"USE HIM UP, BILL"

William A. Hickman

By JOHN CARSON

FOUR WORDS THAT WERE LITERALLY A DEATH

SENTENCE FOR REAL OR FANCIED WRONGS, NO ONE

ESCAPED ONCE THE ORDER HAD BEEN GIVEN TO

THE MOST METHODICAL EXECUTIONER OF THEM ALL

In 1870, an embittered and thoroughly disillusioned man sat down and wrote his memoirs. Whether he did so for vengeance or to purify a soul rotten with murder, deceit and hypocrisy, the tale is one of horror, shocking even to those men of the early West accustomed to such things.

In that year, William A. Hickman was fifty-five years old. By his own count he had ten wives and twenty-four living children, his eldest just eighteen years younger than himself. Nine of his wives had deserted him, his property had been taken from him, and he was forced to hide to escape the murderous vengeance of his enemy, the Church. And he had other enemies, as well. The Utah authorities were waiting to get their hands on Bill Hickman, and now that he was disarmed and helpless, so were many of the relatives and friends of his past victims.

Just a few short years before, Hickman had been an important man, enjoying the favor of his masters and the fear and respect of his inferiors. Mothers frightened their youngsters into obedience with the words, "Bill Hickman will get you if you don't be good." And this terrible threat always had the desired effect. When children played their games, the biggest and meanest was always "Bill Hickman" -- the others, his victims.

A Kentuckian, born in 1815, he was a descendant of heroes of the Revolution. The first Hickman had come to the New World in 1635, settling in Virginia. The men were farmers, most of them, but above all they were pioneers, frontiersmen, adventurers. When Bill was three years old, his family moved to Missouri, when harassed by hostile Indians of whom Hickman was to write, "Men were killed while plowing in their fields, and occasionally whole families were brutally butchered by the savage Sacs and Foxes." Consequently, as a youth, Bill became an accomplished woodsman and better than average with rifle and pistol.

At fifteen, because his father wanted him schooled, he began the study of medicine, but he did not like it and gave it up. He next took up law which he liked better. he worded at becoming a lawyer, but his restless gaze would not long dwell on books and soon he became tired of studying. Nevertheless, his education was above average.

When he was sixteen, he fell in love with a pretty, black-eyed lass, and against the wishes of both parents, they were married. Bill took a job teaching school, and when his father saw that the young couple seemed determined to make a go of it, he relented and gave them a farm. They joined the Methodist Church but Bill, who had met several Mormons, had become fascinated by their ideas. Despite their being openly disliked in Missouri, Bill joined them, "losing" as he said, "his good standing in society."

He sold his farm, journeying to the poor Mormon settlement in Illinois. There he met Joseph Smith, the Church founder and leader, and with Smith traveled to Nauvoo, where Smith preached. Although the Mormons tried to remain aloof from Gentile citizens, they were much maligned, and mobs attacked Nauvoo, the Mormon city. Hickman was thrown into jail, but escaped, returning with his wife to Missouri. During his absence from the Illinois city, Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were arrested and killed.

A militant young churchman assumed Church leadership, but not many were yet ready to follow him. Brigham Young favored polygamy, among other things and while he tried to hold the weakened membership together, a splinter group refused to follow such a man. Hickman, being a stranger, was assigned the task of learning who had led the mob which killed Joseph Smith. A Colonel Williams was suspected, and Hickman became acquainted with him - not as a Mormon, but as a fellow Missourian. He heard Williams admit to having led the mob, but nothing was done about it.

Hickman did not like Brigham Young, but thought the group needed a leader and "felt Young was as good as they could get." He did not accompany Brigham on his western trip, but later was called upon to do some "important" work for him.

A half-breen Indian, well educated and personable, had joined the church in Nauvoo, but had trouble with Brigham, and had left, swearing vengeance against him for real or fancied wrongs. He boasted that he would be able to unite all the western tribes against the Mormons and their wagon trains. Brigham sent for Hickman, who took the half-breed's trail. In Hickman's words, "I found him, used him up, scalped him and took his scalp to Brigham Young."

This, wrote Hickman, was his first act of violence. A few months later, he was sent after a man who had threatened the life of Bishop Orson Hyde, one of the Church leaders. Again Hickman wrote a tense account. "I socked him away, and made my report which was very satisfactory."

Having built a reputation as a loyal follower, and a conscienceless one as well, Hickman soon became Hyde's bodyguard. The leader had many enemies and feared constantly that someone would take his life. Bill took his second wife at this time, and sent her on to Salt Lake.

A year later when Hickman was reunited with her, he learned that she had a baby. Hickman said it was not his, and the marriage was dissolved.

In 1848 Hyde assigned Hickman the task of finding a gang of counterfeiters who were playing hob by making bogus dollars and half-dollars. Hyde's newspaper, The Frontier Guardian, repeatedly baited the counterfeiters, professing to know who they were. Hyde received a threatening letter for his pains.

Hickman placed himself in the printing shop at night and soon learned who the gang members were and braced them. He told them that if Hyde were in any way harmed, he would hunt them down to the last man. This talking to had the desired effect, but the thorough Hickman was not yet through. He found their presses, broke them and put the moneymakers out of business once and for all.

A few months later a band of roving Omahas stole some horses from the Mormons. Hickman went after them, and found three armed with bows and arrows, driving a small bunch of horses. Taking deliberate aim, he fired. He had waited until two were lined up. The first fell dead, but the second turned toward Hickman and made for him. Before Bill could shoot again, however, the brave fell. When Hickman reached him, he was that his first ball had grazed the Indian's head and that he had fallen unconscious. Bill finished the job; then, seeing that the third buck had made good his escape, Bill calmly rounded up the stolen stock and the Indians horses and returned to the settlement.

The following year a government contractor lost his entire horse herd to thieves. A posse was dispatched after them, but had no luck trying to catch up with the herd. Orson Hyde recommended Hickman for the job, and the following day Bill and another man started out on a cold trail. By traveling light and at night, they soon caught up with the thieves, only to find that they had been expected and had walked into a trap. Bill and his companion found themselves looking down the barrels of four Winchesters.

Bill wrote later, "I looked into their eyes and did not see a shoot in them. We drew our own guns and ordered them to surrender. They came to time, and we arrested four. They took us to another place, and we got two more."

The horses were returned to the owner who paid Bill a good reward which enabled him to buy an outfit. He also took another wife when he returned to Salt Lake.

Orson Hyde, still having his troubles, sent for Hickman once again, telling him that a band of Indians had threatened the settlement of Kanesville. Hickman and four men, well mounted and armed rode into the brush and soon encountered a dozen or more redskins. One loosed two arrows, but fell before the unerring aim of the posse leader. It was but a matter of minutes to kill the poorly armed Indians, and the successful posse rode back and made its report.

From that time on, Hickman was held in high regard, not only by Orson Hyde but by Brigham Young, as well. He became the "enforcer," and served his masters well. Indian troubles were frequent in the Mormon outposts, but the deadly Hickman wreaked terrible vengeance on the marauders.

When he killed the Ute chief, Big Elk, he beheaded him because he had heard that old Jim Bridger had offered $100 for the chief's head. He carried the head with him as long as weather would permit, but finally there came a time when his sensitive nose could stand it no longer. The unfortunate head was tossed into a swift moving creek where it speedily passed from sight and smell.

In Hickman's band rode a hard-eyed Missourian named Hinsley who had a bitter quarrel with another Hickman rider. John Watson was a particular friend of Hickman, and had been a friend of Kit Carson. Hickman described Watson as "a good man, always up front in a fight." Watson feared Hensley, however, and told Hickman of his fears. Hickman talked to Hensley, extracting a promise from him to forget their differences. That night, when the band had bedded down, Hensley snaked his way up to the sleeping Watson, and, holding his revolver against the unsuspecting man's head blew out his brains. Hickman was aroused, but at first decided to say nothing to Hensley until he could take it up the Hyde or Brigham Young - besides, the cold-eyed Hensley was well armed and very nervous.

The following morning Watson was buried, and the men continued their travels. The matter of Watson's murder was not forgotten, however, and Hickman made up his mind to handle the matter himself. He appointed a judge and three jurymen. After a hearing, the jury returned a verdict of murder in the first degree, and Hensley was sentenced to hang.

As Hickman described the scene, "A lariat was put around his neck, thrown over a limb, and he was drawn four feet from the ground, and the other end fastened to a stake. Next morning he was rolled in his blankets and buried under the same tree."

By this time Hickman was taking his orders directly from Brigham Young, according to his narrative. Horse thieves were molesting the hard-working farmers, and a man named Hatch was suspected. Brigham send word that Hatch was to be killed, and Hickman received the assignment. Hickman, in writing about it later, did not admit outright that he committed the murder. He wrote, "Hatch was watched for and shot, lived a few days and died. This was laid to me, and I never denied it!"

The stealing continued and Hickman and his band continued to ride. They captured many thieves and recovered much stolen stock. A Hickman court was held for four men captured in possession of stolen horses. Three men were turned for lack of evidence, but the fourth, found guilty, "was sent down the river with a bullet hole through him."

Shortly after Hickman returned to Salt Lake, some Mormons produced affidavits that Jim Bridger, the old mountain man, was furnishing powder and lead to any Indian who would kill Mormons. The sheriff and 150 men, including soldiers, were sent our to arrest Old Gabe, destroy his fort, and capture his liquor and ammunition. Brigham directed Hickman to accompany Sheriff James Ferguson.

Bridger, of course, had left as soon as he got word of the invasion. Hickman, with tongue in cheek, described the scene at Bridger's Fort. "The Whiskey and rum, of which Bridger had a good stock, was destroyed by doses; the sheriff, most of the officers, the doctor and chaplain of the company, all aided in carrying out the orders, working so hard day and night that they were exhausted, not being able to stand up. But the privates were rationed, and did not do so much."

Although several mountain men along the Green River who got in the posse's way were killed by the Mormons, Bridger got away, more determined that ever to rid the country of the hated sect.

Hickman received an appointment as Deputy U.S. Marshal, serving under U.S. Marshal Joseph L. Heywood. He had also resumed his law studies, and was given a license to practice. During the winter of 1858, Green River County was formed. This area included the homes of the mountain men, who were friends of Jim Bridger's and had no love for the Mormons. Mormon judges and officers were appointed and, because of the evident unrest in the county, Brigham Young sent his faithful Hickman to Green River to keep an eye on things.

A great western emigration of Mormons was scheduled for the following fall and it had been decided that the new county would be their home. Hickman's orders were to make peace with the non-Mormons, and to kill those with whom he could not come to terms. Hickman accompanied Judge Appleby and Bishop Hyde to the new settlement, which was christened "Fort Supply." Hyde had become head of the Church's Twelve Apostles, and the strictest obedience to his directives was required. Hickman, a dedicated man, had no quarrel with any instructions he received. He would leave his family or his business unattended to obey a command.

A young Oregonian named Hartleyhad joined the Church and in due course, married a young girl from Provo. Brigham Young did not like Hartley, and Hyde told Hickman that Brigham wanted the young man killed because he was a spy.

Hickman and one of his band, George Boyd, were given the assignment. The two men were leaving camp for some reason, and the unsuspecting Hartley asked if he could accompany them. Boyd gave Hartley his horse, and the personable young man rode out of camp with Hickman. Hickman wrote, "We started, and about half a mile on had to cross the canyon stream which was midside to our horses. While crossing, Hartley got a shot and fell dead in the creek." When Hickman reported to Hyde, he was told, "You have done well."

Due to the influence wielded by Brigham Young and Hyde, Hickman was appointed sheriff of Green River County. Young had proclaimed the Mormon state, "Deseret," but the United States Government, while not yet at war with the Mormons, declared the same real estate to be Utah Territory. In addition to his duties as sheriff, Hickman was also county prosecuting attorney, assessor and tax collector.

Feeling that Deseret might have difficulty with the Federal Government, Brigham set Hickman to try to arrange a powwow with the great Shoshone Chief, Washakie, in an effort to enlist Indian aid against U.S. troops, and also to insure the safety of the far-flung Mormon settlements. His efforts to locate the chief were not successful.

Hickman went into the stock business with Porter Rockwell, another hard-eyed Mormon enforcer, and would have done well except that Brigham was constantly calling upon them to kill someone or to keep the restless Mormons in line. When Brigham declared Polygamy a desireable thing, in direct opposition to the teachings of Joseph Smith, many Mormons, particularly women, tried to leave the church. It was men like Hickman and Rockwell who kept them in line.

When a mail route was established between Independence, Missouri, and Salt Lake City, Brigham told Rockwell to carry from Salt Lake to Fort Laramie and Hickman from Laramie to Independence. This meant ling absences from the stock ranch founded by the two men and, while they were gone, they lost most of their stock.

The energetic Young then got up an express company. Hickman tried to bowout, but Young would not hear of it, insisting upon full and unflagging obedience in the name of the Church. At all times, Hickman complained in his book, he had to subordinate his own ambitions and support of his growing family to the whims of Brigham Young and Orson Hyde.

The express route was a touch one, going from Salt Lake to Fort Bridger, over South Pass to Devil's Gate on the Sweetwater, and straight east over the bleak, wind-swept plains of Wyoming to Laramie. Besides bad weather, the riders had to constantly contend with Indians. On the first trip, it took the riders forty days.

By 1857, the tension between Young and the Government had reached a point where U.S. troops were sent out. They came through South Pass under the command of Colonel Harney. Harney's orders were to kill or capture the Mormons in high office. Brigham's forces tried to set up an ambush in South Pass to run off the horses, but the plan failed. The troops took over Fort Bridger, and the Mormon General, Burton, made several attempts to stampede the Livestock there, but was unsuccessful.

Colonel Alexander of the U.S. forces made a march west and tried to enter the twenty-mile long Echo Canyon, but the Mormons had so well fortified this entrance that Alexander had to take a circuitous route, entering Salt Lake Valley from the north. The effort to capture Young and the others was unsuccessful, however. During this time Hickman was employed as a spy for General Burton.

Richard Yates was a trader who had been in and out of the Green River country for years. The Indians knew and trusted him. Whenever he arrived with Indian trading goods, he did very well, usually bartering several thousand dollars worth of powder, lead, trinkets, blankets and other goods. Sometimes he would buy beef on the hoof for the Government.

On one occasion Hickman accompanied Yates into Indian country. For some reason Brigham Young felt that Yates was in a reality a spy for Colonel Harney. After riding for some days, Hickman left Yates and returned to Green River County. In the meantime, a Mormon scout named Conover arrested Yates and took him to Fort Bridger, then held by the Mormons. Hickman at his time held the title, "Independent Captain," and was accountable only to Brigham Young.

He was asked if he would take the accused spy, Yates, to Salt Lake City, and he agreed to do so. His brother, T.J. and two of Hickman's band, Lewis Meacham and John Flack, accompanied them. A chain, fastened with a padlock, was placed on Yates' ankles. At the time the party left Bridger, Yates had $900 in gold coins, and a fine gold watch.

At Yellow Creek, where the group camped the first night, they were met by Joseph Young, a son of Brigham. Joseph told Hickman that his father had ordered Yates to be killed. In camp that night, the unsuspecting trader stretched out and, being very tired, dropped off to sleep immediately.

Hickman tells the story: "Colonel Jones, Hosea Stout and another man came to my campfire and asked if Yates was asleep. I told them he was, upon which his brains were knocked out with an axe." Yates was buried where he died, but not until Hickman had removed the money from his body. He professed not to know who had pilfered Yates' fine watch.

Upon arriving in Salt Lake City, Hickman reported directly to Brigham Young, dumping the murdered man's gold on Brigham's desk. Hickman explained the considerable expense he had been put to but Brigham reprimanded him for asking for money when "there is a war to be fought."

Hickman, it appears, may have begun to become somewhat disenchanted with his leader about that time. When Hickman returned to Fort Bridger, he learned that Yates' trading goods and stock, and such other property as had been in the victim's possession, had been appropriated by sundry individuals, with Hickman getting nothing but another murder on his conscience.

The U.S. Government was getting pretty tired of being pushed around, and General S.A. Johnston was sent out to end the "war." The Mormons retreated from Bridger's Fort, burning it and scorching the earth as they moved west over the mountains. Winter halted the campaign, and other matters required Hickman's attention.

Two of Hickman's cohorts, George Grand and William Kimball, had been assigned to kill a man, but he had gotten away from them. Porter Rockwell had likewise failed to do away with the offender so hickman was pressed into service. Brigham told Hickman, "The boys have made a bad job of trying to put a man out of the way. They all got drunk, bruised up a fellow, and he got away from them, came back to the city, and is telling all that happened which is making a big stink. You will have to get him out of the way and 'use him up.'"

Hickman located Kimball and Grant, who told him that he intended victim, known only by his last name, Buck, would be at the home of a man named Dalton. Hickman and a friend named Meacham went to the place at night. Hickman wrote, "The man, Buck, got a shot through the head and was put across the fence in a ditch. A rag was hung on a brush to know the place."

Kimball, Porter Rockwell and a third man got spades and the victim was buried. By having a second party bury the victim of the first party, Brigham was able to keep close check on his independent captains!

At that time, Hickman was forty-two years old, a tough, muscular, heavily built man, full-bearded and not unhandsome. His hair was dark auburn with some gray showing. It was his eyes, though, that told of this man's fierce dedication to his cause. They were dark blue and, on a job or when angry, became electric, flashing and cold.

Leading Brigham's squad of enforcers was not the job for a weakling. This group was known as "Danites," named after the Hebrew tribe of Dan, outcasts like the Mormons, who had so many enemies they could not settle in one place. The tribe's entire history is one of migration. The Danites called themselves "Brigham's Destroying Angels." Their sole occupation was doing away with anyone who was in disfavor with the leaders, whether Gentile or Apostate. And there were many of the latter, bitter, disillusioned followers who had learned, too late, that Brigham's promises often exceeded his ability to deliver. Women, as stated before, were particularly disillusioned since polygamy was not only unpleasant but lawful and obligatory.

Mark Twain in Roughing It, tells of his first meeting with a Destroying Angel. He and his brother were having dinner at the home of a man known to belong to the group. Expecting a terrible sight, Twain wrote that he "had his shudder all ready," but to his surprise, found the Angel to be a dirty old man who did not even have a belt or suspenders to hold up his britches. In spite of this humorous description, the Danites were a formidable force of killers when call upon to act.

With so much dissatisfaction in the ranks of the faithful, how many murders the Destroying Angels perpetrated over the years will never be known. Hickman's book mentions only his own crimes and, quite likely, not all of them. John D. Lee, another Danite chief, at Mountain Meadows oversaw the savage butchery of more then 100 men women and children who had, in some way, angered the great Brigham Young, Twenty years would elapse before Lee would be tried, convicted and executed for that diabolic deed, but that is another story, and Hickman is not directly connected with it.

After the killing of Buck, Hickman learned the full story of the victim's "transgressions." Buck had been one of a party of six which left Sacramento in May, 1857 under the leadership of John Aiken and his brother. It was suspected, and suspected only, that they were spies riding east to meet General Johnston in order to report Mormon strength. Because of the Indian scares, the Aiken party joined a Mormon wagontrain, also eastbound. John Pendleton, leader of the Mormon wagons, was to testify later that he had "never seen a better lot of boys. They were kind, polite and brave - always ready to do anything needed on the road."

When within twenty-five miles of Salt Lake City, the six men of the Aiken group rode on ahead, and upon reaching the city were arrested as spies. The party had livestock, property and money estimated (according to Hickman's account), at $25,000, a huge fortune in those days.

The doomed men were confined, but since there was no legal evidence against them, were released to leave. Four of them did go, accompanied by Danites Rockwell, John Lot, a man named Miles, and a fourth unidentified.

Upon reaching Nephi, Rockwell talked to Bishop Bryant, advising him that his orders were to kill. Bryant appointed four men to assist the Rockwell party. The group rode until nightfall when camp was made. There the unsuspecting Aiken party took off their guns and made ready for bed. When sleep claimed them, the Danites attacked with clubs and kingbolts from the wagons. Two were killed outright, but John Aiken fled into the brush. A man named Klink of the Rockwell party, drew his revolver and shot Aiken in the back. The fourth victim, known to history only as "Colonel" escaped, although wounded.

Aiken was not dead, but feigned death. He heard one of the men say to Rockwell, "Are the damned Gentiles all dead, Port?"

"All but one," answered the Daniet chief, "the s.o.b. ran."

Blood-spattered and severely wounded. Aiken returned to Nephi where he learned that the Colonel had also survived the brutal attack. Ironically, Bishop Bryant extracted the bullets from the wounded men, and told them they must return to Salt Lake City!

In the meantime Rockwell and the other bumblers returned to await another opportunity. When Aiken and the Colonel prepared to leave, they were informed by Bryant that their bill was $30. Neither man had any funds, but Aiken had a fine gold watch easily worth $250, and the Colonel had managed to save his pistol. When told that they must pay before leaving, Aiken offered the watch, but the Bishop chose the Colonel's revolver instead. This was an obvious move, and Aiken turned to the Colonel and, with tears in his eyes, said, "Prepare for death, Colonel, we'll never get out of this valley alive."

They were lent a horse and buggy driven by a Mormon named Wolff. At an apparently deserted cabin. Wolff stopped the horse, unhitched him and mumbled something about having to water the animal. At that signal, two men stepped from the cabin, each carrying a double-barrel shotgun. Without a word they raised up the terrible weapons and shot Aiken and the Colonel in the head. Both men fell dead, and their bodies were weighted with stones and dropped into a deep pit.

It was after that Hickman was called upon to kill Buck, the last remaining member of the wealthy Aiken party. Hickman does not mention the sixth man, the one who had remained with Buck, but presumably he left Salt Lake City before his friends were murdered, or was himself murdered without Hickman's knowledge. Hickman does not mention the disposition of the property of the Aiken party, but doubtless it was taken care of.

For awhile Hickman rested, enjoying life. He sold some cattle to a settler for $2000, and some horses for a profit. He was in constant touch with Brigham Young, and in the spring of 1858, the churchman summoned him.

"Bill," he said, "a man named Drown has returned to Salt Lake. He's a bad man, and we chased him out in '51. He is a horse thief and rustler, and we had to threaten him with shooting to get him to leave. But now he is back and is telling all the bad stories on the Mormons that he knows or invents. Bill, I want you to 'us him up.'" "Use him up" - the death sentence of the Mormons.

That very night, at a celebration for the opening of a new paper, The Mountaineer, Drown was shot in the thigh. Hickman and one of his followers, Mathews, searched for the wounded man but could not find him. The following morning Mathews reported to his chief, "I found where Drown was hiding and got two men and went to the house. He would not let us in, so we kicked in the door and shot him. A man named Arnold was in the house and we shot him, also."

Hickman denied this killing in later years, but the popular account in Utah, also put forth by Twain in Roughing It was that Drown had sued Hickman and had obtained a judgment. The men quarreled with Arnold taking sides with Drown. According to that account, Hickman killed them both. In later years, testimony from former members of the church indicated that it was not for stealing or for antagonizing Hickman that these men were killed, but because they were apostates, a most serious charge in those days!

A man named Franklin McNeal had come to Salt Lake City from Bridge's Fort, and had been arrested by order of Governor Brigham Young. He was kept in custody for three and a half months and, when released, brought suit against Young in U.S. District Court to recover a large sum of money. The word went out that McNeal was to "be used up." and Hickman once again prepared to do his master's bidding.

He found McNeal drunk at Sterritt's Tavern, McNeal, a hard-case, was anything but popular, and Hickman learned that a gunfighter named Rhodes was also seeking McNeal. Hickman decided it would be a good idea to let Rhodes find the intended victim, whom he had threatened in public to kill. The two men met in an alley, and Rhodes drew his revolver first and fired. The wounded McNeal died the next day.

When Hickman reported to Brigham, he was asked who had done the deed. Hickman told him that Joe Rhodes had killed the man, and Brigham said it was a good thing. The suit against Brigham was, of course, dismissed, and no charges were filed against Joe Rhodes.

Hickman was next sent after some horse thieves, and his first move was to contact all known offenders, threatening them with death if they were guilty it this instance. A short time later, seven of these men cornered Bill in the alley behind the livery stable and three of the men had revolvers drawn and cocked. Hickman tried to argue with them, but the more he talked, the less he accomplished.

Finally, seeing that he was going to be shot, Hickman's hands dropped to his low-slung holsters and, before the men could take advantage of the drop, Bill covered them with his two revolvers. The incredible swiftness of his draw unnerved the men, and they turned and ran. Hickman allowed them to go, referring to them as "cowards and thieves." For days after, he heard about threats these men had been making, and he regretted that he had not "used them up" when he had the chance.

A short time later, it was reported to Hickman that the firm of Gilbert and Gerrish had lost seventeen horses, and it was suspected that they had been stolen. Hickman contacted joe Rhodes, the Gentile gunman who was free only because the Mormons felt they might be able to use him. Rhodes accepted $50 from Hickman, in return for which he admitted that the Johnson gang had stolen the horses and had them in the brush about fifteen miles from town. Hickman sent two men to check out the story. They found the horses and returned the stock to the owners.

The thieves, learning that they had lost their booty, threatened Hickman and on Christmas Day, six of them, well-liquored, accosted him. One drew his revolver, but Hickman grabbed it before the man could shoot. Whipping out a knife, he would have killed the man, but the other came forward and grabbed him. Two of the group were trying to get into position to shoot when a friend of Hickman's appeared on the scene and got the drop on them.

Hickman let loose of the man he was holding, and slipped his knife back into the scabbard. No sooner had he turned his back than the man again leveled his pistol. Something must have warned the Danite chief, for he whirled and fell to one side, drawing his own gun as he fell. The man's shot hit Hickman's watch in his front pocket, entered the thigh, and passed around the bone, remaining in the leg. When the horse thief saw that Hickman was not out of action, he began to run. Deliberately, Hickman took aim and fired, the ball striking the fleeing man in the leg. Hickman shot four more times, none of which took effect.

Bill was taken to a doctor's office where he lost a great quantity of blood. When the two doctors, considered to be the best Mormon surgeons in the city, could not extract the ball, they closed up the wound, and told Hickman he would die. Hickman dismissed them and wrapped his leg in ice. It became swollen and inflamed, and finally his wife's cousin, Dr. Hobbs of the U.S. Army, was summoned.

When he opened the wound, Hobbs was revolted at what he saw. "A dirty piece of butchery!" he exclaimed. "If it were not for my respect for the profession, I would say that these men have poisoned you." With that, he removed a dirty green piece of cotton, saturated with something.

Hickman was on crutches for six months, but recovered. During his convalescence, however, his stock was run off and he lost everything he had. He asked for help, but the authorities refused to do anything about it.

In the spring of 1860, Dawson, a Gentile, was appointed Governor. He insulted a Mormon woman on a Salt Lake City street, it was said, and a group of young Mormon toughs gave him a terrible beating. Although most of the people rejoiced at Dawson's "accident," the newspapers raised a hue and cry, and the Government prepared to investigate the matter. To smooth the matter over, Brigham gave an interview during which he denounced the young assailants, and said later in private that "they ought to have their throats cut" for involving the Church in such an outrage.

Two of the boys were arrested and put in prison, without bail. Three others fled the city, but were overtaken by a posse. One refused to return, and was shot in the chest with a load of buckshot. The other two on the way to prison, "tried to escape and both were shot dead."

Both, however, were powder-burned, and one was shot in the face. Hickman must have asked himself how a man running away could have been shot in that manner. Jason Luce, one of the remaining men, when he learned of the fate of his fellows, confessed that Police Captain Bob Golden had given them instructions to give the Governor a good beating. Realizing that they were not to be protected, he decided to confess.

By 1860 Bill Hickman had begun to entertain serious doubts about Brigham Young. After the killing of Hartley whom Brigham had ordered slain "because I have proof of the man's perfidy," Hickman learned without the shadow of a doubt that the man was innocent of Young's charges. He learned, also - to his own satisfaction, at least - that Young- had known that at the time he ordered the man to be "used up." By that time, however, Hickman had graduated from killing persons known to be guilty, to killing those whom Young and Hyde sentenced. He would, later, begin to kill on his own account.

In 1861 Hickman went to Montana to look for gold. He didn't find any, but made $2,000 trading in horses and decided to settle there, intending never again to occupy any position in the Church. He farmed, raising grain and livestock, and became a close friend of General Connor, whom he accompanied on various trips. On one of these scouts in Utah, Hickman discovered a piece of galena ore in Bingham Canyon which, he said, "was the start of mining in Utah."

Bill had his last serious break with Brigham in 1863. Young was an avowed enemy of General Connor, and offered Hickman $1,000 and expenses to kidnap the General and take him to California. Hickman laughed in Young's face, but Brigham apparently took no offense.

Six months later, he approached Hickman again with the same proposition. "Then," wrote Hickman, "I spoke up to Brigham Young for the first time in my life. I said I would not do it, that General Connor was a good man and the best officer ever in Utah, and I knew him to be an honorable man. And what is more, it shan't be done, and I will see to that myself!"

Thus the gauntlet was thrown down by a thoroughly disillusioned man. Would Brigham take the thinly veiled threat lightly, or would it become necessary to take steps - to possibly "use him up" as so many other had been?

Not long afterward, Hickman was arrested on a trumped up charge of burglary after he himself had identified the real burglars and recovered the stolen loot. A friend offered to put up $30,000 bail but the Judge would not allow it, saying that "double that amount would not be an adequate bail." Another friend put up $100,000 and Hickman was reluctantly released on $130,000 bail.

The trial was a long one and, before the case went to the jury, the prosecuting attorney filed a nolle prosequi and Hickman was let go. Then a new charge was filed for which it was necessary to again put up bail. During his time in court, hickman's 200 head of livestock was driven off the ranch and he was told later by one of his few remaining friends that the Bishop had said it would not be sinful to kill and eat Hickman's cattle. He also lost twenty-five blooded horses worth several thousand dollars, either strayed or stolen, and Hickman thought the latter.

The Bishop began undermining Hickman with his wives and children, condemning him as a wicked man. The wives, except for his first, were persuaded to leave, taking the children with them. Hickman pressed for an explanation, and was told that he was in disrepute for consorting with Gentiles, and saying uncomplimentary things about the Church.

A son of Joseph Smith, coming to Salt Lake City from Illinois, preached about Brigham Young's misconduct and deviation from true Mormon principles. Because he had been a friend of the elder Smith, Hickman had a number of visits with the young man, whereupon he was charged with "Josephism" which, as he said, "was enough to damn anybody."

Hickman was soon openly charged with being an apostate, and to avoid further trouble and possibly to save his life, he sold all his holdings at a loss. He arranged to see Brigham once more and explained to the leader that he was having great tribulations. Brigham professed not to know anything about it, and sent his lackey, Sheriff R.T. Burton, to investigate.

Hickman wrote, "Of course, he knew nothing, he being Brigham's dirty jobber as he had been for eight or ten years." Hickman then told Brigham that armed men had been prowling about his house at night, guns in hand, and begged for permission to defend himself. Brigham told him he must not hurt anyone.

Since he had run into a stalemate in Salt Lake City, Hickman bought a small ranch at the mouth of Brigham Canyon. He soon discovered that he was being watched, and having been the Danite chief for so many years, he well understood the portent. One night he saw two men, revolvers in hand, enter the tent where he usually slept. The following night the same thing happened. There was no longer any doubt, if there ever had been, that his life was in danger.

He went to California and visited with his old friend, General Connor. After two months, he wandered to Nevada where he received a letter from his son telling that Brigham Young had asked him to return. Bill gave the request no consideration, however, and was making preparations to go to New York when typhoid fever struck him. His injured leg became swollen and useless. After being alone and sick for four months, he was finally found by some apostate Mormons whom he had befriended some years before. They cared for him until he was able to travel.

Hickman, still trying to believe in a cause that had treated him badly went once more to see Brigham Young. Young accused him of many things which Hickman denied. That was their last visit and from that day Hickman "had no desire to belong to his church."

In the fall of 1870, Hickman's fifty-fifth year, another attack of typhoid laid him low, and while down with this illness he learned that Deputy U.S. Marchal Gilson was seeking him. Although suspicious, Hickman agreed to meet the officer, and they got together in April, 1871. Gilson informed Hickman that he had been assigned to clean up Utah and to arrest the real criminals there.

In order to assure a successful prosecution of Brigham Young, Hickman gave a detailed statement of the Yates murder, emphasizing that it was done solely on Brigham's orders. By agreement Hickman was then arrested by Gilson, whereupon he gave a full statement of all the crimes committed in the Territory with which he was familiar and with which Brigham Young or Orson Hyde were involved. Hickman was kept in "protective custody" at Camp Douglas pending his trial, receiving many threats against his life, should he leave the safety of the garrison.

Hickman's book, Brigham's Destroying Angel; Being the Life, Confession and Startling Disclosures of the Notorious Bill Hickman, the Danite Chief of Utah, was written during his confinement while awaiting trial for the murder of Richard Yates.

It was here that Hickman met J.H. Beadle who agreed, at great risk to himself, to arrange for publication of the Hickman manuscript. With criminal charges being prepared against high church officials, Brigham Young was loudly denouncing Bill Hickman as a notorious criminal, but as Beadle points out, "Why was Hickman not arrested and punished during that long period in which the Mormons arrested and punished whomsoever they pleased?" Then, answering his own question, he goes on, "Ah, why indeed - except upon the explanation in this book."

Upon the information furnished by Hickman to the Federal Marchals, Brigham Young and many other church leaders were indicted for murder. They fled to the south of Utah which was practically inaccessible to strangers, but were tracked down by the relentless Federal Officers. The three Church dignitaries, accused with Brigham Young of conspiring to have Yates murdered were Daniel H. Wells, the Mayor of Salt Lake City; Josea Stout; and W. H. Kimball. These men were arrested on October 28, 1871 and returned to Salt Lake City, but were never brought to trial. The charges against hickman were likewise quashed, and the erstwhile Danite leader dropped from sight.

"Revenge is mine," saith the Lord, and Brigham said it, also. From that time on, Bill Hickman was a marked man but, having practically written the rules, he knew how to play the game, and no other "Destroying Angels" were ever able to get within shooting distance of him.

Hickman's friend, Porter Rockwell, died June 9, 1878. He sometimes was known to sleep of his prodigious drunks in the Colorado Livery Stable in Salt Lake City. The official opinion was that death was "caused by sever vomiting which could have been caused by liquor."

Hickman spent his last years in Lander Wyoming, at that time located in Sweetwater County. He died there August 21, 1883, being 68 years old. Presumably his death, unlike the deaths of John D. Lee and Porter Rockwell, was a quiet one, not attended by the ghosts of those whom he had in the name of righteousness, "used up."