Murders in Pole Canyon and Utah’s First Execution

A large portion of Eagle Mountain is located in the Cedar Valley. On the West slopes of that valley is a canyon that is called pole canyon. It is located close to the city of Cedar Fort and the Eagle Mountain subdivision White Hills. The canyon was, as its name suggests, a place where the early residents would find poles used for building houses and fences to assist in taming the frontier during early settlement of the valley. The Book “Our Roots Grow Deep: A History of Cedar Valley” written by Margery J. Peterson contains an article (date unknown) that was written by Carol Jensen a “Deseret New Correspondent”, that gives this information about the pole canyon murders.

“The Weeks brothers incident occurred Aug. 8, 1854, just two years after the settlement of Cedar Fort. Most of the homes were still within the stone fort wall because Indian hostilities had been a problem since. Allen Weeks, Eli Bennett, Claybourne Thomas and Alfred Bell entered the valley as homesteaders. On the tragic day, Allen Weeks sent his two sons, William and Warren, into Pole Canyon two or three miles away to get a load of poles. They never returned. Their mutilated bodies were found the next morning. The town constable, David Craft was able to persuade some friendly Indians to capture and take to Salt Lake City those Indians responsible for the murders. They were tried and convicted, then changed, the first Utahns to be executed, according to one history book.”

Peterson’s book contains several references to the incident from several different sources. The section titled “Indian Experiences – An Early Challenge” gives some more details on what happened.

“At this time there was also trouble again with the Goshute Indians within Cedar Valley. This dispute instigated a great tragedy that took place in Cedar Fort. The settlers had returned to their homes from the protection in Lehi and once again felt secure. On August 8,1854, Bishop Weeks found he needed some poles. Usually the men went together in groups to get poles, but this day he sent he two teenage sons, William (18 years old) and Warren (16 years old) to Pole Canyon; being a distance of two or three miles. When the boys did not return in the evening with their load of poles, the fearful parents watched, prayed and waited until about midnight, when Bishop Weeks and his brother-in-law, Eli Bennett, walked up in to the canyon. Just as it was beginning to get light, they found the mutilated bodies of the Week’s boys. Mr. Bennett said, “I was leading the way and came upon them first. Their father was old and partially blind, and as soon as I realized what had happened, I turned the old man around and led him home. The townspeople were gathered in groups awaiting our return. Later that day, sorrowing neighbors went up the canyon to recover the bodies for burial.” (i) It was reported by descendants of the Week’s family that the boys had met five hungry Goshute Indians. They shared their lunch, and when there was not more, they attacked the boys. Warren knocked the foremost Indian down, but soon they overpowered and killed both boys, eating Warren’s heart, because he fought so bravely. The Indian tradition was to cut out the heart of a courageous warrior and eat it. This ceremony had taken place. The boys had also been scalped and their bodies mutilated. David K. Crafts was the constable at this time. He and others, including Bishop Evans of Lehi, talked to the friendly Indians (a chief named YanTan and his clan) and obtained the names of the murderers. It was the vicious Knolzoent and Uanzitch who were responsible. The friendly Indians delivered them to Mr. Crafts, who took them to Salt Lake City, where they were tried and convicted of their crime. They were hanged for the murders. This was the first hanging under the law in the Utah territory. It was reported that Allen Weeks was able to overcome his hatred, and even fed the culprits, clothed in his sons clothes at his table.”

I believe, but am unable to confirm that Knolzoent and Uanzitch are translated to Antelope and Long Hair. I was unable to find any reference to those two names, but I did find records of Antelope and Long Hair that were used in several accounts. Another section titled, “Cedar Valley” that was contributed by Patricia Carson, also gives us some details on the incident.

“Mr. Week’s was an old man, who had partly lost his eye sight. His two boys were going to Pole Canyon for a load of poles on a Sunday morning. The parent’s tried to stop them so they wouldn’t be going on Sunday. When the Indians attacked the two boys in Pole Canyon only two of the Indians in the group wished to kill the boys. The others wanted to let them go about their work, but the two Indians won out. They killed the oldest boy first. The little one picked up the axe and put up such a good fight that after the Indians had killed him they cut out his heart and ate it thinking that this would also make them brave. When the men from Cedar Fort went in search of the boys the one’s in the lead found the bodies and waved to the others to take the father back so he wouldn’t see the condition of his son’s bodies. Some of the men of the village decided that if they gave a big feast and invited all the Indians to the dinner they would find out who had killed the boys. The plan worked. All of the Indians were at the dinner table except the two guilty red men. They stayed outside. These two Indians were killed at the Point of the Mountain. Mr. Thomas, who told me the story didn’t remember if they were shot or hung.”

William Lucene Cook says is quoted as saying this about the incident, “I remember the rock fort built in the center of town; it being 4 feet wide and 12 feet high. It was used quite extensively by the town people when the Indians went on the rampage. Two Weeks boys were killed at the mouth of Pole Canyon, and their hearts were cut out by the Indians. That bothered me some for a while, but you soon forget it and go on living.” Julia Cook during an interview related this about the incident, “Up until two years before she died, she laid out every person who died in Cedar Fort, even her own family. Among those whom she could never quite get over, were two boys by the names of William and Warren Weeks, very dear and good friends of hers. These boys went to Pole Canyon to get wood. The neighbors warned them that Indians were in a bad mood, but they said they would be back early and when they did not come, the father got his brother-in-law Eli Bennett to go with him to find them. Just as it was getting light in the morning they come onto their badly mutilated bodies where the Indians had killed them. They were sons of Ceder Forts first Bishop, Allen Weeks. To give the boys any resemblance of a decent look was right hard in those days, and it was months before Julia ever recovered from the horrible experience.” The Desert News reported on August 17th, 1854, nine days after the incident in an article entitled, “Shocking Murder” includes some more details. “Following the wagon tracks, they came to where it had been turned off the road, and a short distance farther found the dead bodies of the cruelly murdered boys. They were shot twice through the chest, had their scalps torn off, and were otherwise horribly mutilated.” The article then tries to lower the hostilities the event caused between the Indians and the residents, “it is highly probable, and indeed quite certain, that the merciless deed was committed by a few reckless savages, without the previous countenance or knowledge of any tribe, or even of the majority thereof.” The article continues, “While we deeply sympathize with the bereaved relatives, we discern no cause for deviating from the constantly counseled policy of kind, tho’ firm treatment of the Indians generally..” “Insomuch as the Indians prove energetic and faithful in delivering up transgressors against us, to be tried by our laws, any white person for unjustifiably killing or abusing an Indian, will be rigorously dealt..” It is recorded that, “Antelope and Long Hair” were executed by hanging on September 15, 1854 for killing “two sons of a Mormon bishop in Cedar Valley.” The account is included in a book called, “Legal Executions in the Western Territories, 1847-1911”. The account differs slightly on how the two Indians were discovered and taken into custody. But it does contain some information on the trial and execution. “The two prisoners were charged with murder and tried by a people’s court. Five witnesses were called, including three friendly Utes, Allen Weeks, and Ian Fitch. Antelope and Long Hair were convicted of first degree murder and sentence to hang on September 15, 1854, and the two condemned men were held under close guard until the date set for their execution. On the final morning the party proceeded to the Jordan River Bridge, leading to two condemned Indians with their hands bound behind them. At the bridge, ropes were tied to beams while the prisoners legs were bound. They were stood up on the edge of the bridge and blindfolded, and the nooses were placed around their necks and cinched tight. Two men lifted each Indian and dropped him straight down, and each condemned man broke his neck in the fall. After the bodies hung a time sufficient to ensure death their remains were pulled up, the ropes were cut, and the bodies were delivered to the Ute Indians for burial.” The Daily Globe, a DC paper, in their October 20, 1854 issue mentions the execution. “In the United States court, Chief Justice Kinny presiding, assisted by John Schaeffer, Longhair and Antelope, two Utah Indians, were tired for murder, committed in Utah County on the 8th day of August 1854 on the bodies of two Mormon lads, found guilty, and sentenced to be hung on the 15th ultimo.” Chief Justice Kinny was appointed by President Franklin Pierce as the chief justice of the supreme court of the Territory of Utah and served from January 1854 to 1857.