It is currently reported, and believed by many, that Judge Shaver died from the effects of poison, administered by the hands of a Mormon. He was a Southerner by birth, agreed very well with the Mormons, gave suppers, and drank with them, and was considered a "hail-fellow well met." There was, however, some difficulty between the Judge and the Prophet, the nature of which was not distinctly known. The difficulty increased, and one morning the Judge was found dead in his bed. The heads of the church took great pains to have the affair investigated, and came to the conclusion that the Judge had died of some "disease of the head." He was followed to the grave by a large concourse of people, and preceded by a band of music.
Less regard would be paid to these invidious reports, were it not for the fact that Brigham Young's connection with the violent death of divers other persons is too notorious to be denied. To say nothing of the Mountain Meadow massacre, in which he is distinctly implicated by evidence of an overwhelming character, there are other cases in which his agency in causing in some way the death of the party, is scarcely denied by himself.
For instance, the death of Almon W. Babbitt, at the hands of "Indians," on the Plains. In the summer of 1862, Brigham was referring to this affair, in a tea-table conversation, at which Judge Waite and the writer of this were present. On that occasion, after making some remarks to impress upon the minds of those present the necessity of maintaining friendly relations between the federal officers and the
authorities of the church, he used language substantially as follows:—
"There is no need of any difficulty, and there need be none, if the officers do their duty, and mind their own affairs. If they do not, if they undertake to interfere in affairs that do not concern them, I will not be far off. There was Almon W. Babbitt. He undertook to quarrel with me, but soon afterwards was killed by Indians. He lived like a fool, and died like a fool."
People determined to believe only that Brigham Young is a good citizen, and that he and his people are mostly in the right in their difficulties with the federal officers, will doubtless be able to put an innocent construction upon the foregoing language. But to the minds of those who heard it, and who were most interested in its meaning, it never had but one signification, and went far to disclose the dark and damning character of the man.
But to return to our narrative. Judge Reed seems to have been more fortunate in his intercourse with these people. The Mormons wished to eradicate from his mind all unfavorable impressions created by the sudden departure of his predecessors. They therefore treated him with marked consideration. They hoped, through his influence, to reinstate themselves with the authorities at Washington, and they partially succeeded. The Judge formed quite a favorable opinion of the Mormons, though not indorsing the administration of Brigham Young. He remained in the valley about a year, and then went to the States, intending to return, but died suddenly, while at his home, in Bath, Steuben County, New York.