our party was received in a friendly manner. After a little time Gen. Miller announced our business-to get salvage on the goods. The man in whose charge Martin had left them, but whose name I have forgotten, asked how much. Miller said they would look over the goods and see. The goods were accordingly looked over, and Miller took what he pleased, which we carried back to the village. The fishermen were well aware that resistance must, in the end, result disastrously to themselves."

In the difficulties between the fishermen and the Mormons, the latter, though numerically much the stronger and generally successful, did not in every case get the best of it. At Pine river, on one occasion, they met with a serious repulse.

Pine river seems to have been a favorite resort for the fishermen, and a community respectable for numbers had collected there. Capt. T. D. Smith had an establishment in the bay, southwest of the mouth of the river, between it and Pine River Point. There were four more west of Smith, between him and the point, three at the mouth of the river, and one-half a mile farther north. These were not simply bachelors' homes, but contained families of women and children. There were also two other families who had been Mormons, but had renounced Mormonism and escaped from the island. Their names were Hull and Savage. They had made their escape by pretending to embark, with Strang's approval, for Drummond's island, where he proposed to plant a colony. Once on the lake, they had laid their course for Pine river, and asked the protec tion of the fishermen. The fishermen had promised protection, provided the fugitives would help to protect themselves.

One of the fisherman, named Moon, had had a serious difficulty with the Mormons. To get Hull, Savage, and Moon into their power, seems to have been thought important by the Morman leaders. Knowing that either stratagem or force would have to be employed, they still thought it prudent to proceed under color of law. The time of the sitting of the circuit court at St. James was chosen for the execution of the project. An armed party, accompanied by an officer with a subpoena for the three inen, embarked for Pine river.

There was a quilting at the house of a fisherman named Morrison, at the mouth of the river, on the south side, at which all the women of the

settlement were assembled. Some of the men had gone up Pine lake. Nearly all of the others were in the "other end of the town," as the westernmost houses in the settlement were called. Two boats were seen approaching, heading for the mouth of the river. It was noticed that they seemed careful to keep close together. One of the fishermen had a spyglass, by the aid of which he was able to count the strangers. There were nine men in each boat. The circumstances looked suspicious, and the fishermen determined to ascertain at once the object of the visit.

Between them and the river there was a stretch of beach where it was difficult to pass between the water and the bank. Launching a boat, 10 or 12 men, seizing their weapons, sprang into it, and rowed past the difficult place. Then they landed and proceeded on foot, following the beach till they reached the sand hillocks, when they turned into the woods, where they struck a path that led over the bluff and down to Morrison's house. The Mormons had arrived before them, and had been blustering about, declaring they would have what they came after or they would wade in blood. The women were terribly frightened. On the arrival of the fishermen the Mormons ceased their threats, and said they had not come to make any trouble, but insisted on having the three men for whom they claimed to have subpoenas. They were at once distinctly told they could not have them. This was followed, as the fishermen learned from the women the purport of the Mormons' threats, by an intimation that the best thing they could do was to leave immediately, and that if they did not go voluntarily they would be made to go. The Mormons prudently consented to leave, and went to their boats. Among the fishermen was a young man named Louis Geboo, who had lived a year or two on the island, and who recognized some of his former acquaintances in the Mormon party. Thinking the danger of a collision was over, young Geboo started for the beach, where the Mormons were embarking, for the purpose of speaking to those he had formerly known. When half way to the beach it occurred to him that, as a matter of precaution, he ought to know that his gun was ready for effective use. Stopping a moment to examine it, he heard the sound of a gun, and felt the bullet strike his leg. He learned afterwards, from his acquaintances in the Mormon party, that the shot was fired from a horse-pistol by Jonathan Pierce, one of Strang's "hard-fisted men," who accompanied the act with the exclamation, "We are running away like a set of d-d cowards; I'll let them know that I'm not afraid." As Geboo started to limp back to his own party, the latter opened fire on the Mormons, who got away with the utmost haste, and were soon beyond gunshot. There is no evidence that

they returned the fire. Three of their number were severely wounded. The fishermen manned a boat and went in pursuit. As they again got within rifle range, seven or eight miles out on the lake, the Mormons took refuge on board a vessel, which, fortunately, was lying there becalmed.

A few days afterward a rumor reached the fishermen that an expedition of a hundred men was fitting out at the island, to come over and punish them. There could be no hope of successfully resisting such a force. There was no other way than to fly. Fortunately, the little steamer Columbia came in. The fishermen put on board their families and effects, and left, only Alvah Cable remaining a short time longer. When he went away the Pine river region was left without a white inhabitant. Most of the fishermen went to Washington island, at the mouth of Green bay, but some of them to other places.

CHAPTER XX.

Mr. Dixon and Family at Pine River-The Mormons Already There—Reorganization of Emmet County-The First Township Meeting-County Election Controlled by Mormons From Beaver Island-Property Stolen-Mormon Picnic on Holy Island-Intimidation-Mr. and Mrs. Sterling The Women Left Alone-A Mormon Plundering PartyPreparation for Defense-A Night of Watching.

Mr. John S. Dixon, with his family, arrived at the mouth of Pine river, where the village of Charlevoix is now situated, on the 11th day of May, 1855, in the little schooner Emeline, which had been chartered to bring him from Old Mission. The party consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Dixon and their three children, Mr. Wolcott, who had come with a view to a business partnership with Mr. Dixon, and Frank May, a young man who had been hired at Northport.

Mr. Dixon's purchase of a considerable tract of land, lying on Pine river and Round and Pine lakes, had been consummated a year before, and he had left Lansing with the intention of occupying it; but receiving at Mackinac information, which he deemed reliable, of the depredations of the Mormons and the danger he would incur by attempting to settle in the territory over which they claimed jurisdiction, he had been induced to defer his project, and had passed the year at Old Mission. Within that time he had visited Lansing, while the legislature was in session, and procured the passage of an act for the reorganization of Emmet

county. By the terms of the act the islands in Lake Michigan, which had been a part of Emmet, were detached from it, and organized into a new county called Manitou. The object of the move was to prevent all legal interference with the affairs of Emmet by Strang and his followers. No sooner were Mr. Dixon's party and effects landed on the beach than the captain of the Emeline, who was in bad odor with the Mormons, fearing an attack, set sail, and the schooner soon disappeared in the distance. Mr. Dixon had brought with him a considerable amount of supplies, including a small boat and a quantity of lumber. Of the latter a temporary residence was built on the beach, in which the family remained for the next three days. The current of the river was so rapid that the boat, when loaded, could not be propelled against it, and the banks were so obstructed by overhanging trees, brushwood, and fallen timber as to make towing impossible. The three days were spent in clearing a path along the south margin of the stream. Then, by towing, the family and goods were transported up the river, and landed on the north shore, just where the stream leaves Round lake.

On his arrival at Pine river Mr. Dixon found five Mormon families living in the vicinity, who had settled there since the place was abandoned by the fishermen. If any of them were not Mormons they were at least under Mormon influence. On landing, he was met by some of the young men with the question, "What have you come here for?" accompanied by plain indications that he was not welcome. There had been several fishermen's shanties on his premises. One of them was still standing, and in a good state of preservation, when he landed from the Emeline, and he had hoped to occupy it, but before he succeeded in getting up the river with his goods, the Mormons had torn it down. However, he soon had it so rebuilt as to be able to occupy it as a temporary dwelling.

The act of the legislature reorganizing the county of Emmet divided it into several townships, and provided for holding the first township meetings and the first election of county officers. The township meetings in all the townships except Charlevoix were to be held on the first Tuesday in May; that in Charlevoix on the last Tuesday in May. The county election was to be held on the first Tuesday in June. Neither the township meeting nor the county election was observed in any township except Charlevoix. Mr. Dixon served as clerk of election at the township meeting in that township. There were eight legal voters present, five of whom belonged to the five Mormon families in the vicinity; the other three were Mr. Dixon, Mr. Wolcott, and Frank May. Several Mormons from the island were present, but did not