1884-11-11-Arizona

"Some More Lies Nailed."

Some More Lies Nailed," Latter-Day Saints Millennial Star 46:50 (December 15, 1884) p. 793.

Elder [George] Goddard, in his letter to us which we publish in another part of this Star, refers to a sensational article which recently appeared in the "New York Sun," in which the "Mormons" are charged with attempting to take a certain Miss Coop to Utah against her will. The "Mormon" elders on the S.S. Arizona are also accused of drinking, card playing, and taking indecent liberties with the passengers.

We did not at the time think this foolish story worthy of notice, but finding it copied by many English newspapers, and learning that in some places it had been the cause of much annoyance to the Saints, we mentioned the matter to the officers of the Arizona, who very promptly furnished us with the following statement for publication:S.S. Arizona, Dec. 6, 1884.

We hereby certify that the statement recently published in the "New York Sun," and extensively copied in English papers, in regard to an influence being exercised by the "Mormons" on the steamship Arizona to take Miss Lavinia Coop to Utah against her will, is false. No violence, nor show of violence, was used by any "Mormon" with Miss Coop or anyone else.

We understand that Miss Coop was not a member of the "Mormon" Church, but was going out at her own request to her foster-mother, who is a "Mormon," and who had sent the means for her emigration to Utah.

The story about the elders smoking, drinking, card-playing, and taking improper liberties with the passengers, is false in every particular.

Samuel Brooks, Commander.G. E. Hammill, Purser.

Journal of George Goddard

Goddard, George. Journal (Ms 4027), reel 2, fd. 8, vol. 15, pp. 114-132.

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Monday, Nov. 10th Arose early & enjoyed a most delightful sight, a clear blue sky, the moon & stars, with a low stretch of dark clouds skirting along the eastern horizon, so closely resembling a land coast that most of the passengers were deceived by it. At 7 o'clock the pilot came aboard and at the same time the sun was rising, the grandeur of which must be seen to be appreciated. The wind is as calm and the sea as smooth as a parlor carpet. The pilot brought with him a batch of papers which created quite an excitement to learn who was elected president, Blaine or Cleveland, but the news could not be ascertained. Nearly all the passengers were on deck early to enjoy the lovely sight & [-] balmy air. It seemed an ample compensation for all the sickness & unpleasant sea life they had passed through. [p. 121] Between 12 & 10 o'clock the sea was almost alive with porpoises playfully jumping in & out of the water, thousands if not millions of them. We cast anchor soon after supper in sight of Staten Island, Coney Island, Sandy Hook, & about 20 miles from New York. The elders met in Captain Smith's room for prayers. Brother Smith was mouth. We then visited the Saints & the captain gave them good counsel and I offered up a prayer. We had a beautiful sunset. The passengers are looking healthy except two. We visited the Saints, had prayers with them, and gave them instructions. The elders also met in Brother Smith's room to return our thanks and express our gratitude to God, our Heavenly Father, for preserving our lives across the stormy ocean and also to ask his further protection while we pursue our [p. 122] journey across the continent per railway.

Tuesday, Nov. 11th Up at 5 a.m. and arranged my valise, &c. Had breakfast at the usual time. We were enveloped in a dense fog and waiting for the tide to rise sufficient to take us over the bar. We moved slowly until at 1/4 to 2 p.m. we reached the Guion Pier. Here we met Brother Hart and unloaded our luggage and passed the ordeal of excise, regulations, then reloaded our boxes, &c. on a barge together with the Saints and went to Castle Garden for the night, when I left for Battery Place and finished my letters for Deseret News. J. H. Smith, Mary, Sister Anne, Heber, and Brother Johnson, and I posted them. Then accompanied [p. 123] Brother Hart on the elevated roadway to New York Grand Central Hotel. Called at the Tremont Restaurant for supper and my friend, C. R. Savage, seeing me at the table came in and we enjoyed a happy greeting after which we went to Brother Hart's room & found him & his wife in comfortable quarters at the Grand Central Hotel. In a short time Brother Clawson and James Durger came in, the latter and myself were mutually pleased to greet each other over 2,000 miles from our homes.

Wednesday 12 - Paid $1.00 for a bed at the Tremont House. Had breakfast with Leo Clawson & C. R. Savage, the latter paid. Busy around Castle Garden buying lunch, &c. met Alexander Majors at the Grand Central Hotel. [p. 124] [NEW YORK, LAKE ERIE, & WESTERN IS WRITTEN AT THE TOP OF PAGE 125] We all moved from Castle Garden and our luggage on a barge to the railroad depot about past 5 and soon got safely secured in the railroad cars and on our journey from the Jersey City Depot at 8:45 �

Letter from George Goddard - November 11, 1884

Goddard, George, [Letter], Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star 46:47 (November 24, 1884) pp. 747-48.

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Monday, the 10th, we arose early and found the deck alive with passengers, out to drink in the balmy air of the most beautiful morning since we started. A clear blue sky was over our head, with its pale moon and twinkling stars, and around us a sea as smooth as a carpet, while along the eastern horizon stretched a line of low black clouds, which nearly all the passengers mistook for land. About 7 a.m. steam was turned off to take in our pilot, which infused new life and expectancy among the anxious passengers. Next came the rising of the king of day, whose glorious face gleamed above the horizon to give warmth and vigor to all on board, which every one appreciated.

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Letter from George Goddard - November 20, 1884

Goddard, George, [Letter], Latter-Day Saints' Millennial Star, 46:50 (December 15, 1884) pp.797-98.

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On the morning of our arrival in New York, we were much annoyed by the Irish clamor of some of the intermediate passengers who had induced a girl from Stockport, by the name of Lavinia Coop, to change her mind and say she did not want to go to Utah. Some of the Irish were bitter in their imprecations towards the elders for attempting to force an innocent girl to go to Utah against her will. President Smith, who asked the girl in the presence of a host of hot-headed Irishmen, if she wished to go on with the company to her mother in Ogden, or not, she answered by saying she did not wish to go. 'Then,' said Brother Smith, 'you are at perfect liberty to stay.' Some of them acted more like demons than anything else, and rendered it unsafe for the elders to pass by them. On arrival at the Guion Pier, Brother Hart spoke to an officer, and instructed him to take the girl from her betrayers, and place her under the control of the Commissioners, which he did in my presence. The first morning after our arrival in New York, "the Sun" contained a savage and untruthful account of the affair, and charging the elders with living like nabobs, drinking champagne, playing cards and gambling with anyone on board. Brother Hart told me he would reply to it in the next issue, and also an interviewer from "the Sun" came expressly to learn our side of the story, for he felt satisfied there was another version of the affair. Whether he published it or not I do not know.

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