“As far as I’m concerned, you’re talking a lot of fucking rubbish,” Keseberg replied, smiling crookedly in a way no one could mistake for nice. “I’m referring to biblical law.” He assassinated John Snyder. He is deserving of death.”
People tended to listen to Keseberg, no matter how repulsive he was. He wielded some sort of authority over them.
Mary’s own voice was suffocating in her throat. She felt compelled to say something, but she refrained.
She had always been a sensible person, almost to the point of being cynical. She wished she was more impassioned at times, that her convictions poured out of her unfiltered and uninhibited.
Perhaps it was those qualities in Tamsen that drew Stanton in. Mary remained silent. She was relieved that some of the others did not share Keseberg’s viewpoint. Milt Elliott ultimately replied, “I’m not going to kill a man unless a judge orders it.” “We don’t want to do something that would lead to difficulties down the road.”
“It’s time to expel him.” Tamsen abruptly spoke out. With a tiny rustling of material, everyone looked to her. Despite all that had happened—despite how disliked and distrusted she was now—she kept her head high and made eye contact with no fear. She appeared almost regal to Mary.
When Mary saw her, something in her gut wrenched. It was evident that many were still terrified of her. Mary remained silent. She was relieved that some of the others did not share Keseberg’s viewpoint. Milt Elliott ultimately replied, “I’m not going to kill a man unless a judge orders it.” “We don’t want to do something that would lead to difficulties down the road.”
“It’s time to expel him.” Tamsen abruptly spoke out. With a tiny rustling of material, everyone looked to her. Despite all that had happened—despite how disliked and distrusted she was now—she kept her head high and made eye contact with no fear. She appeared almost regal to Mary.
When Mary saw her, something in her gut wrenched. It was evident that many were still terrified of her. Peggy Breen and Eleanor Eddy told anybody who would listen that the woman was sucking the life out of George Donner with her witchcraft. There was also the event with the fire. Even if Mary didn’t believe the worst of the stories, she could see that Tamsen was taking a big risk by speaking out for Reed now.
Taking a chance when Mary hadn’t.
Tamsen stated, “It is God’s place to judge him, not ours.” “For those of you who believe this is an overly light sentence, keep in mind that a man cannot survive in the wild on his own. It’s as though sending him out is a death sentence.”
Walt Herron observed, “He could get a crazy hair up his arse and speak out of turn.” Snyder’s friend, Walt, had been the closest thing he had to a friend. “However, as Keseberg pointed out, that is no cause to murder him.”
A murmur reverberated throughout the crowd. Mary glanced around to see a brief scuffle in the crowd before Margaret Reed pushed her way into the clearing.
She spoke to Donner alone, as if the others didn’t matter. “Please don’t kill my James,” I implore. She was a petite woman who appeared to be ill. But there was still something ferocious about her, like if she were a blade. “I don’t deny that he did something bad. He murdered a man, and he should be punished. But, please, take into account the conditions and all that he’s done for the waggon train.”
“What good has he done?” you might wonder. “In the desert, he nearly killed us,” Keseberg recalled.
“We’d have had to face that godforsaken terrible desert regardless of who was guiding us,” Lavinah Murphy added, her face solemn. She’d pushed her way to the front as well, and now stood slightly to the right of Margaret, like a soldier behind a captain. Lavinah was well respected in the company as a mother of thirteen and the lone woman in the waggon train leading a family, while there were others who whispered about her Mormon beliefs. Keseberg was taken aback by the news. Mary wasn’t sure she’d ever heard someone speak out against Keseberg, and it’s possible he hadn’t either.
“Didn’t James get us through?” Margaret was adamant. “No one died, despite the fact that we all expected it.”
There was no one who complained. It was true what she said.
Margaret continued, “Killing him isn’t going to bring the man back.” “Every one of you, before you make your decision, listen to me. I’m not sure why James did what he did, but I implore you to think about him as a whole and see if you can’t find mercy in your heart. I was a new widow, unwell, and responsible for feeding four mouths. When no one else would, James Reed agreed to marry me.
He’s given my children a place to live, a roof over their heads, and food on the table. He’s handled them as if they were his own children. Isn’t it only a man of extraordinary compassion and goodwill who would do such a thing?”
As she listened, Mary’s eyes welled up with tears.
Margaret remarked, her body obviously quivering but her jaw and attitude solid, “He worked his fingers to the bone for the children of a father he never met.” “What kind of man would do such a thing?” “Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, Please don’t hurt my hubby.”