Introduction to John D. Lee Trial Transcripts · Introduction to John D. Lee Trial Transcripts...
Transcript of Introduction to John D. Lee Trial Transcripts · Introduction to John D. Lee Trial Transcripts...
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IntroductiontoJohnD.LeeTrialTranscripts
LaJeanPurcellCarruth
Tworeporters,AdamS.PattersonandJosiahRogerson,recordedtheproceedingsof
theJohnD.LeetrialsinPitmanshorthand.1RogersonandPattersoneachrecordedthefirst
Leetrial,fromjuryselectiontoclosingarguments.Pattersonmadealikerecordofthe
secondLeetrial.TheonlyextantRogersonshorthandforthesecondLeetrialisasingle
legalplea.2Asindependentrecordsoftheactualcourtproceedings,theoriginalRogerson
andPattersonshorthandreportsofthefirsttriallargelycorroborateandcompleteeach
other.Andwhenalltheirnotesarecombined,theyprovidebyfarthemostcompleteand
mostaccuraterecordoftheJohnD.Leetrialsavailable.
Threecontemporarytranscriptsweremadefromtheseshorthandrecords:the
Rogersontranscript,theBoremantranscript,andapartialtranscript,probablyby
Patterson,ofthesecondtrial.3Onthesurface,thehistoryofthecreationofthe
transcripts—asgivenbytranscribersJosiahRogersonandWaddingtonCook,whomJudge
JacobS.BoremanhiredtotranscribePatterson’sshorthand—seemsstraightforward:(1)
PattersontranscribedonlythetestimonyportionofthesecondtrialforLee’sappealin
early1877.4(2)RogersonbegantotranscribehisownshorthandintotheRogerson
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transcriptin1883.5(3)JudgeBoreman,whopresidedoverbothLeetrials,desiredto
publishthetrialtranscriptsforprofit.HehiredPatterson’sformerstudent,Cook,to
transcribePatterson’sshorthandnotes;theresultbecameknownastheBoreman
transcript.6Carefulanalysisoftheoriginalshorthandandresultingtranscriptsrevealsafar
morecomplexstory.
TheShorthandRecordsandInitialTranscripts
NeitherPattersonnorRogersonrecordedeverywordutteredinthecourtroom.
Whilethereissubstantialoverlap,eachmanrecordedsomepartofthecourtroom
proceedingsthattheothermissed.InAnnieHoge’stestimonyaboutIndians,forexample,
eachreportercaughtessential,butdifferent,partsofwhatshesaid.7
AdamPatterson’sShorthand(PS)
AdamPatterson,officialcourtreporterforbothLeetrials,recordedthefirstJohnD.
Leetrialinfourteennotebooks,eightofwhichareextant.8HerecordedthesecondLeetrial
insixnotebooks,thelastfiveofwhichareextant.9Pattersonhadsomedifficultywriting
fastenoughtokeepupwithcourtproceedingsandthereforemissedphrases,usually
leavingaspacetoindicatetheomission.10Hisshorthandwasnotpreciselywrittenandis
oftendifficulttotranscribe.Hemadefewadditionstohisownshorthandmanuscript;
exceptionsareafewadditionsofqandatodesignatequestionsandanswers,aswellasan
occasionalphrasewrittenabovetheline.Rogersonlatermadeextensiveadditionsto
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Patterson’sshorthand,however,especiallyfromthefirsttrial:headdednumerousq’sand
a’s;punctuation;andslashmarks(/)todividephrases.11Rogersonwrotelonghand
transcriptions(someofwhichwereincorrect)abovemanyofPatterson’sshorthand
markings,andhemayhaveaddedsomebriefshorthandphrases.12
TranscriptsbyAdamPatterson
AdamPattersonintendedtotranscribeandpublishhisshorthandnotesforthefirst
trialimmediatelyafterthetrialclosed.TheDeseretNewswrylyreportedthathesolicited
“aidfromtheloyalcitizensofSouthernUtah”toinsurepublication,sothatheandothers
couldmake“moneydirectlybythesaleofthebook”andmakeadditional“moneyindirectly
byusingthebooktocreatepoliticalcapital.”Acommitteewasformedtoproceedwiththe
publicationplans;yetapparentlynothingcametofruition.13Thereisnoevidencethat
Pattersonactuallytranscribedorpublishedanyofhisshorthandnotesfromthattrial.14
Bydirectionofthecourt,whenJohnD.Leeappealedhisconviction,Patterson
transcribedthetestimonyportionofthesecondtrial.15Patterson’soriginaltranscriptisnot
extant;however,itpresumablyisthesourceforthepartialtranscriptofthesecondtrial
publishedbyLee’sattorney,WilliamW.Bishop,inthe1877MormonismUnveiled.16Bishop
preparedLee’sappeal,andwouldhavehadaccesstothistranscript.PattersondiedinSan
FranciscoonAugust22,1886,withoutmakinganyothertranscriptsofhisshorthand
recordoftheLeetrials.17
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MormonismUnveiled:PartialTranscriptofLee’sSecondTrial(MU)
WilliamW.Bishop,Lee’sattorneyinbothtrials,publishedapartialtranscriptofthe
secondtrialinLee’sautobiography,MormonismUnveiled,in1877.Thistranscriptclosely
followsPatterson’sshorthand;itapparentlywastakenfromthetranscriptofthesecond
trialthatthecourtorderedPattersontomakeforitsuseinLee’sappeal.18However,the
partialtranscriptinMormonismUnveiledomitsportionsofsomewitnesses’testimony,
mostlegalarguments,andallopeningandclosingarguments,includingBishop’sstatement
thatthedefensewouldbringnowitnesses.Italsoomitstestimonythatwasunfavorableto
Lee,includingallofJamesHaslam’stestimonyandpartofNephiJohnson’s.19Some
passageswerealteredbyaddingmaterialorcommentarynotfoundintheshorthand.For
example:
PattersonShorthand MormonismUnveiled
[Norelatedtextinshorthand] Thecross-examinationwascontinuedat
greatlength,butthewitness[NephiJohnson]
couldnot,orwouldnotrecollectanything
exceptwhathehadbeenadvisedbyhis
priestlyrulerstoswearto.NephiJohnsonisa
fairsampleofthewillingtoolswhocommit
crimesforChrist’ssake,andswearfalselyfor
theirownsake.20
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[Norelatedtextinshorthand]
BISHOP—Weobjecttothequestion[regarding
Lee’scurrentattitudetowardsMormonism];
itisnotexpectedthatamanshallbecalleda
criminalforgivinguphisbeliefinsucha
Church.21
BoremanTranscript(BT)
ShortlyafterAdamPattersondied,JudgeJacobS.Boreman,whohopedtopublish
theproceedingsofbothtrialsforprofit,hiredPatterson’sonlystudent,WaddingtonL.
Cook,totranscribePatterson’sshorthand.JosiahRogersonassistedCookinthis
transcription.Thesefactsarewellestablishedthroughsurvivingcorrespondenceand
throughthedocumentsthemselves.CookandRogerson,however,leftdifferentandat
timesconflictingaccountsoftheprocessofcreatingtheBoremantranscript.
CookrecordedaccountsofhisworkontheBoremantranscriptincorrespondence
withhistorianJuanitaBrooksandinanaffidavithemadewhenhedonatedhiscarboncopy
ofthetranscripttotheLibraryofCongress.22AccordingtoCook,hemovedtoBeaver,Utah,
in1886andbecameofficialcourtstenographerforJudgeBoreman.23HewrotetoBrooks:
“ItwasJudgeBoremanwhoorderedmetomakeacompletetranscriptofthetwotrialsof
JohnD.Lee.TherehadbeennocompletetranscriptofthesetrialsonlyasIdidit.TheJudge
saidhewantedtowriteabookonthesaidtrialsandthatifIwouldmakethetranscripthe
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wouldgivemeathirdoftheprofitsofthebookhewouldwrite.”24Cookdescribedhiswork:
“ItranscribedthewholeofthetwotrialsofJohnD.Lee,whichconsistedofabout1200
pagesoftypewriting....ImadeanofficialtranscriptoftheshorthandnotesofMr.Adam
PattersonwhowastheofficialreporteroftheLeetrials.”25Cookneveracknowledged
Rogerson’sassistanceoradmittedthatmuchoftheBoremantranscriptwasactuallytaken
fromRogerson’sshorthandratherthanPatterson’s.
JosiahRogersonrecordedhisaccountofthecreationoftheBoremantranscriptina
lettertotheFirstPresidencyofTheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints.Rogerson
agreedthatJudgeBoremanhiredCooktotranscribePatterson’sshorthand,intendingto
publishthetranscript.Cookbegantranscribingthe“Addresses,andSpeeches,onthepart
oftheprosecutionanddefense.”Cookworkedonthetranscriptinhissparetimeforayear
intheBeavercourthouse,andthenaskedRogersonifhewould“assisthim,inthe
completionoftheTranscript”andbringhisownshorthandnotes,whichRogerson“could
morereadilydecipher,thanPattersons.”Rogerson“assistedhim,inthismanner,several
nightsinaweekduringseveralmonthsofthewinter,of1885.”26Theirworkapparently
haltedforatimebutrecommencedin1888inSaltLakeCity,whentheytranscribedthe
closingargumentofprosecutorRobertN.BaskinfromLee’sfirsttrial.CookpaidRogerson
“anominalsumperhourformyservices,ashecouldreasonablyafford,realizingthatit
wasonlyaventureatthattime.”27
DifferingpatternsoftypographicalerrorsintheRogersonandBoremantranscripts
supportCook’sassertionthathetypedthelatter.Areviewofpatternsoftypographical
errorsshowsCookalsotypedRobertN.Baskin’sclosingargumentinLee’sfirsttrial.28The
BoremantranscriptandthetranscriptionofBaskin’sclosingargumentcontainagreater
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numberoftypographicalerrors,crossouts,andtypeoversthandotranscriptstypedby
Rogerson.29Cook’shandwrittencorrectionsintheBoremantranscript,sometimes
changinganaccuratetranscriptiontoaninaccurateone,showhisinvolvementin
proofreadingandcorrectingthedocument.Someofhiseditschangedatranscriptionbased
onRogerson’sshorthandtomatchPatterson’sshorthand.Otherchangesareatvariance
withanyoftheshorthandrecords.Forexample,duringthefirsttrialbothshorthand
accountsrecordthatWilliamW.BishopaskedabouttheIndiansfiringupontheemigrants
inthedaysbeforethemassacre.Cookalteredthetextofthetranscriptinlonghandtoread
thattheIndianshadbeen“firedfiringuponbytheemigrants.”30
ThePattersonandRogersonshorthandnotesandtheBoremantranscriptitself
supportRogerson’saccountofhisinvolvementandtheuseofhisshorthandnotesinthe
transcriptionprocess.InternalevidencesuggeststhatCooktypedthetranscriptforthefirst
Leetrial,atleastinpart,fromRogerson’sshorthandandtranscript.31Infact,theBoreman
transcriptforthefirsttrialislargelybasedonRogerson’sshorthand,withphrasesadded
fromPatterson’sshorthand.Rogerson’slonghandwritingappearsextensivelyon
Patterson’sshorthandnotesforbothtrials,transcribingwordsabovetheshorthand,in
whatwasprobablyapreliminarytranscriptionintendedtohelpCook.32
InsomeplacesitappearsthatCookbegantypingtheBoremantranscriptfromthe
RogersontranscriptandthencorrecteditfromPatterson’sshorthand.Manysectionsofthe
BoremantranscriptofthefirsttrialareamalgamationsofRogersonandPatterson
shorthand.Rogersonwroteatthecloseofhisownshorthandnotebook4,“Transcribed
Mar1/88,”andadded,inshorthand,“forCook.”33Rogerson’shandsymbol,whichheused
tomarkhisplacewhiletranscribing,appearsnumeroustimesonthePattersonshorthand
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frombothtrials.ItoftenappearsinexactlythesameplaceinRogerson’sandPatterson’s
shorthandnotesforthefirsttrial,showingsimultaneoususeofbothshorthands.34Further,
thereareslashmarksinexactlythesameplaceinbothshorthandsofCarey’sclosing
argumentofthefirsttrialindicatingclosecomparisonofthetwo.35Thewordtranscribedin
Rogerson’sshorthandappearsonatleastoneofPatterson’sshorthandpages.36Many
phrasesintheBoremantranscriptwereaddedtoRogerson’sshorthandbutnottohis
transcript;Rogersonapparentlyaddedthesephrasestohisshorthandrecordatthesame
timeheaddedthemtotheBoremantranscript.37TwotranscriptiondatesinRogerson’s
hand,addedtobothhisandPatterson’sshorthandrecordsofBaskin’sclosingarguments,
supportRogerson’sclaimsthatheandCookcompletedthetranscriptionofBaskin’sclosing
in“thewinterof1888and′89.”38
TheHuntingtonLibrarypurchasedJudgeBoreman’spapers,includingPatterson’s
shorthandnotesandtheoriginaltypedBoremantranscript,fromBoreman’sson,GilbertF.
Boreman,ofOceanPark,California,onSeptember18,1934.39Cookwrote:“JudgeBoreman
diedanddidnotwritethebookhesaidhewould.Boreman’ssonGilbertofL.A.Fell[sic]
intopossessionoftheTranscriptImadeandalsooftheshorthandnotes.Hegotsickand
wasoutofmoneytoliveoffandhesoldthetranscriptsandthenotes(shorthandnotes)to
theHuntingtonLibrary.[insertedabovelineinlonghand:for$450.00]Hewantedmeto
certifytothetranscriptsbeforehesoldthemtoTheHuntingtonLibrary,butIwouldnot
certifytothetranscriptunlesshepaidmesomethingforthetranscripts.”40Cook’sson,J.
DouglasCook,donatedCook’scarboncopyoftheBoremantranscript,alongwitha1947
affidavitfromCook,totheLibraryofCongressin1968.41ThiscopyisidentifiedasBoreman
Transcript–LibraryofCongress.ItisacompletecopyoftheBoremantranscriptforboth
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trials,withtheexceptionofBaskin’sclosinginthefirsttrial.42TheBoremanTranscript–
LibraryofCongresshaslonghandeditingthatisnotonthecopyoftheBoremantranscript
intheHuntington.
Rogerson,however,leftadifferentaccountofthedispositionofPatterson’s
shorthand.HewrotethatCookreturnedPatterson’sshorthandnotestoPatterson’swidow,
whodiedshortlythereafter.HemaintainedthatPatterson’sshorthandnoteswere
permanentlylost:“Itishardlypossible,andbarelyprobable,thatthesenoteswilleverbe
resusitated,astheyareonlynowrubbish,andisolateinsomeoldtrunkorbarrel.”
Rogersonalsowrotethatin1902or1903,andagainin1905,Cooksuggestedthat
RogersonsellCook’scarboncopyoftheBoremantranscripttoTheChurchofJesusChrist
ofLatter-daySaints.Rogersonofferedthetranscriptandaswornaffidavittoitsaccuracy
for$550.Headded:“Icannotthinkofatimeinthehistoryofourchurchwhenthe
suppressingfromprintingandpublicationofsuchadocumentwouldbemorebeneficial
andtimely.”43Inaddition,hecautionedtheFirstPresidencythatthe“reporter[Cook]could
sellhistranscripttoex-SenatorKearns(aspublisheroftheSaltLakeTribune)ortoeastern
publishingcompanies.”ApostleFrancisM.Lymanproposedthattheoffer“bedeclinedfor
thepresent,forlackoftimetoconsiderit,whichbecamethesenseofthemeeting.”44The
churchdidnotpurchasetheBoremantranscript.
AccuracyoftheBoremanTranscript(BT)
WhiletheBoremantranscriptofthefirstLeetrialisgenerallyamoreaccurate
transcriptionthantheRogersontranscript,itstillcontainsmanyuniquealterations—
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includingadditions,omissions,andchanges—thatarenotineithershorthandrecord.Some
PattersonshorthandpassageswereomittedfromtheBoremantranscript.Somepassages
addedtotheBoremantranscriptcompletelycontradicttheestablishedaccountofevents.
Forexample,ofallversionsofthetrialtranscripts,onlytheBoremantranscriptmentions
thatsomeonewithawhiteflagmetLee.45Likewise,apersonalobservationbyRogerson
thatLeeappeared“betterdressed”thatdayincourt,withnocorrespondingmaterialin
Patterson’sshorthand,isrewrittenintheBoremantranscripttohaveLeemarchingwith
the“betterdressed”emigrants.46AndanadditiontoWilliamYoung’stestimonyplaces
HaightattheMeadowsonthedayofthemassacre:“Q.AnddidHaightmakeanyremark?A.
No,sir.”47YetHaightwasnotpresentatthemassacre.
ThetestimonyportionoftheBoremantranscriptofthesecondLeetrialisgenerally
anaccuratetranscriptofPatterson’sshorthand,withsomepassagesaddedfrom
MormonismUnveiled.CookandRogersonusedMormonismUnveiledorRogerson’s
transcriptasareferenceastheytranscribedPatterson’sshorthandfromthesecondtrial.48
CookoftenstruggledwithPatterson’sshorthandwhenhedidnothaveanother
transcription:manypassagesofPatterson’sshorthandwhichwereomittedfrom
MormonismUnveiledandRogerson’stranscriptarealsoomittedfromtheBoreman
transcript,probablyduetothedifficultyofreadingtheshorthand.NeitherMormonism
UnveilednorRogerson’stranscriptincludetheclosingargumentsofthesecondtrial.Cook
hadgreatdifficultytranscribingthese,andrepeatedlyused“….”toindicateshorthand
passageshecouldnottranscribe.49HewroteinlonghandatthebottomoftheBoreman
transcriptofFoster’sclosingargument,secondtrial:“FollowingthisspeechcameJudge
Spicersaddresstothejury,Partofwhiofthefirstofwhichisnotreported&theremainder
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issoillegiblethatitisimpossibletomakeanintelligenttranscriptofit.WLCook
transcriber.”50CookwroteinlonghandinthemarginofhistranscriptofWilliamW.
Bishop’sclosing,secondtrial,thatthe“speechwasveryimperfectlyreported”andthathe
“thoughtbesttoadheretothenotes.”51Hedoesnotidentifywhichnotes.
JosiahRogerson’sShorthand(RS)
JosiahRogersonrecordedthefirstJohnD.Leetrialintwelvenumberednotebooks
andathirteenthunnumberednotebook.52AllextantRogersonshorthandnotebooksare
locatedintheLDSChurchHistoryLibrary.
RogersonreportedthathetraveledtoBeavertorecordtheLeetrialsatBrigham
Young’srequest.ThoughRogersonwroteinalettertotheFirstPresidencyandinother
writingsthathewasalsoanofficialcourtreporter,hisstatusinthecourtisunclear.53
Rogersonrecordedhisshorthandinordinarypencil.Helateraddedtohisrecordin
ordinarypencil,purplepencil,andink.54Headdedlonghandlettersqandatodesignate
questionsandanswers—attimesincorrectly.55Headdedpunctuation,includingslash
marks,todividephrases.Healsowrotelonghandtranscriptionsabovemanyshorthand
words,attimesincorrectly.56Andattimeshewroteoverhisshorthand,ofteninink,
sometimesobscuringhisoriginalwriting.Whileitisusuallyimpossibletodetermine
whethershorthandalterationsandadditionsinordinarypencilwerewrittenatthetimeof
trialorlater,alterationsandadditionsinpurplepencilandinkwerecertainlyaddedlater,
probablyduringtranscription.57
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Rogersonalsoinsertedshorthandwordsandphrasesintohisoriginalrecord.These
insertionswereoftencopiedfromPatterson’sshorthand.58
Rogersonoccasionallyrecordedinshorthand—butdidnottranscribe—hispersonal
observationsofcourtroomevents.DuringpreliminarylegalproceedingsinApril1875,he
noted:“AttheterminationofSpicerandduringhisremarksLeeweptlookedaround.”59On
Thursday,July22,1875,henoted,“JohnDLeeandhis3wiveswereincourt.”60Hesaidthat
whenmassacreparticipantPhilipKlingensmithgavehisnameatthebeginningofhis
testimony,“inratherexcitedtoneheyelleditout.”61Thenatureofthetrialtestimony
apparentlyaffectedRogerson;atthetopofonepagehewrote,inshorthand:“killingkilling
killingkillingkillingkillingwasdone.”62
In1905,Rogersonsoldhisshorthandnotesand“thetitletothesameforever
relinquished”toTheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaintsfor$100.OnMarch9,1905,
inalettertothechurch’sFirstPresidency,hewrote,“Iwishtomakeaswornaffidavitasto
thecorrectnessandfullnessofmyTranscript;delivermyshort-handnotestoPrest.Lund,
ourHistorian,gettingthewholethingoffmymind,andthereby,keepingandfulfillingmy
promisetoPrest.BrighamYoungSr.”63
TranscriptsbyJosiahRogerson(RT)
JosiahRogersonshowedhisshorthandnotesoftheLeetrialstoBrighamYoungand
DanielH.WellsinBeaver,Utah,wheretheywerevisitinginthefallof1876.Helaterquoted
BrighamYoungassaying,“Wewantthemalltranscribedinfull,forwhichwewillpayyou,
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andBro.Wellsyouseethatheispaid.”RogersonbegantranscribinghisshorthandinSalt
LakeCityin1883.64Asheproceeded,heoccasionallyrecordedinhisshorthandnotebooks
thedatesonwhichheworkedonthetranscription.65
Rogerson’srecordindicatesthathebeganhistranscriptionwiththetestimony
portionofLee’sfirsttrial.Heprobablycontinuedonthroughtheendofthetestimony,then
beganontheattorneys’legalarguments.66Hesummarizedpartsoftheshorthandashe
transcribed,apparentlyattherequestofchurchpresidentJohnTaylor:“Amcarryingout
yourinstructionsinmakingdigestorsynopsisofLeetrial,andthink,amhalfthrough.”67He
detailedhisprogressinhisletterstotheFirstPresidency.68HisworkwithCookin
transcribingBaskin’sclosingargumentfromthefirsttrialwasthefinallaboronboththe
RogersonandBoremantranscripts.69RogersonnevertranscribeddefenseattorneyWells
Spicer’sopeningargumentforthedefenseinthefirsttrial,WilliamCarey’sclosing
argumentfortheprosecution,jurorinterviews,andmanylegalarguments.
In1884RogersontraveledtoCacheValley,whereherecordedJamesHaslam’s
accountofhisSeptember1857ridefromCedarCitytoSaltLakeCitytogetBrigham
Young’sinstructionsregardingtheemigrantsatMountainMeadows.70Rogerson’s
transcriptofthistestimonywaspublishedasanaddendumtoCharlesW.Penrose’sThe
MountainMeadowsMassacre.71TheshorthandofHaslam’sstatementisnotextant,butthe
transcriptisreproducedinAppendixA.
In1911Rogersonagaintranscribedandsummarizedportionsofhisshorthand
whileworkingonahistoryoftheMountainMeadowsMassacre.Onlyportionsofthis
transcriptareextant.72
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AccuracyofJosiahRogerson’sTranscript
FirstTrial
ComparingJosiahRogerson’sshorthandwithhistranscriptofthefirsttrialreveals
numerous,oftensignificant,differences.73Manyofthesedifferencesalteredthefactualor
emotionalcontentofthetranscriptinwaysthateitherprotectedapersonorgroupfrom
incriminatingevidenceorincriminatedthembeyondwhattheshorthandnoteswarranted.
AsRogersontranscribed,hesometimeschangednames,numbers,anddates
(includingnumbersrecordedasdigits).74Headded,omitted,andalteredwitnesstestimony
andattorneycomments.HeaddedextensivematerialfromPatterson’sshorthand,aswell
asfromvariouspublishedsourcesandfromother,unspecifiedsources.75Heomittedmany
pagesoflegalargumentsthattookplaceamongtheattorneysandJudgeBoreman,and
manyofBoreman’sstatements.HealsoalteredtheclosingargumentsofLee’sdefense
attorneys.
Rogersoninsertednegatives(suchasnoandnot)intohisshorthandandintohis
transcript;healsoomittednegativesfromhistranscriptthatwereinhisshorthand.InJoel
White’sanswertoaquestionaboutwhetherhesawalltheIndiansinfullview,Rogerson
inserted“no”intohisshorthand,thenincludedthesameinhistranscript;boththe
PattersonshorthandandBoremantranscriptread“yessir.”76Heinserted“not”intohis
transcriptofCarey’sopening:
RogersonShorthand RogersonTranscript
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itseemsincrediblethatsuchacrimecould
havebeencommitted<couldhave>been
knownbysomanypersonsforsolongatime
andsolittleknownaboutitasheretofore
itseemsremarkablethatsuchacrimecould
havebeencommittedandnotbe
knownbyso.manypersonsforsolonga
time,andsolittleknownaboutit.77
Rogersonadded,deleted,andchangednamesthroughouthistranscript,thereby
appearingtoprotectorincriminatedifferentpersons.InJohnW.Bradshaw’stestimony,for
example,Rogersontwicewrote“Haight”inshorthand,theninlonghandabovethe
shorthand,butomitteditfromhistranscript:
RogersonShorthand RogersonTranscript
itwasSundaymeeting,andHaight<Haight>
wasspeakingofthosewhohadpassedhere
itwasSundaymeeting,andit
wasthesubjectspokeof78
WherewasityousayHaight<Haight>was
whenhetoldyoutogorendezvous
Q.Wherewasityousaywhentheytoldyou
togototherendezvous?79
Ontheotherhand,RogersoninsertedHaight’snameelsewhereinanincriminating
manner:
RogersonShorthand RogersonTranscript
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Smith’s[Klingensmith’s]testimonyherethat
thedestructionofemigrantswas<thesubject
ofthe>conversationanddeterminedupon,
notwithstandingthatthathadbeentalkedon
Sundaypreviousthedaybefore,
theyweresentandorderedbyHaighttogo
Pintoandallayexcitedsavages,thatthese
emigrantsmightpassthroughthecountryin
peaceandunmolested.
reconcilethisstatementwithhis
[Klingensmith’s]formerone,inregardtothe
destructionoftheemigrants,ifyoucan,
askingyoutobearinmind
thathesaidthaton
Sunday,Haightcalleduponthepeopleto
destroytheemigrants,
andnowhe,Haight,senthimandJoelWhite
withamessageofpeaceandorderedthe
bishoptorestraintheIndiansthatthe
emigrantsmightpassunmolestedthrough
thecountry80
TheRogersontranscriptalsotwiceomitsIraAllen’snamefromJoelWhite’s
testimony,thoughRogersonwrotethenameinbothshorthandandinlonghandinhis
notes.81
RogersonalsoinsertedorremovedLee’snameinhistranscript.HeaddedLee’s
nametoJoelWhite’stestimonyabouttheactivityoftheIndiansjustastheshootingbegan,
changing“Idon’tknowwheretheywas”toread“Idon’tknowwhereLeewas.”82Andagain,
alsoinJoelWhite’stestimony:
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RogersonShorthand RogersonTranscript
wouldbesignalgivenhaltwhen
thatwordhaltwasgivenitwasforto
fire
wouldbeasignalgiven,halt,toLee,when
thatword“halt”wasgivenitwasfortofire83
Rogersonchangedtheshorthand“whitemen”to“JohnD.Lee”inalegalargument
byLee’sattorneyJabezG.Sutherland.84TheRogersontranscriptofPhilipKlingensmith’s
testimonysaysthatLeeorderedhimtogotothemeadows,butthecontextclearlyindicates
thatHaighttoldhimtogo.85
TherearemanyotherexamplesofRogerson’schanges.Heinsertednumerous
passagesoftextintohistranscriptthatdonotappearinhisshorthandorinPatterson’s
shorthand.HeinsertedanexchangebetweenprosecutorRobertN.Baskinanddefender
WilliamW.Bishop,andalteredacommentbyBaskin:
RogersonShorthand RogersonTranscript
[Norelatedtextinshorthand] Baskinobjectedandsaid:theapplicationof
thiswouldbeprettyroughontheMormon
Churchinthiscase.Bishop:Ididn’tknowthe
MormonChurchwereontrial.86
[Baskinspeaking:]Hesaysheproposesto
provewhatwasdonebytheChurch,what
[Baskinspeaking:]Hesaysheproposesto
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wasthepracticewas[regardingChurch
disciplinefordisobedience]
provewhatwasdonebytheChurch—what
wasthepretextfortheMountainMeadows
Massacre87
RogersonomittedWilliamCarey’schargeinhisopeningargumentthatthewhite
menandIndiansplayedgameswhiletheemigrantswereundersiegeandtheirsupplies
ranout.88HequotedSutherlandassayingthathereceivedanaffidavitfrom“two
prominentphysiciansinSaltLakeCitywhowereattending”BrighamYoungandGeorgeA.
Smith,reportingtheyweretoofeebletotraveltoBeavertotestify.Nootherversion
indicatesthereweretwophysicians,andnootherversionmentionstheideaof
prominence.89HeomittedastatementfromSutherland’sclosingthatKlingensmithwore
hisrevolverandbutcherknifewhileonthewitnessstand.90Rogersonalsoadded,deleted,
andalteredtestimonyregardingIndians.91
Rogerson’schangestotheattorneys’closingarguments,asarule,areevenmore
extensivethanhischangestotestimony.92Hisalterationstoclosingargumentsoften
depictedtheMormonsmorenegativelythantheactualspeecheshad.93Forexample,local
MormonandmilitialeadersheldameetinginCedarCitytodiscussconcernsaboutthe
emigranttrain.TheRogersontranscriptofEnosD.Hoge’sclosingdatedthemeetingbefore
thearrivaloftheemigrants,whiletheshorthand(andalltestimony)placeditafterthe
trainhadpassedthroughCedarCity.94TheRogersontranscriptofHoge’sandBishop’s
closingargumentsforthedefensecontainsmanyadditions,includingstronglyanti-
Mormonstatementsandgraphicdescriptionsofthemassacre.95TheRogersontranscriptof
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Sutherland’sclosingbearsonlypassingresemblancetotheoriginalshorthand.96Itincludes
significantstatementsthathavenoknownsource,includingastatementthatthejuryhad
beensequestered,andparticularlycolorfuldescriptionsofthemassacre.
SecondTrial
JosiahRogersonwrotethathereportedonlypartofthesecondtrial:“Iwantthis
understood,thatIonlyreportedthenewandadditionaltestimony,inthesecondtrial,and
thiswasduetothefactthatPresidentD.H.Wells,whowasthereallthetime,didnotthink
itnecessarytoreporttheothertestimonybeingbroughtoutagain,andarepetition,in
main,ofwhathadbeenintroducedinthefirsttrial.”97Thereisnorecordtoshowhow
muchofthistrialheactuallydidrecord;theonlyextantRogersonshorthandfromthe
secondtrialisalegalpleafiledSeptember18,1876.Hisstatementimpliesthattestimony
inthesecondtrialwasmostlyarepetitionoftestimonygiveninthefirsttrial,andit
thereforedidnotneedtoberecorded.Butexaminationofothersourcesrevealsthatthe
secondtrialcontainedasignificantamountofnewinformationfromnewwitnesses.
Rogerson’stranscriptofthesecondLeetrialisanalmostverbatimcopyofthe
partialtranscriptpublishedinMormonismUnveiled(1877)byLee’sattorney,WilliamW.
Bishop;itevenincludessummarystatementsfoundinMormonismUnveiledthatarenotin
anyshorthandrecord.98ThereisnoevidencethatanypartoftheRogersontranscriptofthe
secondtrialwastakenfromRogersonshorthand.99
TranscriptionChallenges
20
WordsinPitmanshorthandarewrittenphonetically,astheysound,without
referencetoconventionalEnglishorthography.Allvowelsarewrittenasdiacritics,asare
mostinitialh,w,andyletters;alltheseareconsideredoptionalandareusuallyomitted,
thoughsomeinformationregardingthevowelmaybeindicatedbytheword’splacement
above,on,orbelowtheline.100Theomissionofvowels—andofaninitialh,w,andy—
makesitdifficult,andattimesimpossible,todifferentiatebetweenwordswiththesame
consonantswheretheonlydifferencewouldbeintheomittedletters.
ThewordsrodandyardintheshorthandrecordedbyJosiahRogersonandAdam
Pattersonareexcellentexamplesofsuchwords.Whenthediacriticsforthevowelsandthe
initialyarenotwritten,asisusuallythecaseintheseshorthandrecords,bothwordsare
writtensimplyrd.Itisthereforeimpossibleforthetranscribertocorrectlydetermine
whichwordthereporteractuallyheardandintendedtowrite.Alldistancesstatedinthe
Leetrialsusingthewordsrodandyardmustbeverifiedbyothersources,ifpossible.
WhereRogersonorCooktranscribedtheword,thetranscriptionhasbeenfollowed.Yet
theirtranscriptionsweremadeyearsafterthetrial.Rogersoncouldnothavereliably
rememberedasinglewordinthelengthytrialproceedings,andCookdidnotattendthe
trials.Therefore,eventheirtranscriptionsofthesewordsrequireverificationfromexternal
sources.
Conclusion
ComparisonofRogerson’sandPatterson’sshorthandrecordswiththetranscripts
revealsaccuraciesandinaccuraciesinthetranscripts—bothofwhich,attimes,are
21
significant.ThemostreliablewaytoreadthetrialtranscriptsforJohnD.Lee’stwotrialsis
touseacomparisontext.Tothisend,thisworkreproducesthetrialsourcesinfullina
comparisonmatrix.Wherethereisonlyonesource,itisprovided—but,ofcourse,no
comparisonisavailable.Wheretherearetwoormoresources,thetrialmatrixprovidesa
line-by-linecomparison.Thismatrixisthemostcompletesourceavailabletohelp
researchersbegintounderstandthetwotrialsofJohnD.LeeforhisroleintheMountain
MeadowsMassacre.
1.TheRogersonshorthandislocatedinJosiahRogerson,TranscriptsandnotesofJohnD.
Leetrials,1875–85,CHL.ThePattersonshorthandislocatedintheJacobS.BoremanCollection,
HuntingtonLibrary,SanMarino,CA.PitmanshorthandwasdevelopedbyIsaacPitman;itwasfirst
presentedinEnglandin1837.Seethebiographicalregisterintheaccompanyingbookformore
informationonPatterson,Rogerson,Lee,andmostothersmentionedherein.
2.ThelegalpleaisdatedSeptember16,1875.Howmuchoftherestofthesecondtrial
Rogersonrecorded,ifany,isunknown.Rogersonalsorecordedlegalproceedingsbeforethe
beginningofthefirsttrial,legalproceedingsbetweenthetwotrials,andtheannouncementofLee’s
deathsentence.
3.TheRogersontranscriptislocatedinJosiahRogerson,TranscriptsandnotesofJohnD.
Leetrials,1875–85.TheBoremantranscriptislocatedintheJacobS.BoremanCollection,
HuntingtonLibrary.Lee’sattorney,WilliamW.Bishop,publishedthepartialtranscriptofthe
secondtrialinMormonismUnveiledshortlyafterLee’sdeath.WilliamW.Bishop,ed.,Mormonism
Unveiled;OrtheLifeandConfessionsoftheLateMormonBishop,JohnD.Lee;(WrittenbyHimself)(St.
Louis:Bryan,Brand,1877),302–78.MormonismUnveileddoesnotgivethesourceforthispartial
22
transcript;itpresumablywastakenfromthetranscriptoftestimonygivenatthesecondLeetrial
thatPattersonpreparedundercourtorderforLee’sappeal.Theoriginalmanuscriptofthis
transcriptisnotextant.
4.AlonghandtranscriptofJudgeJacobS.Boreman’sinstructionstothejury,inthesecond
Leetrialisextant.ThedocumentissignedbyBoreman,andmaybeinhishand.Thereisno
indicationonthismanuscriptofwhoprovidedthetranscription.SeeTrialmatrix,3969–80.
5.JosiahRogersontoFirstPresidency,Mar.9,1905,FirstPresidency,Miscellaneous
Documents,1887–1918,CHL.
6.JosiahRogersontoFirstPresidency,ca.Apr.1905,FirstPresidency,Miscellaneous
Documents;W.L.CooktoJuanitaBrooks,Jan.31,1946,Feb.9,1946,JuanitaBrooks
Correspondence,HuntingtonLibrary,SanMarino,CA;W.L.Cook,affidavit,May1,1947,Papersof
W.L.Cook,1875–1876,LibraryofCongress,Washington,D.C.Rogerson’saccountofhisworkon
theBoremantranscriptisdiscussedbelow.
7.Rogerson’sshorthandrecordedAnnieHoag’saccountofwhattheIndianstoldLeeatthe
Meadows,“Theywasnotgoingtodothedirtyworkalone,”whilePatterson’sshorthandreads,
“Theywasnotgoingtodotheirdamndirty[space].”TheBoremantranscriptcombinesthetwo:
“Saidtheywasnotgoingtodotheirdidamndirtyworkalone.”JDL1-RS,4:13;JDL1-PS,5:18;JDL1-
BT,4:28,Trialmatrix,936.
8.Books6,8–10,and13,firsttrial,arenotextant.Thesebookswereapparentlylostbefore
CookandRogersoncreatedtheBoremantranscript.SeveralsourcesidentifyPattersonasthe
officialcourtreporter.SeeFredericLockley,“Lee’sTrial,”SaltLakeDailyTribune,July15,1875;
MB1,p.209,July12,1875;“DrummingupSensations,”DeseretNews,Sept.8,1875;MB1,p.450,
Sept.11,1876.
23
9.Book1,containingjuryinterviewsandopeningarguments,ismissing.AllofPatterson’s
shorthandforbothtrialsappearstohavebeenrecordedduringtheactualcourtroomproceedings.
Thereisoneexception:PattersonmadeashorthandcopyofaffidavitsswornbyBrighamYoungand
GeorgeA.SmithinSaltLakeCityduringthefirsttrialandtelegraphedtoBeaver.SeePatterson
shorthandbook11.
10.PattersonrecordedfewerlegalargumentsthanRogerson;hewroteinthemiddleofone
lengthylegalargument,“TherewasgoodlotoflawreadofwhichIdidnotthinktherewasany
necessityfor.”JDL2-PS,3:37,Trialmatrix,3772.
11.SeehistoryofBoremantranscript,below,onRogerson’saccesstoPatterson’s
shorthand.
12.RogersonalsoputinsertionmarksinPatterson’sshorthandtoindicateplaceswherehis
ownshorthandcontainedmaterialthatPatterson’sdidnot.
13.“DrummingupSensations,”DeseretNews,Sept.8,1875.
14.JohnD.Leerecordedinhisdiarythat“Mr.PattersoninformedMethat[he]wasaboutto
publishaBookonMyTrialof200Pages.”MC,2:371,Sept.26,1875.Eventhoughnoevidenceexists
thataPattersontranscriptionwaseverpublished,FredLockley,aSaltLakeDailyTribunereporter,
didpublishasixty-fourpagepamphletgivingsomedetailsofthefirsttrial.TheLeeTrial(SaltLake
City:TribunePublishing,1875).
15.SeeOrderforTranscript,SecondTrialofJohnD.Lee,MB1,p.481,Sept.21,1876,
reproducedinchapter39,“JohnD.Lee’sAppeal”;BillofExceptions,Sept.25,1876,CCF31,
reproducedinchapter39,“JohnD.Lee’sAppeal.”“Mr.W.W.Bishop,counselforJohnD.Lee,hasgot
hisbriefout,andMr.A.S.Patterson,thestenographerwhoreportedthelasttrial,hasfinished
transcribinghisnotesforMr.Bishop'suse”(“SupremeCourt,”SaltLakeDailyTribune,Jan.23,
1877).
24
16.See“Literary,”SaltLakeDailyTribune,Oct.12,1877.
17.“A.S.PattersonDead,”DeseretEveningNews,Aug.23,1886.
18.“Literary,”SaltLakeDailyTribune,Oct.12,1877.
19.ThetrialtranscriptsprovidedalistofalldocumentsthatweresenttotheUtahSupreme
CourtforLee’sappeal.Theopeningandclosingargumentswerenotamongthem.BundleC,
BoremanCollection,HuntingtonLibrary.
20.Bishop,MormonismUnveiled,359.
21.Bishop,MormonismUnveiled,376.
22.JuanitaBrookscorrespondedwithCookassheperformedresearchforherbookThe
MountainMeadowsMassacre,whichwaspublishedin1950.CooktoBrooks,Jan.31,1946,Brooks
Correspondence;JuanitaBrooks,TheMountainMeadowsMassacre(Stanford:StanfordUniversity
Press,1950);JuanitaBrooks,TheMountainMeadowsMassacre,2ded.(Norman:Universityof
OklahomaPress,1991).
23.W.L.CooktoJuanitaBrooks,May29,1946,BrooksCorrespondence.
24.W.L.CooktoJuanitaBrooks,Feb.9,1946,BrooksCorrespondence.Cookalsoreported,
“InJanuary1886hewasdulyappointedofficialcourtreporterbyJudgeBoremanfortheSecond
JudicialDistrictofUtahandseveralyearsaftersaidJudgeaskedmetotranscribeMr.Patterson’s
shorthandnotesofthetwoLeetrials,ashewantedtowriteabookonthesameandthatAdam
Pattersonwasdead.”Cookaffidavit,May1,1947,PapersofW.L.Cook.
25.CooktoBrooks,Jan.31,1946,BrooksCorrespondence.Cooklaterdescribed“thathegot
outacompletetranscriptofthetwotrials—makingtwocopies,oneofwhichwasdeliveredtoJudge
Boreman,andthesecondcopyistheforegoingtranscriptofthetwosaidtrialsastranscribedbyme
fromsaidAdamPatterson’sshorthandnotes.”Cookaffidavit,May1,1947,PapersofW.L.Cook.
26.RogersontoFirstPresidency,ca.Apr.1905,FirstPresidency,MiscellaneousDocuments.
25
27.RogersontoFirstPresidency,ca.Apr.1905,FirstPresidency,MiscellaneousDocuments.
Rogerson’sshorthandisgenerallymoreclearlywrittenthanPatterson’sshorthand.
28. TheoriginalofCook’stypedtranscriptofBaskin’sclosingisintheBoremantranscript
attheHuntingtonLibrary.ThetranscriptofBaskin’sclosingintheRogersontranscriptisacarbon
copyoftheoriginalintheBoremantranscript,includingmanylonghandcorrections.Thecopyof
theBoremantranscriptintheLibraryofCongressisacarboncopyoftheoriginalintheHuntington
Library;thiscopydoesnotcontainBaskin’sclosing,asthecarboncopywasplacedintheRogerson
transcript.
29.Specificmistypedwords,includingwzaswasere,arguement(Britishspellingof
argument),staid,Indiands,Indaians,thzat,that,that,croud,outr,hijm,haow,thery,doid,appear
repeatedlyintheBoremantranscriptandinBaskin’sclosing(firsttrial),butrarely,ifever,inthe
Rogersontranscript,exceptinthecarboncopyofBaskin’sclosing,whichRogersonsoldtoThe
ChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaintsashisowntranscriptofBaskin’sclosingargument.
30.JDL1-PS,4:18;JDL1-RS,3:26;JDL1-BT,3:118.Wordswritteninlonghandareinbold.
31.ComparisonofPatterson’sshorthandandRogerson’sshorthandandtranscriptwiththe
BoremantranscriptshowshowextensivelyCookusedRogerson’swork.
32.Rogerson’slonghandtranscriptionsonPatterson’sshorthandarenotalwaysaccurate.
33.JDL1-RS,4:40.ThisistheonlytimeRogersongivesCook’sname;elsewhere,herefersto
himas“thereporter.”
34.Rogerson’shandsymbolappearsinexactlythesamelocationintheRogersonand
Pattersonshorthandsinthefollowingplaces:JDL1-PS,5:3,JDL1-RS4:2;JDL1-PS5:5,JDL1-RS4:4;
JDL1-PS5:29,JDL1-RS4:21;JDL1-PS5:41,JDL1-RS4:31;JDL1-PS7:23,JDL1-RS6:24;JDL1-PS7:44,
JDL1-RS6:39.RogersondidnotusePatterson’sshorthandinhisowntranscriptionofthesecond
Leetrial;rather,hecopiedthepartialtranscriptpublishedinMormonismUnveiled.Thepresenceof
hishandsymbolonPatterson’sshorthandfromthesecondtrialthereforeisadditionalevidence
26
thathehelpedcreatetheBoremantranscriptforthesecondtrial.Numerousinsertionmarkson
Patterson’sshorthand,withoutanyaddedtext,appearatplaceswhereRogersonrecorded
shorthandnotesbutPattersondidnot,whichalsoindicatesthetworecordswerecompared.
35.RogersondidnottranscribeCarey’sopeningfortheRogersontranscript.
36.JDL1-PS,13:1.
37.Forexample,seeWilliamYoung’stestimonyregardingwhatLeeandtheemigrants
loadedintothewagonsbeforeleavingthecorral:JDL1-PS,5:36—“Itseemedtobeclothingand
otherthings”;JDL1-BT,4:51—“Itseemedtobeclothingandtraps”;JDL1-RS,4:28—[inserted:“it
seemedtobeclothingandtraps”];JDL1-RT—doesnotincludethispassage.Otheradditionsinclude
“wheretheytowardstheemigrants,”JDL1-RS,7:70;“andtheytalked,”JDL1-RS,7:71;“doyou
knowIraAllen,”JDL1-RS,5:58;“Isupposehedid”;JDL1-RS,3:3;and“thenundermiliteryorders,”
JDL1-RS,3:4.
38.RogersontoFirstPresidency,ca.Apr.1905,FirstPresidency,MiscellaneousDocuments.
Two1888datesappearontheshorthandofBaskin’sclosing,bothinRogerson’shand.SeeJDL1-RS,
13:3:“TranscribedJuly11/88,”andJDL1-PS,13:24:“Nov15/88.”
39.BoremanCollection,HuntingtonLibrary.
40.W.L.CooktoJuanitaBrooks,Feb.9,1946,BrooksCorrespondence.
41.PapersofW.L.Cook,1875–76,LibraryofCongress.
42.CookdidnothavepossessionofBaskin’sclosing.Rogersonplacedthecarboncopyof
Baskin’sclosingwithhisownpapersandrepresenteditashisowntranscript.Thereisthereforeno
copyofBaskin’sclosinginthecopyoftheBoremantranscriptthatCookdonatedtotheLibraryof
Congress.
43.RogersontoFirstPresidency,ca.Apr.1905,FirstPresidency,MiscellaneousDocuments.
Atthetime,RogersonwastryingtosellCook’scarboncopyoftheBoremantranscripttothe
27
church;hethereforetoldthemthatPatterson’sshorthandwaslostandcouldnotbetranscribedin
thefuture.Evidencefromthedocumentsthemselvessuggeststhatthecurrentlynonextant
PattersonshorthandnotebookswerelostbeforeRogersonandCooktranscribedtheshorthand
records.
44.FirstPresidencyminutes,Apr.5,1905,FirstPresidency’sOffice,TheChurchofJesus
ChristofLatter-daySaints,SaltLakeCity,excerptprovidedinBrookHalestoGlennRowe,email,
Oct.15,2010.
45.JDL1-BT,3:125;JDL1-PS,4:22;JDL1-RT,2:151;JDL1-RS,3:29.
46.JDL1-RS,4:6;JDL1-RT,1:181;JDL1-BT,4:17.
47.JDL1-BT,4:56.
48.SomepassagesintheBoremantranscriptofthesecondtrialareinMormonismUnveiled
andinRogerson’stranscript,butnotinPatterson’sshorthand.
49.SeeJDL2-BT,4:10,13,17–22.
50.JDL2-BT,3:[21].
51.JDL2-BT,4:1.Patterson’sshorthandfortheseclosingargumentsisnotsignificantly
moredifficultthantherestofhisshorthand.
52.ThislastnotebookincludesmuchofprosecutorRobertN.Baskin’sclosingargument,
somelegalproceedings,andportionsofLee’sautobiography.ThefragmentofLee’sautobiography
iswrittenontheversoofBaskin’sclosing.Itappearstohavebeenrecordedfromdictation.Itis
clearlynotinRogerson’shand;itwasprobablyrecordedbyWaddingtonL.Cook,withwhom
RogersonworkedontheBoremantranscript.Alsointhesamehandareshorthandnotesfroma
campaignspeechbycandidateFredT.Dubois,candidateforreelectionasIdahoterritorial
representativetoCongress,betweenOctober16andNovember6,1888;Dubois’sopponent,John
Hailey,mayalsobespeaking.
28
Thisthirteenthnotebookalsocontainsnumerousloosepages,includingrecordsfromgrand
juryselection,variouspretrialmotions,pleasforcontinuance,apretrialmotionfordismissalof
chargesonalegaltechnicality,twopagesregardingthesecondtrial,andthelasttwopagesofLee’s
deathsentence.TheremainderoftheseloosepagesandotherRogersonshorthandrecordsare
totallyunrelatedtoJohnD.LeeandMountainMeadows.
53.SeeRogersontoFirstPresidency,Mar.9,1905,FirstPresidency,Miscellaneous
Documents.AsidefromRogerson’sclaims,thereisnocorroboratingevidencethathewasindeed
sworninbythecourtasanofficialreporter.JosiahRogerson,autobiography,manuscript,p.1,in
JosiahRogersonPapers,CHL;JosiahRogersontoMr.Gallagher,Jan.3,1914,JosiahRogerson
CollectionofHandcartCompanySources,BYU.
54.Thereareabout1,100purplepencilinsertionsintoRogerson’sshorthand.Almosttwo-
thirdsoftheseareqanda,todesignatequestionsandanswers.Asignificantportionofthe
remainderareone-wordinsertions,oftenarticlesandprepositions,whichcouldhavebeenmade
withoutreferencetoPatterson’sshorthand.TherearenoinsertionsinpurplepencilinBoreman’s
instructionstothejuryorinanyclosingargument,exceptBaskin’sclosing.Therearemorethan
3,150inkinsertionsintoRogerson’sshorthand.Theseadditionstendtobemoresubstantivethan
thoseinpurplepencil;onlyabout30percentareqanda.Asignificantportionoftheinkadditions
areinBishop’sandBaskin’sclosings.
55.SomeqandalettersinsertedintotheshorthanddocumentsbyRogersonincorrectly
designateananswerasaquestionorviceversa.Othersareinsertedintothemiddleofaquestionor
answer.
56.Someshorthandsymbolscanrepresentoneofseveralwords,dependingoncontext.At
timesRogersonapparentlywrotethesepreliminarytranscriptionsabovethelinewithlittlerespect
tothecontextoftheword,resultinginanincorrecttranscription.
29
57.Rogersoninsertedshorthandininkfromtheverystartofhisshorthandrecord;material
insertedinpurplepencil,exceptheadingnotesandaveryfewqandaletters,firstappearsin
Klingensmith’stestimony.
58.Rogerson’sinsertionsfromPatterson’sshorthandintohisownshorthandandtranscript
indicatethathehadaccesstoPatterson’sshorthandeitherbeforeoratthetimehemadehis
transcription.HemayhavecomparedhisshorthandreporttoPatterson’sshorthandandcopied
phrasesfromthelatterintohisownnotebooksduringthetrialitself.Rogersoninsertedshorthand
phrasesinregularpencilintoPatterson’srecordofSpicer’sopeningforthedefenseinthefirsttrial,
thoughRogersondidnottranscribeit,whichindicateshemadesomeinsertionsindependentofhis
transcriptionwork.
59.Apr.14,1875,RS,p.5.
60.July22,1875,JDL1-RS,1:7.
61.JDL1-RS,2:18.
62.JDL1-RS,9:37.
63.RogersontoFirstPresidency,Mar.9,1905,FirstPresidency,MiscellaneousDocuments.
Atthesametime,healsoreceived$35foratranscriptofBaskin’sclosingand$15forcomparinghis
noteswithhistranscriptin1884andforfurnishingBrighamYoungwiththefirstfullcopyofthe
speechLeemadejustpriortohisexecution.Rogersonhadalreadybeenpaidforhistranscript,
drawingmoneyfromanaccountwhileheworked.RogersontoTaylor,Dec.8,1883,First
Presidency,JohnTaylorPresidentialPapers,1877–1887,CHL.
64.RogersontoFirstPresidency,Mar.9,1905,FirstPresidency,MiscellaneousDocuments;
RogersontoTaylor,Dec.8,1883,FirstPresidency,TaylorPresidentialPapers.Rogersondidnot
statewhyhewaitedtotranscribehisnotesinSaltLakeCityratherthaninBeaver.Withthe
exceptionofBaskin’sclosing,theRogersontranscriptistypedintheallupper-case,block-letter,
sans-seriffontofthefirstRemingtontypewriter.Rogersonhadpreviouslytranscribedpartsofthe
30
firsttrial.AtranscriptionnoteonRogerson’sshorthandofBishop’sclosing,datedAugust29,1875,
indicateshemadeatranscriptionatthetimeofthetrial.Thistranscriptionwasnotpublishedand
isnotextant.JDL1-RS,11:28.UnattributedtranscriptionsofclosingargumentsbyJabezG.
SutherlandandEnosD.Hogeappearedin“TheLeeTrial,”DeseretNewsonAugust25,Sept.8,1875.
Thesetranscriptionsdifferfromtheshorthand,especiallythetranscriptofSutherland’sclosing.
RogersonlatercopiedthesetranscriptionsintotheRogersontranscript;thepublished
transcriptionofSutherland’sclosingwasalsocopiedintotheBoremantranscript.Rogerson
possiblyproducedthesetranscriptionsfortheDeseretNews.
65.Rogersonnotedthefollowingtranscriptiondatesinhisownshorthandnotebooks:
“Transcribed.–Jan1884.JR.”(JDL1-RS,2:9);“Aug3–10amresestedheretranscribing”(JDL1-
RS,3:28);“MngNov29/83”(JDL1-RS,3:34);“Transcribing945amDec6/83”(JDL1-RS,4:5);
“MondayDec1710:30a.m.”1883(JDL1-RS,4:33);“TranscribedMar1/88.ForCook.”(JDL1-RS,
4:40);“*Dec.24/1030pm.”(JDL1-RS,6:2);“Aug4/75from915till.11.45.”(JDL1-RS,11:27);
“TranscribedSundayAugust29/75”(JDL1-RS,11:28);“TranscribedJuly11/88”(JDL1-RS,13:3).
Also,inPatterson’sshorthandnotebook,writteninRogerson’slonghand:“Nov15/88”(JDL1-PS,
13:24).
66.JDL1-RS,2:9,givesthedate“JAN1884,”whichislaterthanmostofthedatesgiven
elsewhere.
67.RogersontoTaylor,Dec.8,1883,FirstPresidency,TaylorPresidentialPapers.Healso
reportedtoTaylor:“Ihavebroughtthetranscriptdowntolessthanonethirdinthenumberof
words,thatthereareintheshorthandnotes.”Inreality,histranscriptcontainsmuchmorethan
one-thirdofthenumberofwordsfoundintheshorthand.RogersontoTaylor,Feb.27,1884,Taylor
PresidentialPapers.
68.RogersonwroteinFebruary1884:“ThetranscriptofthefirstLeetrialiscompleted,
31
withtheexceptionofMrsHogestestimony...andsomeCrossexaminationofKlingensmith.”He
intendedtobeginonthesecondtrialaboutMarch15,1884.RogersontoTaylor,Feb.27,1884,
TaylorPresidentialPapers.In1884RogersoncomparedhisnoteswithhistranscriptintheChurch
Historian’sOffice.RogersontoFirstPresidency,Mar.9,1905,FirstPresidency,Miscellaneous
Documents.
69.SeelonghandnotesinJDL1-RS,13:2,andJDL1-PS,13:24;RogersontoFirstPresidency,
ca.Apr.1905,FirstPresidency,MiscellaneousDocuments.Analysisoftypographicalerrors
indicatesthatCook,notRogerson,typedthistranscript.TheRogersontranscriptofBaskin’sclosing
fortheprosecutioninthefirsttrialisacarboncopyoftheBoremantranscriptofthesame,
includingmanyhandwrittencorrections.TheBoremantranscriptincludesadditionallonghand
correctionsandnotesthatarenotontheRogersontranscript.
70.JamesHaslam,interviewbyScipioA.Kenner,reportedbyJosiahRogerson,Dec.4,1884,
typescript,inJosiahRogerson,TranscriptsandNotesofJohnD.LeeTrials,CHL,reproducedin
AppendixA.
71.SupplementtotheLectureontheMountainMeadowsMassacre:ImportantAdditional
TestimonyRecentlyReceived(SaltLakeCity:JuvenileInstructorOffice,1885);CharlesW.Penrose,
TheMountainMeadowsMassacre;WhoWereGuiltyoftheCrime?(SaltLakeCity:JuvenileInstructor
Office,1884).
72.ExtantportionsofRogerson’s1911transcriptionsandofhishistoryofthemassacreare
availableinCollectedMaterialConcerningtheMountainMeadowsMassacre,CHL.
73.Asnotedabove,theonlyextantRogersonshorthandforthesecondtrialisasinglelegal
plea.
74.Foranexampleofchangingnumbers,seeJDL1-RT,1:141;JDL1-RS3:25.
75.ClosingargumentsbySutherlandandHogewerecopiedfrom“TheLeeTrial,”Deseret
32
News,Aug,25,Sept.8,1875.Boreman’sinstructionstothejurywerecopiedfromtheSaltLake
DailyTribune,Aug.4,1875,or“TheLeeTrial,”DeseretNews,Aug.11,1875.
76.JDL1-RS,4:5;JDL1-RT,1:179;JDL1-PS,5:6(thePattersonshorthandreads:“you
sawallthethemprettynearyessirinoneviewyessir”);JDL1-BT,4:15(theBoremantranscript
reads:“Q.Yousawallofthem,prettynear?A.Yes,sir.Q.Invfullview?A.Yes,sir.”).
77.JDL1-RS,2:12;JDL1-RT,1:43.
78.JDL1-RS,5:24;JDL1-RT,2:250;JDL1-PSisnotextant;JDL1-BT,4:76,isthesameasJDL1-
RS.Boldtypeintheexampleindicatesthatthesewordswerewritteninlonghand.
79.JDL1-RS,5:29;JDL1-RT,2:260;JDL1-PSisnotextant;JDL1-BT,4:84,isthesameasJDL1-
RS.
80.JDL1-RT,5:5;JDL1-RS,11:10.
81.JDL1-RS,3:36;JDL1-RT,1:163.
82.JDL1-RS,3:[31];JDL1-RT,1:153;JDL1-PS,4:23;JDL1-BT,3:127.
83.JDL1-RS,3:30;JDL1-RT,1:152;JDL1-PS,4:22–23;andJDL1-BT,3:126,arealmost
identicaltoRogerson’sshorthand.
84.JDL1-RS,8:27;JDL1-RT,4:438.
85.JDL1-RS,2:22;JDL1-RT,1:61.LeewasattheMeadowsatthistime,notinCedarCity
wheretheeventdescribedtookplace.
86.JDL1-RT,4:449–50;JDL1-RS,8:44.JDL1-BTcontainsonlyabriefsummaryofthelegal
arguments;JDL1-PSisnotextant.
87.JDL1-RS,8:38;JDL1-RT,4:448.JDL1-BT,5:290isalmostidenticaltoJDL1-RS;JDL1-PSis
notextant.
88.JDL1-RT,1:37;JDL1-RS,10:39;JDL1-PS,2:19;JDL1-BT,2:5.
89.JDL1-RT,2:246,311;JDL1-RS,5:22,6:13;JDL1-BT,4:72,125–26;JDL1-PS6:9–10.
33
90.JDL1-RS,10:133.
91.RogersondeletedfromhistranscriptSamuelPollock’stestimonythatthe“Indianshad
approachedthem[theemigrants]atallaccessiblepointsandeverysoulthatmadetheirappearance
outofcampwereshotatbyIndiansfromthesepoints.”JDL1-RT,2:232;JDL1-RS,4:[36].Someof
hisalterationscreatealessnegativeimageoftheIndiansthantheshorthandwarrants.Inalegal
argumentregardingPhiloT.Farnsworth’stestimony,defenseattorneyEnosD.Hogerehearsedthe
outragescommittedbytheemigrantsagainsttheIndiansandstatedthattheIndiansfollowedthe
wagontrainasitmovedsouth.Rogerson’sshorthandreadsthattheIndians“followedthese
emigrantswiththeavoweddeterminationofexterminatingthem,”whilehistranscriptonlystates
thattheIndians“followedtheemigrantstoBeaverCountyandattackedthemthere,andcontinued
tofollowthem.”JDL1-RS,8:44;JDL1-RT,4:449.InJohnHamiltonSr.’stestimonyregardingthe
Indians,Rogersonchangedthequestion,“yousaytheyhadsomecookingutensils”toread,“yousay
theyhadcommittedadisturbance?”JDL1-RS,9:15;JDL-RT,4:472.
92.Asnotedabove,analysisoftypographicalerrorsindicatesthatCooktypedBaskin’s
closinginthefirsttrial.
93.Rogersondidnotacknowledgetheinaccuraciesinhistranscription,exceptwritingthat
hecondenseditatPresidentJohnTaylor’srequest,asnotedabove.Heneverexplainedhisinsertion
ofanti-Mormonmaterialsorhisinsertionintodefenseattorneys’argumentsofgraphicdescriptions
ofthemassacre.Itispossiblethathewaswritingwhathethoughtwaswanted,orwasseekingto
encourageTheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaintstopurchasethetranscriptsinorderto
suppressthem.In1905heencouragedthechurchtopurchaseCook’scarboncopyoftheBoreman
transcriptinordertopreventitspublication.RogersontoFirstPresidency,ca.Apr.1905,First
Presidency,MiscellaneousDocuments.
94.JDL1-RS,11:9;JDL1-RT,5:2–3;JDL1-BT7:2;JDL1-PSnotextant.
95.Rogerson’stranscriptofHoge’sclosingiscopiedfromthetranscript,presumablyby
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him,whichwaspublishedin“TheLeeTrial,”DeseretNews,Sept.8,1875.
96.Rogerson’stranscriptofSutherland’sclosingiscopiedfromthetranscript,presumably
createdbyhim,whichwaspublishedin“TheLeeTrial,”DeseretNews,Aug.25,1875.See“JohnD.
LeeTrialTranscripts”intheaccompanyingdigitalmaterial.
97.RogersontoFirstPresidency,ca.Apr.1905,FirstPresidency,MiscellaneousDocuments.
98.SeeJDL2-BT,1:143;Bishop,MormonismUnveiled,378.Thistranscriptdoesnotmatch
Rogerson’sclaimthathe“onlyreportedthenewandadditionaltestimony,inthesecondtrial.”
RogersontoFirstPresidency,ca.Apr.1905,FirstPresidency,MiscellaneousDocuments.Thepartial
transcriptofthesecondtrialinMormonismUnveiledandRogerson’scopyofthesamebothomit
JamesHaslam’stestimony,althoughitissummarizedinMormonismUnveiled.BoththeRogerson
transcriptandMormonismUnveiledomitthelastpartofNephiJohnson’scross-examination.
MormonismUnveilednotestheomission;theRogersontranscriptdoesnot.AlltestimonybyHaslam
andJohnsonwouldcertainlyberegardedasnew,suggestingthatRogersonshouldhaverecordedit.
99.IfRogersonhadrecordedtestimonyorlegalargumentsfromthesecondtrial,andifhe
andCookhadthisshorthandwhiletranscribingtheBoremantranscript,thattranscriptwouldhave
includedphrasesfromthissecondsourceandwouldthereforedifferfarmorefromPatterson’s
shorthandthanitdoes.TheBoremantranscriptoftheclosingargumentsinthesecondtrialthus
providesadditionalinternalevidencethatsuggestsRogersondidnotrecordthispartofthetrial.
Lackingasecondsource,CookandRogersonwereunabletotranscribemanypassagesinthese
arguments,whichtheyindicatedby“……”inthetranscripts;theyalsomadenotesaboutthe
difficultyoftranscribingthematerial.Themarker“……”appearsonlytwiceinthefirsttrial,both
timesinBaskin’sclosing;itappearstwenty-sixtimesinthesecondtrial,allintheclosing
arguments.Foradiscussionofproblemsintranscribingtheclosingargumentsinthesecondtrial,
seethehistoryoftheBoremantranscriptabove.ApparentlyCookandRogersonhadonly
Patterson’sshorthandtoworkwith,makingthissectionmoredifficultthantherestoftheBoreman
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transcript.Rogerson’sshorthandandtranscriptprovidedadditionalsourcesforthetranscriptionof
thefirsttrial.
100.Forexample,inPitmanshorthand,acurved,horizontallinerepresentstheletterN.
Whenwrittenabovetheline,itrepresentsinoronorany;onthelineitisnoorknow.Avertical
straightlinerepresentsaT.Whenwrittenabovetheline,itrepresentseatorought;ontheline,it
standsforitorateoreight;ifitisdrawncrossingtheline,itrepresentsatorout.ReadingPitmanis
complicatedfurtherwhentheshorthandscribejustwritestheletterwithoutregardtoplacement—
anapproachoftenusedbybothRogersonandPatterson.