I replied that I was white man, that it was time enough to be afraid when I saw danger, and that I should go when I pleased.
They told me that they would as soon kill me as a dog, and that there would be no more notice taken of my death than if a dog were killed. This I very well understood.
They then told me that they supposed I had come to get my property.
I informed them I had; to which they replied that there was no property for me.
After repeated threatenings I became convinced that it was in vain to think of obtaining anything, and started for my horse, which was hitched at the yard fence about five rods from the door.
They followed me. O'Niel picked up the end of a hoop pole which Mr. Day had left there, he having been hooping a barrel. With this pole he struck me a blow upon the head, which nearly brought me to the ground. I looked around for a club with which to defend myself, but there was none in sight. He continued striking me, and would doubtless have killed me, had it not been for a very thick woolen cap on my head.
Mrs. Day threw open the door and cried murder. I ran for the house to get something, if possible, to defend myself with; but before I reached the door, he struck me repeatedly, and gave me one blow over the eye, the scar of which I carry to this day.
As soon as I got into the house I clutched the fire shovel. At that moment Mrs. Day closed the door, so that I could not get out nor O'Niel in. He and Culp then passed the window, on which Mrs. Day supposed they had started for their guns, so I mounted my horse and rode for Far West as fast as I could.
My head and face soon commenced swelling. On my way home I washed myself, and resolved not to inform any one what had happened, as Father Smith and President Young had both told me not to go.
I reached home about eleven o'clock at night, and went to bed without making a light. In the morning I arose, and just as soon as I got out of bed, I fell upon the floor. My wife was alarmed and screamed. I told her what had happened; but told her to keep the matter from my family. Father Smith, however, soon heard of the occurrence, and came to see me. He hoped, he said, that the lesson would do me good, and that he was glad that I was not quite killed.