This Day In Gay Utah History October 18

October 18th

Howard Egan

1851 – The first murder trial in Utah was of confessed murderer (and newly returned-missionary) Howard Egan. His lawyer Apostle George A. Smith popularizes phrase "mountain common law" and argues: "The man who seduces his neighbor's wife must die, and her nearest relative must kill him!" Fifteen minutes later jury found Egan not guilty of murder. Church authorities print Smith's closing argument in Deseret News, in two church pamphlets, and later in Journal of Discourses 1:97. Egan is one of Brigham Young's enforcers. “

• A case very much similar to this (the murder of Dr. Vaughn)

  

  George A Smith

  occurred in the territory later in the season of 1851 which was tried in the October term that year in the First District Court of the United Sates for Territory of Utah, the Hon. Zerubbabel Snow on the bench. This case of the United States vs. Howard Egan who was indicted and arranged for killing James Madison Monroe. The prosecution was conducted by the Hon. Seth M. Blair, United States Prosecuting Attorney and the prisoner was defended by Joseph Smith's cousin, George A. Smith and W.W. Phelps. After the charge to the jury of Judge Snow, the jurors returned a verdict of not guilty. 
• James M. Monroe was born 9 Jan 1822 in Eire County,  Pennsylvania the son of William and Rebecca Monroe. Monroe was baptized a member of the Mormon Church on October 3, 1841 in Utica, NY where he taught school. After his conversion he moved to Illinois and on August 22, 1842, Monroe opened a school in Nauvoo. His first roll showing thirty-seven students. In November he advertised that he would teach reading, writing, and spelling for $2.00 and grammar, arithmetic, geography, and philosophy for $3.00. Following this, his roll includes names of quite a number of adults.  Monroe received a patriarchal blessing from Hyrum Smith on 12 March 1843 in Nauvoo and then on the 10th of April 1843 was called on a mission for the church to New York where he baptized many converts.  After returning to Nauvoo in October 1843 Monroe continued to teach and became an “enthusiatic student of phrenology” [a theory stating that the personality traits of a person can be derived from the shape of the skull.] and stated “I am fully satisfied of the truth of the Science and wish to profit by it.” Monroe was held in high esteem in Nauvoo and was appointed a regent of the University of Nauvoo on December 4, 1844 and a member if the board of trustees of the Seventies

  

  Emma Smith and son David

  Library and Institute Association on December 25. After the death of her husband, Emma Smith employed Monroe as a tutor for her children. During the turbulent times after the murder of Joseph Smith, the “dashing young teacher”, more and more became a confidant of the widow, Emma.  She confided in him her dislike of Brigham Young, fearful that Young would deprive her children of their inheritance as the heirs of Joseph Smith.  It was as a school teacher to the children of other Mormon authorities that he met Tamson Egan, a wife of Howard Egan, Joseph Smith’s bodyguard.  Monroe’s journal through April and May of 1845 contains many interesting items regarding conditions in Nauvoo. 24 Apr 1845 Emma Smith explained her understanding of the succession issue to James Monroe: "Whereas it is the business of the first Presidency, more particularly to govern the Church of Zion, and the members abroad have a right to appeal to that quorum from the decisions of the Twelve. Now as the Twelve have no power with regard to the government of the Church in the Stakes of Zion, but the High Council have all power, so it follows that on removal of the first President, the office would devolve upon the President of the High Council in Zion, as the first President always, he is the head; thus there would be no schism or jarring. But the twelve would attend to their duties in the world and not meddle with the government of the church at home and the High Council in Zion and the first Presidency would to their business in the same place....Mr. Rigdon is not the proper successor of President Smith, being only his counselor, but Elder Marks should be the individual as he was not only his councilor at the time of his death, but also President of the High Council" (James M.

  

  William B. Smith

  Monroe Diary, 24 Apr. 1845, Beinecke Library). On May 11, 1845 James Monroe wrote: I then went up to the stand and found William Smith preaching. He did not seem to approve the harsh measures now going on to get rid of our enemies, but advised the Saints to leave judgment in the hands of God, and continue the mild law abiding course we had hitherto taken. He seemed determined to live up his privilege and stand in his place, let what would come.” (James M. Monroe Diary pg. 121) Monroe loyalty to William B. Smith, the only surviving Smith brother and patriarch of the church was rewarded with him becoming Smith’s scribe. 24 May 1845 At William B. Smith's request, the Twelve ordained him the Presiding Patriarch. Shortly after this ordination William Smith began claiming that this ordination meant he should be the President of the Church, because of Hyrum Smith's position as both Patriarch and Associate President (Smith, History of the Church, 7:418). On 19 Oct 1845 Monroe’s protector, William B. Smith was excommunicated for publishing a pamphlet against the Twelve (Smith, History of the Church, 7:483). Howard Egan, a native of Ireland, married Tamson Partly when she was 14 years old. The couple joined the Mormon Church in Massachusetts and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois where Egan became an officer on the city police force and a Major in the Nauvoo Legion.  Egan was chosen as a body guard for Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet.  Hosea Stout specifically referred to Howard Egan, Porter Rockwell, and Ephraim Hanks as “some of the Be’hoys”, which according to Mormon historian Michael Quinn was American slang in the 19th century meaning “gang member” or thug. Egan would also provided lifelong security to Brigham Young. Egan as a member of the Smith’s inner circle was allowed to practice secret polygamy in Nauvoo. However because his “marriages” were kept a secret, he was almost punished for being an adulterer. In 1844 Egan was ordered castrated by his boss Chief of Police Hosea Stout for adultery with the “widow” Clawson.  However John D. Lee before carrying out the orders checked with Hyrum Smith and was informed how Egan was “married” to the Widow Clawson according to Joseph Smith’s revelation and this spared being sexually maimed. Howard Egan, for his loyaty to Brigham Young and polygamy became a “Mormon patriarch” with three wives when he moved to Utah with Brigham Young. After establishing himself in Utah, Egan was called by Brigham Young to the gold fields of California in 1849. After the majority of Mormons left to settle in Utah, James Monroe came to Salt Lake City about 1849 and became acquainted with old friends from Nauvoo, one being Tamson Egan. Tamson Egan, who was abandoned by egan for younger wives “felt very much alone knowing that every short visit from her husband must be shared with his other two wives,” lost her faith in Mormonism but was stranded in Utah. She “found the company of her old friend, James Monroe, a great comfort,” and the two fell in love. When Howard Egan returned to Salt Lake City in 1851 from the gold fields of California, he found that Tamson Egan, had become pregnant during his absence. To avoid a confrontation with Egan, Tamsen encouraged James Monroe to leave Salt Lake City during the winter of 1850-51 to return to the East. Mrs. Egan and Monroe's child, William Monroe Egan, was born the summer of 1851. Egan would raised the child as his own son. Several months after the birth of the child, Egan learned that James Monroe was returning to Utah from the east with a freight wagon train of merchandise for the Salt Lake City store owned by Monroe's uncles John and Enoch Reese. In September of 1851, Egan met the freight train at Yellow Creek near Cache Cave on what is now the Utah-Wyoming border. Egan met the unarmed James Monroe at his camp, talked with him about half an hour, then rose up and blew his brains out with a pistol.  In the presence of several witnesses there at the camp Egan exclaimed, "I have just shot the seducer of

  

  James Monroe's grave

  my wife. This vengeance is sweet to me".  Monroe’s remains were brought to Salt Lake City and buried without an inquest, and the murderer, Egan arrived without being arrested. The first murder trial in Utah was tried in October Term 1851 involving Howard Egan who murdered James Monroe. He was tried in the First Judicial Court of the Territory of Utah and acquitted. Church authorities repeatedly published the full text of Smith’s concluding argument  which in part added, "The principle, the only one that beats and throbs through the heart of the entire inhabitants  of this Territory, is simply this: The man who seduces his neighbors wife must die, and her nearest relative must kill him!" (Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, p.97) Egan later became a successful rancher and helped maintained the express stations for the Pony Express.  According to a family biography, Egan “became a special guard for President Brigham Young at the Lion house and Church Offices before and at the time of Pres. Brigham Young’s last illness and acted as special nurse.”  From Young’s death in August 1877 to his own death in 1878, Egan was “special guard at his grave. Major Howard Egan died in March of 1878 after becoming ill while guarding Brigham Young's grave.   He "got his feet wet one dark night and took sick, which resulted in inflammation of the bowels, and died at the age of sixty-three." Curious Case of James Madison Monroe

Lewis Powell

1977- Citizens United to Protect Our Children, an organization in Portland OR, announced they had failed to get enough signatures to get a recall election of Mayor Neil Goldschmidt after he declared Portland Gay Pride Day.

1990-Former Supreme Court justice Lewis Powell declared that he believe he made a mistake by voting to uphold Georgia's sodomy laws in the 1986 Bowers v Hardwick case.

1990- Three white supremacists were convicted of conspiring to to bomb Neighbours Disco at Broadway and Pike Street in Seattle, on Capitol Hill, a popular, gay-oriented restaurant and nightspot.  A

Neighbours

federal grand jury on Thursday indicted three Idaho men linked to a white supremacist group, alleging they conspired to blow up the gay nightclub. Robert John Winslow, 29, of Laclede, and Stephen E. Nelson, 35, of Hayden Lake and James P. Baker, 57, of Coeur d'Alene - all were associated with the Church of Jesus Christ Christian, better known as the Aryan Nations, based in Hayden Lake. The church has preached a religion of white supremacy and vowed to establish a whites-only enclave in the Pacific Northwest. Baker, Nelson and Winslow  were held on two counts of conspiring to destroy Neighbours Disco, and one count of possessing a destructive device. A test bomb was detonated on April 14 in Idaho, with  plans to blow up Neighbours and later  other bars in Seattle.

Clayton Hartvig on right

1991-Admiral Frank B Kelso, chief of naval operations, announced that the explosion of the USS Iowa which killed forty-seven men had been proven not to have been caused by a wrongful intentional act and apologized to the family of Clayton Hartwig who was killed in the explosion. Hartwig had been accused of intentionally causing the blast as a suicide attempt following the break up of a homosexual affair.

1998 Eight West and East high pupils challenged the Salt Lake City School Board’s ban of all non-curricular clubs as unfair and shortchanging students.

1998 The new Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Utah grand Opening held. Kim Russo gave keynote address on Utah’s Gay history from information provided by Ben Williams.  Jim Dabakis Chair of the Board of Directors and Monica Predovich Executive Director.  Stonewall Coffee shop was housed within the building.

2003 Saturday Ani DiFranco in Concert

Ani Franco

Huntsman Center, ast part of the U of U Gay Pride week  7:30 PM Tickets $27.50 for general public and $17.50 for students with valid ID. Tickets are available at the Huntsman Center Ticket Office 

Syren Vaughn

2003 BREAST CANCER WALK - Saturday, October 18 congratulations to Princess Royale XXVII Syren Vaughn for her amazing efforts in spearheading TEAM RCGSE for our 3rd year to be in the annual City of Hope Breast Cancer Walk.  Under Syren's leadership, the RCGSE donated over $2000 to the City of Hope organization, and as the challenge stipulated – Syren completed the walk in drag.  Thanks also to Krystyna for joining Syren in drag Saturday morning and showing sisterly Princess support - yeah Princess Power! Much appreciation goes to all members of TEAM RCGSE: Michael Canham, Ray & Alan, Mike & Alfredo, Thom Lee, Derek Beebe, Dixxie Vaughn and Jenni Sessions.  I must say that watching Mike, Alfredo, Ray and Alan doing aerobics before the walk was truly on of the highlights 

2003 DIVAS LAS VEGAS II - Saturday, October 18 The audience in attendance and the

Mark Thrash

number of performers were both few Saturday night, but Princess Royale XXVIII Krystyna Shaylee presented a wonderful show which raised $615 for the People with AIDS Xmas Fund.  Reincarnating herself completely four times that evening: Liza, JLo, Selena and Tina - Krystyna was truly a diva that evening.  Thank you to all the performers: Kennedy Cartier, Thom Lee, Princess Royale XIX Chyna Cartier and Kassidy Vaughn.  Thank you to Sebastian Cruz for overseeing the raffle and for your generous donations! I hope to see everyone at Court Meeting this Tuesday, City Library - 7:30 PM. In Service... Mark Thrash Co-President Emperor 28

Riki Wilchins

2005 "Breaking Through." The 5th Annual University of Utah LGBT Resource Center PRIDE Gala Dinner. This event is will be held at the Jewish Community Center.  The Dinner will feature  transGENDER activist Riki Wilchins, and Performing Artist Sacha Sacket.  While she started out as a transgender leader—founding the first national transgender advocacy group (GenderPAC) -- her analysis and work broadened over time to include discrimination and violence regardless of individuals' identity. While this perspective has been widely accepted, its breadth has provoked criticism by some in the transgender community. Wilchins' work and writing has often focused on youth, whom she not only sees as uniquely vulnerable to the gender system's pressures and harm, but whom she sees as capable of "looking with fresh eyes." Wilchins' work has been instrumental in bringing transgender rights into the mainstream LGBT movmement, and has helped bring awareness of the impact of gender norms to a wider audience. In 2001, Wilchins' work resulted in her being selected one of just six community activists named by TIME Magazine among its "100 Civic Innovators for the 21st Century." A founding member of Camp Trans, since the mid-1990s Wilchins has been highly active in founding a number of organizations

Bonnie Owens

2005 Tuesday, From: "LGSU Presidency" To: "Ben Edgar Williams" Subject: Re: Utah Stonewall Historical Society Ben, I am writting just to confirm that you are still planning on coming to our meeting on Oct 24th and to ensure that you still have all the details.  Again thanks for your intended participation. Bonnie Owens LGSU co-president Oct 24th, 7:30pm.  Union room 161, Here is a map and and the address.

• Thu, 27 Oct 2005 From: "LGSU Presidency" To: "Ben Edgar Williams" subject: Re: Utah Stonewall Historical Society   Mr. Williams, On behalf of the Lesbian & Gay Student Union and its members, thank you for presenting at our meeting this Monday (24^th).  It was unique and informative and we certainly appreciate it very much.  Your continued support and dedication to awareness makes our jobs much easier.   We hope  to work with you again in the future. Sincerely, Bonnie Owens and Thomas Nelson, LGSU Co-Presidents