Essentials in Church History: A History of the Church from the Birth of Joseph Smith to the Present Time (1922), with Introductory Chapters on the Antiquity of the Gospel and the "Falling Away"Smith, Joseph Fielding
History
Essentials in Church History: A History of the Church from the Birth of Joseph Smith to the Present Time (1922), with Introductory Chapters on the Antiquity of the Gospel and the "Falling Away"
Smith, Joseph Fielding
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- History
Arriving at Dixon, the officers placed their prisoner in a room of the
tavern, and ordered fresh horses to be ready in five minutes. Joseph
asked them if he could interview counsel, but was cruelly treated for
his request. A man passed the window and the Prophet shouted to him to
secure him a lawyer, for he was falsely imprisoned. Attorney Edward
Southwick came to the door, but it was shut in his face, with a threat.
Shepherd G. Patrick, another attorney, also came and was insulted in
like manner. The neighborhood was soon aroused, and Mr. Dixon, owner
of the house, with some friends surrounded the door and threatened
violence to the inhuman sheriffs if they did not alter their brutal
course. This had a sobering effect upon them, and lawyers Southwick and
Patrick came into the room. President Smith showed them his bruised
sides, and asked them to obtain a writ of habeas corpus. A messenger
was sent by Mr. Dixon to Mr. Chamberlain, master-in-chancery, who
lived some six miles away, and another messenger was sent for Attorney
Cyrus Walker, who happened to be campaigning near that place. Walker,
Whig candidate for Congress, said he would come provided Joseph Smith
would promise to vote for him, which the latter said he would do.
This promise, Walker thought, would give him the united vote of the
"Mormon" people, which would insure his election. About eight o'clock
the master-in-chancery arrived and issued a writ of habeas corpus
returnable before Judge John D. Caton, of the ninth judicial district,
at Ottawa, which was served on Reynolds and Wilson. The same day
William Clayton was sent by the Prophet to notify his brother Hyrum,
and get assistance.
Reynolds and Wilson Under Arrest
Stephen Markham went before a justice of the peace and obtained
a warrant for Reynolds and Wilson for threatening his life. He
later obtained other warrants from the circuit court of Lee County
against them for threatening the life of Joseph Smith, and for false
imprisonment, claiming ten thousand dollars damages, on the ground that
the writ issued by Governor Ford was a void writ in law. As they could
not obtain bondsmen outside of Missouri, they were taken into custody
by Sheriff Campbell of Lee County. They also obtained a writ of habeas
corpus and under these circumstances the entire party, including the
lawyers and Mr. Dixon, started for Ottawa.
President Joseph Smith's Discourse at Pawpaw Grove
Saturday night, June 24, they arrived at Pawpaw Grove, thirty-two miles
distant from Dixon, and the following morning the people assembled
at the hotel and requested that the Prophet preach. To this Reynolds
objected, saying that Joseph Smith was his prisoner, and the people
must disperse. They had witnessed his abuse of his prisoner, and a Mr.
David Town, an aged gentleman, who was lame, advanced and gave Reynolds
to understand that he could not interrupt gentlemen. Bringing his heavy
walking stick down with a thud, he said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account