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. Moroni explained that the book was inscribed on golden plates in New York State and instructed Smith on how to find them. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we love. As police investigated the case, Mark's forgeries came to light as they uncovered his plot to kill himself after orchestrating two prior bombings. Simmonds agreed. They embrace the details but lay them out systematically as seen through the eyes of the detectives, victims, and the perpetrator. The Salamander Letter was a document which presented a controversial view of the Latter Day Saint movement. The boom in Mormon documents . To add the following enhancements to your purchase, choose a different seller. 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. He not only financially supported the first printing of the Book of Mormon, but he also served as a witness who testified that he had seen the golden plates from which Smith translated the book with his own eyes. Linked to murder plot in 1985. So do we! Determined to let the LDS Church keep hold of its own history, Steven Christensen, a collector, and member of the church, purchased the letter from its apparent discoverer, Hofmann, for $40,000 in 1984 and later donated it to the church. The new documentary about the case, Murder Among the Mormons, was one of the most-watched shows on Netflix the week it dropped. 4 Salamander Letter - $40,000. In the letter, Harris describes the origin story of the LDS Church with some high-key differences, like the presence of a white salamander. There was a problem loading your book clubs. The letter states that Smith encountered an "old spirit" that "transfigured himself from a white salamander" when he first came across . Murder Among the Mormons: the story behind the bizarre . Cue the Salamander Letter, which complicated things as soon as it came on the scene. Hofmann claimed his document was Smith's very first translation of the plates. I am not much of a book reviewer, but I read a lot of books. Essentially, the reason it caused such a stir is this. The rest is Mormon history, and for a long time, the LDS community observed this account without complications. There was WAY too much detailed information that did not move the story along. is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app. (highly addictive) documentary series, which delves deep into the . The Salamander Letter came into play in the early 1980s while a man named Mark Hofmann was making a name for himself as a reputable antiques dealer in Utah. PALMYRA OCT 23D 1830 Dear Sir Your letter of . 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. This three-part limited series began streaming on Wednesday, March 3rd 2021 and considers the life of Mark Hofmann, an American counterfeiter who created forgeries regarding the Latter Day Saint movement. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. You love all the deets on true crime. 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. Answer (1 of 20): In the early 1980's, a letter ostensibly from Martin Harris appeared on the scene in which Harris referred to stories told by Joseph Smith in which a "spirit transfigured himself from a white salamander," with numerous obvious parallels to the published "Joseph Smith Story" but . Did he ever want to go straight, if you will?, Jared echoed this: Im curious what was going through his head leading up to the decision to kill people. The document has links to the 1985 Salt Lake City bombings. Excerpt. Promise. Harris was an early convert to Mormonism. Lets overanalyze them together. I promised President Hinckley that there arent any copies, but, actually, I could let you see one.. He claimed to have been visited by an angel named Moroni, who told him he had been chosen to translate the Book of Mormon. The paper was covered with handwriting on both sides that had faded to a light gold color. She co-produced the PBS-affiliated documentary, "Navajo and American." She lives in Mesa, Arizona. 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. 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. 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". The Salamander Letter was a document which presented a controversial view of the Latter Day Saint movement. Mark Hofmann's notorious and deadly legacy will always be inextricably tied to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the impact of his machinations spread far outside of Utah and the church. This is the story of the greatest document forger in history. In the letter, Harris describes the origin story of the LDS Church with some high-key differences,. What ensued was a suspense-ridden cat-and-mouse game between seasoned prosecutors and a clever, homicidal criminal. What was his long-term game plan?. A change was coming, too, in the new Mormon history, for the faith-promoting finds that blossomed in 1982 now seemed in short supply. 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. It helped that they were both raised in the LDS church, currently lived in Salt Lake City and had been toying with the idea for a documentary project about the "Salamander Letter" for almost a decade. As you may already know from the series, the Salamander Letter involves the origins of the Mormon (aka Latter-Day Saints or LDS) Church. W. Phelps (published in Church News, 28 April 1985) has dismayed some people. One of the church's biggest scandals . 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. While Hofmann was gone, Simmonds researched the fragment. It presented a view of Latter Day Saint founder Joseph Smiths life that was at odds with the accepted recorded history of the church that Smith established. this intimate documentary brings together key characters in his story - one that is far from black and white. One of them had nothing to do with him in any way and the other was working to help him obtain financing to bail him out of a banking problem he had created between himself and the Church. 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. "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.' Why was this one of the most unusual cases in American forensic history? Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2014. 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. One of the latest to attract discussion is Murder Among the Mormons. In 1997, the Forensic Files episode "Postal Mortem" told the story of how Mark used ancient ink recipes and other trickery to create forgeries like the White Salamander Letter which retold Mormon history in a way that rattled the church and then killed two people so he could evade suspicion and continue to bilk collectors. The other killed the wife of one of Christensen's former business associates Kathy Sheets outside her holiday home. A bomber killed Steven Christensen at his office door. Confused enough. 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. 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. The letter, purportedly written by Martin Harris, an early disciple of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints founder Joseph Smith, recounts that a spirit in the form of a white salamander appeared to Smith at the time he discovered the "gold plates," which the church maintains contained hieroglyphics that Smith would translate into the . We are sorry. But behind the case is a much larger story. 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 . . Dated in 1825, when Joseph Smith was only nineteen years of age, the Joseph Smith to Josiah Stowell letter replaced the Anthon transcript as the earliest Smith holograph. For more on that, we direct you to Netflixs (highly addictive) documentary series, which delves deep into the controversy and its morbid fallout. "If these documents were proved authentic, what kind of major disruption would this be? The Salamander Letter was a document which presented a controversial view of the Latter Day Saint movement. 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. Find out everything you need to know about the White Salamander letter discussed in Netflix's new true crime documentary Murder Among the Mormons. Tyler explained: Weve reached out to Mark [Hofmann] dozens of times. 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. According to the letter, Smith, the founder. The alleged Salamander letter was written by Martin Harris and described Harris being led to gold tablets by a human who transformed themselves into a white salamander. The letter, purportedly. The "Murder Among the Mormons" documentary does just this while also becoming another part of the historical record, capturing first-person, oral histories of people who lived the story family members and associates, historians, journalists and police investigators individuals who might no longer be with us in another 35 years. 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. This brings us back to Hofmann, the supposed devout Mormon, who by discovering the document actually meant to say that he had secretly made it himself and passed it off as real. As Hofmann fought for his life, investigators raced to uncover the truth. Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2016. 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. As he was earning cred in his community for procuring early Mormon texts, he announced the discovery of a never-before-seen letter. . If that detail was off in the original account, what else could be wrong with the story? The Salamander Letter was said to be written by Martin Harris on October 23, 1830 addressed to William Wines Phelps, a newspaper publisher who later converted to Mormonism, per the Associated Press. Despite the churchs natural interest in the document, this story is less about religion and more about (say it with me, true-crime fans): a violent man with delusions of grandeur trying to prove a point. Experienced document examiners deemed the Salamander Letter authentic which caused an uproar among the Mormon church when it was released. Collector of rare documents? According to LDS theology, it contains writings from ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 220 BC to about AD 421. She co-produced the PBS-affiliated documentary, Navajo and American. She lives in Mesa, Arizona. Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2018. The aim of the letter was to cast doubt on the . The document has links to the 1985 Salt Lake City bombings. The register noted the bills issued by serial number. Murder Among the Mormons - Mark Hofmann Documentary . It. The Eastern Newt species (Notophthalmus viridescens) is common in the Eastern part of the US. The "white salamander" letter was a game-changing document for the Mormon church until it wasn't. . A second bomb killed Kathy Sheets on the sidewalk outside her Salamander: The Story of the Mormon Forgery Murders by Linda Sillitoe & Allen Roberts, Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2011. Please try again later. Jacobs drove to USU, but the staff could not find the register. - add this knowledge to your own personal encyclopedia with Polybook Knowledge Tracker Linda Sillitoe is a graduate of the University of Utah. Please use a different way to share. Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. She has taught journalism on several college campuses. Please try again. Murder Among The Mormons Director Jared Hess. How can you reconcile the two versions of the story? Against the LDS church," said Sanders. 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. After the bombings, investigators desperately searched to find any motive that would explain who could be behind it. This is the story of the greatest document forger in history. Hinckley gave the Stowell letter to secretary Francis Gibbons to put into the First Presidencys vault. The boom in Mormon documents continued into 1983, though Camelot was gone, replaced by a grim professionalism. It presented a view of Latter Day Saint founder Joseph Smith's life that was at odds. What is the White Salamander letter? Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2014. He reported to others in the history division that this was proof the document had come from Grandins shop. 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. The letter was one of hundreds of documents concerning the history of the Latter Day Saint movement that surfaced in the early 1980s. 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. The letter states that Smith encountered an "old spirit" that "transfigured himself from a white salamander" when he first came across . Im not delighted, Mark, but Im not angry.. ${cardName} not available for the seller you chose. Throughout his career, he would go on to stealthily fabricate documents written by everyone from the likes of Emily Dickinson to George Washington, profiting hundreds of thousands of dollars before he got caught. History. Netflix Television. ". 'Shadow and Bone' Season 2 Is Officially a Go! The letter was supposedly written by . The director grew up in the Mormon faith. When the Salamander Letter, along with dozens of other historic documents, were discovered to be forgeries, all the pieces fell into place to expose the long con being executed by Hofmann. Murder Among the Mormons is now streaming on Netflix. 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. However, the Salamander Letter contradicted this and was passed off as a letter from Smiths scribe, Martin Harris. 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. To see our price, add these items to your cart. Since folklore was common in the 1800s, the LDS Church had no problem accepting the letter six months before the Salt Lake City bombing. Lets explore Netflixs Murder Among the Mormons documentary and consider this essential detail. {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. The enormous success on Broadway of "Book of Mormon" brings to mind the longest and most difficult mini-series development in the then-William Morris Agency's history. Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 1999. Please try again. 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. Isn't real life always stranger than fiction? white salamander documentary white salamander documentary . still from Murder Among the Mormons, Netflix. From the insanity of lockdown hit Tiger King to the recent Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, the streaming service has invited audiences to learn of a wide range of real-life curiosities. Where was that turn? Not only was he actually an atheist actively seeking to undermine the church due to his own dissatisfaction with it, but he also had a long history of counterfeiting all kinds of materials. In December 1983, Mormon document dealing and collecting was at its peak. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 26, 2020, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. Ive sent him so many letters and hes yet to speak to anyone since hes been in prison other than visits from family. He added: Im curious because Mark was such a genius at what he did, he was so good at crafting these documents. He claimed he and his wife, Dorie, found it stuck in between pages of an old family Bible. The letter Mark Hofmann took on January 11, 1983, to Gordon B. Hinckley, by now second counselor in the LDS first presidency, was of major significance. But in 1984, Hoffman had sufficient. Controversial forged letter that claims folk magic at beginning of Mormonism. What really happened with the salamander letter. One in an office block saw the murder of fellow document dealer and financial consultant Steven Christensen. Its habitat ranges from Minnesota to Maine and down to Texas. A few days later, Hofmann visited Brent Ashworth and told him about the letter and its sale. 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 church, Hofmann was told, was delighted to own the contract. CNN's summary of Sunday's 2-hr documentary on Afghanistan has some interesting quotes from the commanders - and a few errors - I thought we should start the week out with. Very compelling.