History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 3Smith, Joseph, Jr.
History
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 3
Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
_Thursday, 6_.--At half-past seven this morning, I started on
horseback, accompanied by several brethren, among whom were my
brother Hyrum and Judge Elias Higbee, to attend my trial at Brother
Littlefield's. I thought it not wisdom to make my appearance before the
public at the county seat of Daviess county, in consequence of the many
threats made against me, and the high state of excitement. The trial
could not proceed, on account of the absence of the plaintiff, and lack
of testimony, and the court adjourned until tomorrow at ten o'clock in
the morning, at a Mr. Raglin's, some six or eight miles further south,
and within half a mile of the line of Caldwell. Raglin is a regular mob
character. We all returned to Far West, where we arrived before dark.
[Sidenote: The Trial at Raglin's.]
_Friday, 7_.--About sunrise I started with my friends, and arrived at
Mr. Raglin's at the appointed hour. We did not know but there would
be a disturbance among the mob characters today; we {73} accordingly
had a company of men placed at the county line, so as to be ready at a
minute's warning, if there should be any difficulty at the trial.
The trial commenced; William P. Peniston, who was the prosecutor, had
no witnesses but Adam Black, but he contrived to swear to a great many
things that never had an existence, and I presume never entered into
the heart of any other man, and in fine, I think he swore by the job,
and that he was employed so to do by Peniston.
The witnesses on the part of the defense were Dimick B. Huntington,
Gideon Carter, Adam Lightner, and George W. Robinson.
[Sidenote: The Prophet and Lyman Wight Bound Over.]
The judge bound Colonel Wight and myself over to court in a five
hundred dollar bond. There was no proof against us to criminate us, but
it is supposed he did it to pacify, as much as possible, the feelings
of the mobbers. The judge stated afterwards, in the presence of George
W. Robinson, that there was nothing proven against us worthy of bonds,
but we submitted without murmuring a word, gave the bonds, with
sufficient securities, and all returned home the same evening.
[Sidenote: A Committee of Inquiry from Chariton County.]
I found two persons in Daviess county at the trial, who were sent from
Chariton county as a committee, to inquire into all this matter, as
the mobbers had sent to that place for assistance, they said, to take
Smith and Wight; but their real object was to drive the brethren from
the county of Daviess, as had been done in Jackson county. They said
the people in Chariton county did not see proper to send help without
knowing for what purpose they were doing it, and this they said was
their errand. They accompanied us to Far West, to hold a council with
us, in order to learn the facts of this great excitement, which is, as
it were, turning the world upside down. We arrived home in the evening.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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