History of the Prophet Joseph, by His MotherSmith, Lucy
History
History of the Prophet Joseph, by His Mother
Smith, Lucy
Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
prison, and probably will be, and we have no power to do anything;
of course we must submit to this tyranny and oppression; we cannot
help ourselves." Several others made similar expressions, in the
agony of their souls, but my brother Joseph did not say anything,
he being sick at that time with the toothache, and ague in his
face, in consequence of a severe cold brought on by being exposed
to the severity of the weather. However, it was considered best by
General Doniphan and Lawyer Reese, that we should try to get some
witnesses, before the pretended court. Accordingly, I myself gave
the names of about twenty other persons; the judge inserted them in
a subpoena, and caused it to be placed in the hands of Bogard, the
Methodist priest, and he again started off with his fifty soldiers,
to take those men prisoners, as he had done to the forty others.
The judge sat and laughed at the good opportunity of getting the
names, that they might the more easily capture them, and so bring
them down to be thrust into prison, in order to prevent us from
getting the truth before the pretended court, of which himself
was the chief inquisitor or conspirator. Bogard returned from his
second expedition, with one prisoner only, whom he also thrust into
prison.
The people at Far West had learned the intrigue, and had left
the state, having been made acquainted with the treatment of the
former witnesses. But we, on learning that we could not obtain
witnesses, whilst privately consulting with each other what we
should do, discovered a Mr. Allen, standing by the window on the
outside of the house; we beckoned to him as though we would have
him come in. He immediately came in. At that time Judge King
retorted upon us again, saying, "Gentlemen, are you not going to
introduce some witnesses;" also saying it was the last day he
should hold the court open for us, and if we did not rebut the
testimony that had been given against us, he should have to commit
us to jail. I had then got Mr. Allen into the house, and before
the court, so called. I told the judge we had one witness, if he
would be so good as to put him under oath; he seemed unwilling to
do so, but after a few moments' consultation the state's attorney
arose and said, he should object to that witness being sworn, and,
that he should object to that witness giving in his evidence at
all; stating that this was not a court to try the case, but only
a court of investigation on the part of the state. Upon this,
General Doniphan arose, and said, he would "be God d--d, if the
witness should not be sworn, and that it was a damned shame, that
these defendants should be treated in this manner; that they could
not be permitted to get one witness before the court, whilst all
their witnesses, even forty at a time, have been taken by force
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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