End of a Dynasty
THE PREEMINENT news event of the decade that Lockley, Prescott and Hamilton published in The Salt Lake Tribune was the death of Brigham Young on August 29, 1877. As editors, they fumbled the big story initially but quickly recovered and gave it the attention it deserved. In the issue of August 28, The Tribune reported that the prophet had been stricken with a serious illness. The article speculated that the illness might have been caused by the shock of survey taken by his "minions" and reported to him at a priesthood meeting the previous evening. This survey, the article continued, showed that the prophet's power was slipping; that of some 30,000 residents in the center stake, less than 8,000 could be classed as faithful followers. "Brigham," the article concluded, "could not believe it. He said the report was inaccurate, and he therefore refused to accept it, directing the bishops to have their teachers do their work over and bring the figures up to a respectable showing." i It should be noted here that Tribune reports of events within the church, which probably were supplied by disgruntled Mormon participants, were sometimes proved to be wildly inaccurate by subsequent disclosures. In the issue appearing on the morning of August 29, The Tribune reported that the prophet's bowel derangement had 44
