64,836 views Mar 5, 2021 Mark Hofmann was a renowned collector of rare documents, including the infamous White Salamander Letter an artifact whose contents threatened to sha Show more. 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. Salamander: The Story of the Mormon Forgery Murders by Linda Sillitoe & Allen Roberts October 15, 1995 saw Salt Lake City the scene of tragedy. In conversation with Esquire, directors Tyler Measom and Jared Hess were asked about what theyd like to ask Hofmann if they had the chance. 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. He reported to others in the history division that this was proof the document had come from Grandins shop. Hofmann said he and Jacobs would work out the transaction between themselves. is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app. The paper was covered with handwriting on both sides that had faded to a light gold color. This was obviously very different from the OG story, which had zero mention of this pushy amphibian that we can only assume bears some resemblance to the star of the Geico commercials. 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. Of all the books on the Hoffman murders in Salt Lake this is the most informative. According to LDS theology, it contains writings from ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 220 BC to about AD 421. 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 three-part documentary series directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) and Tyler . 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. The rest is Mormon history, and for a long time, the LDS community observed this account without complications. 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. 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. Find out everything you need to know about the White Salamander letter discussed in Netflix's new true crime documentary Murder Among the Mormons. You love all the deets on true crime. While Hofmann was gone, Simmonds researched the fragment. Others say it was in an effort to study it and authenticate it before releasing such a shocking discovery to the Mormon community. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Netflix has been celebrated for its diverse array of content over the years and documentary enthusiasts have had plenty to dive into. Find out everything you need to know about the White Salamander letter discussed in Netflix's new true crime documentary Murder Among the Mormons. 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. Sam Lawyer is a lifestyle writer and television producer based in New York City. A skilled con artist by anyones assessment, Mark Hofmann eluded exposure by police and document authenticatorsthe FBI, Library of Congress, the LDS historical department, and polygraph expertsuntil George Throckmorton discovered the telltale microscopic alligatoring that was characteristic of the forgeries. The Salamander Letter was a document which presented a controversial view of the Latter Day Saint movement. Murder Among The Mormons Director Jared Hess. What would have been his next steps? 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 . Types of Salamanders - Identification Guide. 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. who was a renowned collector of rare documents including the infamous White Salamander . What was the salamander letter and why were so many people determined to possessand to concealit? 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. Tracking the white salamander : the story of Mark Hofmann . No, thats all right, Mark, Ashworth replied. For Hamilton and most other document experts, the letter seemed to be completely authentic. What was his long-term game plan?. Here Are 30 Thrillers on Netflix, The Real Story That Informed Luckiest Girl Alive, The Crown Season 5s Cast Looks Perfect. 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. Some time later, a church employee noticed eleven faint rows of uninked type impressed into the reverse side of the contract, indicating that the contract had been laid on the type in Grandins office, lightly imprinting an advertisement for the shop. For more on that, we direct you to Netflixs (highly addictive) documentary series, which delves deep into the controversy and its morbid fallout. What really happened with the salamander letter. Toads, Salamanders, Bloodstone Amulets, and the Smith Family Magic Parchment: Possible Origins of the White Salamander Letter. 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. As you may already know from the series, the Salamander Letter involves the origins of the Mormon (aka Latter-Day Saints or LDS) Church. Fragments of the original manuscript to The Book of Mormon also continued to circulate. After all, Hoffman claimed to have found The Salamander Letter which claims a white salamander led Joseph Smith to the gold plates. It was hard to put down. 18. 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. Is the Salamander Letter real? . It. 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 . Posted by 1 year ago. The Eastern Newt species (Notophthalmus viridescens) is common in the Eastern part of the US. Collector of rare documents? Netflixs new investigative docuseries, Murder Among the Mormons, depicts a widely known yet largely misunderstood moment in time. The letter states that Smith encountered an "old spirit" that "transfigured himself from a white salamander" when he first came across . Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Toads, Salamanders, Bloodstone Amulets, and the Smith Family Magic Parchment: Possible Origins of the White Salamander Letter. The letter, and the salamander of it all, caused a serious rift in the Mormon community. 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. 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. Stowell, a farmer in Pennsylvania, had hired Smith and his father to hunt treasure for himan enterprise not uncommon to rural New Yorkers. Access to the vault came only through Gibbons and was rarely granted. The writer needed a better editor. 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. It was "discovered" in 1983 by Mark Hofmann, who was raised in a devout Mormon family in Salt Lake City, where the church has its headquarters. She co-produced the PBS-affiliated documentary, Navajo and American. She lives in Mesa, Arizona. Lets explore Netflixs Murder Among the Mormons documentary and consider this essential detail. The letter was supposedly written by . The register noted the bills issued by serial number. Harris was an early convert to Mormonism. What was the "salamander letter" and why were so many people determined to possessand to concealit? Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. a renowned collector of rare documents, including the infamous White Salamander Letter - an artifact whose . We dont share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we dont sell your information to others. Thats fine. The injured victim of the bombing, Mark Hofmann, was a renowned collector of rare documents including the letter, worth a collective total of $1,5 million. For the 2022 holiday season, returnable items purchased between October 11 and December 25, 2022 can be returned until January 31, 2023. The Church of Latter-day Saints reportedly paid $40,000 for the letter and it was released to the public. . Im going back to New York to look for the lost 116 pages of The Book of Mormon manuscript. 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. Allegedly written in 1830, the letter depicts a view of Smiths life that was sharply at odds with the accepted narrative of how the early Mormon church was established. The letter was one of hundreds of documents concerning the history of the Latter Day Saint movement that surfaced in the early 1980s. The story of Mark Hofmann and the LDS Church is a true-crime drama centered on religion. In December 1983, Mormon document dealing and collecting was at its peak. The Eastern hellbender salamander is an indicator species for river health. Over the course of his career as a documents dealer and forger Hofmann sold many fake historical artifacts - including forty-eight just to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - but the best known is the infamous Salamander Letter. However, the Salamander Letter contradicted this and was passed off as a letter from Smiths scribe, Martin Harris. What is the White Salamander letter? More on that later, but first, to understand this infamous letter, we need to go back (back to the beginning) of the LDS Church. I want to know where he may have gone off from using these powers for good, to becoming the criminal that he became. The documentary series Murder Among The Mormons launches on Netflix on March 3, 2021. . 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. 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. 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. A bomber killed Steven Christensen at his office door. Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 1999. "The letter said that Joseph Smith had told [Harris] that Joseph Smith was led to the golden plates by a white salamander. The letter was supposedly written by Martin Harris to W W Phelps, an early convert in the Latter Day Saint movement. Since folklore was common in the 1800s, the LDS Church had no problem accepting the letter six months before the Salt Lake City bombing. 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 the letter, Harris explains that when Smith found the golden plates, they were guarded by a white salamander that transformed itself into a spirit. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the LDS Church or more commonly as the Mormon church, has been rocked by numerous scandals throughout the years. Reprinted by permission. The information is very informative and detailed. Against the LDS church," said Sanders. 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. 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. 4 Salamander Letter - $40,000. Although, due to the jump from traditional Christian imagery to, well, salamanders, it compelled some to question Joseph Smiths account of 1823 and beyond. I recommend it. Suddenly, it's got a different twist to it. 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. 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. The Mormon Murders: A True Story of Greed, Forgery, Deceit and Death, Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith. In the letter, Harris describes the origin story of the LDS Church with some high-key differences,. Some suspected that the LDS Church acquired the document in order to hide it. Moroni explained that the book was inscribed on golden plates in New York State and instructed Smith on how to find them. Letter states a white salamander appeared when Joseph Smith uncovered gold plates. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Is the Salamander Letter real? Since the letter purports only to be Martin Harris's interpretation of what he had heard about Joseph's experience, the use of the words white salamander and old spirit seem understandable. UK accused of involvement in 'violence' of Russian warships in the Black Sea, Trespasser at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort prompts huge Secret Service response, Quinton Simon's grandfather 'killed' amid landfill search for toddler's body, Man kills 2 research scientists then leaves mom-of-5 dead in murder-suicide, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, The documents Mark was carrying were found to be fraudulent, The car bomb was supposedly intended to kill Mark Hoffmann, Hofmann's car blew up in the third explosion. Among them, the White Salamander Letter, which supposedly revealed that a magical white salamander guided church founder Joseph Smith to the gold plates that held the Book of Mormon. I am not much of a book reviewer, but I read a lot of books. "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.' 1996-2022, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. His analysis is included as an appendix toSalamander. 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.
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