Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. The Mormon Murders: A True Story of Greed, Forgery, Deceit and Death, Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith. is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app. Hofmann had already had the letter authenticated by Charles Hamilton Galleries of New York before meeting with Hinckley. The story of Mark Hofmann and the LDS Church is a true-crime drama centered on religion. I recommend it. NEW documentary series Murder Among The Mormons investigates three bombings in 1985 which sent shockwaves through Salt Lake City, and delves into the famous Salamander Letter. ), Wanna Feel ? Astronomical, he assumed. What did the white salamander letter say? Why was this one of the most unusual cases in American forensic history? She co-produced the PBS-affiliated documentary, "Navajo and American." She lives in Mesa, Arizona. The letter was eventually sold to Steven F. Christensen who would later be murdered by Hofmann. In the 1970s, church historian Leonard Arrington began encouraging the collection of academic writing related to LDS Church history, specifically through the collection of archival documents. Difficult to imagine some of the things people do, but this is a fascinating story. Netflix has been celebrated for its diverse array of content over the years and documentary enthusiasts have had plenty to dive into. Smith published the Book of Mormon in 1830. After the shocking events of October 1985, however, Hamilton would find out that the impression he had of his former colleague was completely wrong. Please use a different way to share. The rest is Mormon history, and for a long time, the LDS community observed this account without complications. A few days later, Hofmann visited Brent Ashworth and told him about the letter and its sale. What is the White Salamander letter? It was eventually revealed that the letter was a fake, but the controversy which surrounded it played a crucial role in Hofmann manufacturing bombs later down the line, in hopes that the escalating events would force those who doubted the letter to confront their uncertainty in him and the letter. The church, Hofmann was told, was delighted to own the contract. She co-produced the PBS-affiliated documentary, Navajo and American. She lives in Mesa, Arizona.Allen Dale Roberts is an award-winning architect (Cooper-Roberts Architects) specializing in historical restoration. We are sorry. All of this had the effect of muddying up the Mormon origin story for a hot second, until it was eventually revealed that the Salamander Letter was a forgery. Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2014. In the letter, Harris explains that when Smith found the golden plates, they were guarded by a white salamander that transformed itself into a spirit. Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2018. Eastern Newt. (highly addictive) documentary series, which delves deep into the . Smith claims that the last prophet to add his writings to the Book of Mormon engraved on gold plates was a man named Moroni. 4 Salamander Letter - $40,000. Discovered in the mid-1980s, the Salamander letter was a controversial document about the history of the Latter Day Saints - a collection of independent. Hoffmann was caught up in one of the blasts as he carried a series of documents that were thought to contain "explosive and embarrassing revelations about the Mormon church", and supposedly included the letter. It presented a view of Latter Day Saint founder Joseph Smith's life that was at odds. He has been published in theUtah Historical Quarterlyand elsewhere and is the recipient of a Best Article Award from the Mormon History Association. I like Converse and Vans, the color pink, s'mores, steel water bottles, canvas messenger bags, Friends, unicorns, Harry [] Find out everything you need to know about the White Salamander letter discussed in Netflix's new true crime documentary Murder Among the Mormons. this intimate documentary brings together key characters in his story - one that is far from black and white. Others say it was in an effort to study it and authenticate it before releasing such a shocking discovery to the Mormon community. "One of our news reporters said, 'That would be like if somebody found a document that said that Moses actually got the 10 commandments from the ghost of Elvis Presley.' I have a friend, Lyn Jacobs, who collects foreign editions., Well, Mark, if this is going to Jacobs, why isnt he up here making the deal?. Even though it has been exposed as a fake, the magical origin story laid out in the Salamander Letter is still referenced to this day. Wanna Stay at the 'White Lotus' Season 2 Resort? Hamilton, the author of several books on autographs and forgery detection, was considered a leading expert in authentication. The Eastern hellbender salamander is an indicator species for river health. Im glad you only copied half, Simmonds said edgily. 'Shadow and Bone' Season 2 Is Officially a Go! After the bombings, investigators desperately searched to find any motive that would explain who could be behind it. Marquardt wanted to see the signature, but Hofmann said no, the sale had not yet closed. I promised President Hinckley that there arent any copies, but, actually, I could let you see one.. Very compelling. One of the church's biggest scandals . Even though it may seem like a relatively minor discrepancy, considering it involves the founding of an entire religion, it understandably created a lot of confusion. Close. Hofmann said that he originally intended to use a common toad but changed it to a magical white salamander as he "wanted to spice it up". Hofmann's use of a salamander drew upon legends about certain animals having supernatural powers. a violent man with delusions of grandeur trying to prove a point, a man named Mark Hofmann was making a name for himself as a reputable antiques dealer in Utah, Hofmann was able to wreak some serious havoc before he ultimately was discovered and convicted. Its habitat ranges from Minnesota to Maine and down to Texas. Harris talks of a "white. A member of the SLCPD, he serves on the board of directors of the Southwest Association of Forensic Document Examiners and is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. He launched his career by selling "found" documents about the early LDS Church to collectors, or the Church itself, and was known by some at the time as the "Indiana Jones" or a "rock star" of. Then he insured the document, made an appointment to see Dean Jessee to examine the handwriting, alerted sheriffs all along his route to Salt Lake City, and took the fragment to the LDS historical department. Posted by 1 year ago. . While it primarily involved Mormon historical documents, it also involved the poetry of Emily Dickenson and other historical American documents, especially the Oath of a Freeman. Hofmann claimed his document was Smith's very first translation of the plates. Fragments of the original manuscript to The Book of Mormon also continued to circulate. I am glad I purchased the book. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon, [{"displayPrice":"$19.95","priceAmount":19.95,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"19","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"95","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"nqAHmpHIgwua28Od9bACu8muSLtNh6PDZ6b56NYQA5p9szLWuEsi0tuVFYzzit%2Fcaoekcop82hGLOC0k7286%2BpCuFaqHkXvWktqsR5Uxfbft8YQE7%2BdDi8y6%2B%2BTT%2F1spBLnkEZqphZE%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"},{"displayPrice":"$15.29","priceAmount":15.29,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"15","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"29","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"%2FZCwAV%2FNk1uJ3A4JaXyEzuuJWgAGwzIPw14nzfzuev1W4m0EqVEz1HQVx%2BxSUe2RSmehVJQ%2BUFu%2F6Muxh6i7nu8OVj%2BiqM%2F45AcbitFHbntXWShIx%2BQlCgH0qzycrx5lCExq72Cwtq0JwRVJ18EHtThAtqcTAhN18saNvzBCx6xUl7nHIzC9HQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED"}]. Is the Salamander Letter real? The new documentary about the case, Murder Among the Mormons, was one of the most-watched shows on Netflix the week it dropped. President Hinckley said that letter will never see the light of day, Hofmann confided. Fascinating. The LDS Church is only one of many victims of Mark Hoffman. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. One in an office block saw the murder of fellow document dealer and financial consultant Steven Christensen. As Hofmann presented it in the early '80s, the document was written in 1830 by Joseph Smith's scribe Martin Harris to early LDS convert William Phelps. Her non-fiction includesBanking on the Hemingways: Three Generations of Banking in Utah and Idaho,Friendly Fire: The ACLU in Utah, andWelcoming the World: A History of Salt Lake County. The letter states that Smith encountered an "old spirit" that "transfigured himself from a white salamander" when he first came across . The salamander letter presented a view of the life of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, that stood sharply at odds with the commonly accepted version of the early progression of the church Smith established. The darkest secrets unravel graduallyallowing the reader fleeting glimpses of the infamous white salamander as it ducks in and out of its fabricator's head. The letter was one of hundreds of documents concerning the history of the Latter Day Saint movement that surfaced in the early 1980s. The letter was supposedly written by Martin Harris, an important figure in early Mormon history. Hofmann later counterfeited a document that became known as the "White Salamander Letter," which he claimed he had found on Dec. 27, 1983, as outlined in Netflix's new docuseries, "Murder Among the Mormons." The letter was supposedly penned by Martin Harris, an early disciple of Smith who helped fund the first printing of the Book of Mormon. In March, Hofmann sold to the church, again through Hinckley, a second important document: the original contract that Joseph Smith and Martin Harris had signed with printer E. B. Grandin in 1829 to publish The Book of Mormon. Where was that turn? Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2016. The LDS Church is only one of many victims of Mark Hoffman. Simmonds gathered that Jacobs was too shy to deal with him directly. The three-part series explores the history of the Mormon community in Utah and the role that the infamous White Salamander Letter played in the bombings. More on that later, but first, to understand this infamous letter, we need to go back (back to the beginning) of the LDS Church. The boom in Mormon documents continued into 1983, though Camelot was gone, replaced by a grim professionalism. Against the LDS church," said Sanders. Hinckley gave the Stowell letter to secretary Francis Gibbons to put into the First Presidencys vault. It presented a view of Latter Day Saint founder Joseph Smith's life that was at odds with the accepted recorded history of the church that Smith established. Hofmann said he and Jacobs would work out the transaction between themselves. Inside, was a collection of supposed early Mormon documents, Trailer for Netflix true-crime documentary about the Mark Hoffman forgeries 'Murder Among the Mormons', Hoffmann was caught up in one of the blasts. Contradicts church history. Excerpt. The infamous Salamander Letter was published in full, along with a big, glaring headline saying "Letter Authenticated," in the Church News in 1985, shortly after it was gifted to the Church. The Church of Latter-day Saints reportedly paid $40,000 for the letter and it was released to the public. 1996-2022, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The letter was dated in 1830 and signed by Martin Harris, the BFF of LDS founder Joseph Smith. He specialized in finding and selling historic documents and also happened to be a devout Mormon. It was bought by financial consultant Steven Christensen from Hofmann for $40,000 (28,700), who then donated the letter to the church. Some Mormons considered this concerning, to say the least. A lucrative business was thus born, and in 1984, it truly took off with Hofmann's biggest find to date: the Salamander Letter, a note apparently written by Martin Harris which claimed that . So do we! In conversation with Esquire, directors Tyler Measom and Jared Hess were asked about what theyd like to ask Hofmann if they had the chance. Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout. Access to the vault came only through Gibbons and was rarely granted. in the same dream & says dig up the gold but when I take it up the next morning the spirit transfigured himself from a white salamander in . Remarkably enough, it was only sixteen days later that the Church openly published the contents of the Salamander Letter in The Church News. a renowned collector of rare documents, including the infamous White Salamander Letter - an artifact whose . Elder Dallin H. Oaks; Church Education System Symposium on the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History - 16 August 1985 - Brigham Young University Mark Hofmann, the subject of Netflix's new documentary, Murder Among the Mormons, was a prolific, master forger turned bomber who was convicted of killing two people in Salt . The Salamander Letter was an alleged letter from Smith's scribe Martin Harris. ${cardName} not available for the seller you chose. who was a renowned collector of rare documents including the infamous White Salamander . The letter was supposedly written by Martin Harris, an important figure in early Mormon history, and gave a very different version of the religions roots from the churchs version of events. What do you want for it? Simmonds asked. I want to know where he may have gone off from using these powers for good, to becoming the criminal that he became. But the Joseph Smith to Josiah Stowell letter, like the Thomas Bullock to Brigham Young letter, was kept under lock and key. The paper was covered with handwriting on both sides that had faded to a light gold color. Hofmann was arrested in January 1986 and after initially protesting his innocence, he pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder, one count of theft by deception for forging and one count of fraud. Note on spoilers, etc: This essay covers the broad outlines of the Mark Hofmann forgery and murder case, which will be highlighted in the new Netflix documentary, though it does not detail any of the documentary's new discoveries. The salamander letter or white salamander letter was a document that caused many disputes about the origin of the church of the Latter-Day Saints and later turned out to be a forgery created by Mark Hofmann. Smiths discovery was basically revised, with Moroni replaced by a white salamander that morphed into a spirit. Murder Among the Mormons tells the little-known story of forger and convicted murderer Mark Hofmann, a former member of the Church of Latter-day Saints who ended his string of fake documents by . March 4, 2021 NETFLIX As detailed in Netflix's latest true crime documentary, Murder Among the Mormons, the Salamander Letter was a controversial forgery that revised Mormon history. This is an excellent book. A simulation of document forgery pictured in Murder Among the Mormons, episode 3, courtesy of Netflix The contents of the Salamander Letter, which is perhaps the most famous of the countless documents forged by Hofmann throughout his career, directly contradicted the church's own story of the origins of the Book of Mormon. After the bomb exploded in Hofmann's car, police soon focused their attention on himnot as a victim but as the perpetrator of the bombings. {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. A change was coming, too, in the new Mormon history, for the faith-promoting finds that blossomed in 1982 now seemed in short supply. There was a problem adding this item to Cart. John Reznikoff, founder of University Archives, was a credited featured contributor during the production of the newly released Netflix three-part true crime docuseries "Murder Among the Mormons: The Salamander Letter." Reznikoff has made a special study of Mark Hofmann, the subject of this documentary, after acquiring material in 2013 relating to Hofmann's life of crime. The E. B. Grandin Book of Mormon contract was made available to the history division for study and publication, as were the testimonial notes from Martin Harris and David Whitmer and the Anthon transcript. The other killed the wife of one of Christensen's former business associates Kathy Sheets outside her holiday home. The letter was dated in 1830 and signed by Martin Harris, the BFF of LDS founder Joseph Smith. All rights reserved. Mark Hofmann's most famous forgery was known as the White Salamander Letter. As highlighted by Decider, Hofmann faked a number of documents about Mormonism and sold them to the church, with the Salamander Letter proving to be the most controversial. In the letter Hofmann brought to Hinckley, Joseph Smith had written with little punctuation, misspellings, and sporadic capitalization: since you cannot ascertain any particulars you should not dig more until you first discover if any valuables remain you know the treasure must be guarded by some clever spirit and if such is discovered so also is the treasure so do this take a hasel stick one yard long being new cut and cleave it Just in the middle and lay it asunder on the mine so that both inner parts of the stick may look one right against the other one inch distant and if there is a treasure after a while you shall see them draw and Join together again of themselves . As he was earning cred in his community for procuring early Mormon texts, he announced the discovery of a never-before-seen letter. Netflix The Salamander Letters The Mormon church is based on the story that Joseph Smith was led to the buried golden plates by an Angel called Moroni. He was so desperate to cover his tracks and keep his deceptions alive that he was willing to kill, which resulted in the deaths of two people in the 1985 Utah Bombings. Jessee looked it over carefully, then commented that he had seen it before. Truthfully, what did he plan to accomplish if he had gotten away with it? Tracking the White Salamander: The story of Mark Hofmann, Murder and Forged Mormon Documents Vinyl Bound - January 1, 1987 by Jerald Tanner (Author) 4 ratings Vinyl Bound from $11.00 1 New from $11.00 He claimed to have been visited by an angel named Moroni, who told him he had been chosen to translate the Book of Mormon. Ive got some good leads.. The document has links to the 1985 Salt Lake City bombings. IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. As explained at the end of Netflix's Murder Among the Mormons, it took two years before the truth finally came out about the origins of the Salamander Letter. This was well before . It looks like WhatsApp is not installed on your phone. Really! We work hard to protect your security and privacy. The letter was dated in 1830 and signed by Martin Harris, the BFF of LDS founder Joseph Smith. In 1984, Hofmann produced the Salamander Letter, which was written by Martin Harris to William W. Phelps and cast doubt on the official version of events about the founding of Mormonism. The writer needed a better editor. He is the co-founder of Sunstonemagazine, co-editor ofDialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, and is a contributing author toReligion, Feminism, and Freedom of Conscience: A Mormon/Humanist Dialogue. As Hofmann fought for his life, investigators raced to uncover the truth. The information is very informative and detailed. PALMYRA OCT 23D 1830 Dear Sir Your letter of . "The letter said that Joseph Smith had told [Harris] that Joseph Smith was led to the golden plates by a white salamander. Lets explore Netflixs Murder Among the Mormons documentary and consider this essential detail. The boom in Mormon documents . In the letter, Harris describes the origin story of the LDS Church with some high-key differences,. More importantly, the letter described an occult means of finding buried treasure and portrayed Smith as a treasure digger, an image the church had tried to deny ever since the young preacher proclaimed himself a prophet and his parlor-full of followers became a church. Your Hawaiian first edition of The Book of Mormon. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Hinckley read the letter, then wrote Hofmann a check for $15,000, making the Stowell letter Hofmanns first major cash transaction with the Mormon church. She is also the author of a collection of poetry, a collection of short stories, and a novel and has contributed to several anthologies of poetry and short stories. . After sharing their location, he instructed Smith to translate them into English. For more on that, we direct you to Netflixs (highly addictive) documentary series, which delves deep into the controversy and its morbid fallout. W. Phelps (published in Church News, 28 April 1985) has dismayed some people. History. You love all the deets on true crime. Netflixs new investigative docuseries, Murder Among the Mormons, depicts a widely known yet largely misunderstood moment in time. What ensued was a suspense-ridden cat-and-mouse game between seasoned prosecutors and a clever, homicidal criminal. Do you need to? What would have been his next steps? The writer needed a better editor. Stowell, a farmer in Pennsylvania, had hired Smith and his father to hunt treasure for himan enterprise not uncommon to rural New Yorkers. Tracking the white salamander : the story of Mark Hofmann . In the letter, Harris describes the origin story of the LDS Church with some high-key differences,. The documentary series Murder Among The Mormons launches on Netflix on March 3, 2021. . Mark was a renowned collector of rare documents, including the infamous White Salamander Letter - an artefact whose contents threatened to shake the very foundations of Mormonism. When Simmonds returned after an errand, he found that Hofmann had photocopied until he had run out of coins. According to the church's history, Smith was visited by an angel who gave him gold plates, which he translated into the Book of Mormon. The Deseret News reports that he had been altering coins since the age of 12, and by 14 years old, he had developed a forgery technique that he believed to be undetectable. This controversial letter threatened to destroy the very foundations of the church, and reportedly led to a number of people leaving the institution. A meticulous account of diabolical criminality in the wider context of institutional deceit and delusion. Im going back to New York to look for the lost 116 pages of The Book of Mormon manuscript. He reported to others in the history division that this was proof the document had come from Grandins shop. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! This search created an opportunity for a wealth of document dealers to go on the hunt for letters, old editions of books, and anything that would preserve the history of the religion founded by Joseph Smith 150 years ago. A lot of them ;-) This was a good one. We dont share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we dont sell your information to others. Mormonism was founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith Jr. Critics say the letter tarnishes the character of Mormonism's first prophet and presents him as a treasurer-seeker and a practitioner of the occult. Find out everything you need to know about the White Salamander letter discussed in Netflix's new true crime documentary Murder Among the Mormons. The Birth of the Salamander Letter. This second letter, known informally as "the Salamander Letter," had called into question the origins of the church, because no mention of anything that fantastical had ever appeared in church writings. ". Working through the documentary, you may be particularly eager to note a very significant detail. A really interesting story and a really good read. On one of his trips to USU that spring, Hofmann became interested in a register book for Deseret Currency, Mormon money used in early pioneer Utah. Murder Among The Mormons Director Jared Hess. "If these documents were proved authentic, what kind of major disruption would this be? ${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}. Controversial forged letter that claims folk magic at beginning of Mormonism. As aDeseret Newsstaff reporter, news features editor forUtah Holidaymagazine, and aNew York Timescorrespondent, shegarnered awards from the Utah chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and Associated Press. Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. The darkest secrets unravel graduallyallowing the reader fleeting glimpses of the infamous white salamander as it ducks in and out of its fabricators head. In the end, this story only verifies that some facts are indeed stranger than fiction. Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2013. A little over a year after its purchase, Christensen donated the document to the Church. Why was this one of the most unusual cases in American forensic history?
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