The Missouri PersecutionsRoberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
History
The Missouri Persecutions
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saints -- Missouri -- History -- 19th century
FIFTEEN days were consumed in taking testimony for the State. At the
expiration of that time the judge ordered the defendants to bring
forth their rebutting testimony or he would thrust them into prison.
"I could hardly understand what the judge meant," says Hyrum Smith,
"as I considered we were in prison already." The names of forty
persons, residents of Far West, were given to the court to be called
as witnesses for the defense, and the subpoenas for them were placed
in the hands of "Captain" or "Parson," which ever title the reader may
be best pleased to know him by, for he was both captain of a gang of
mobbers and a supposed minister of Christ, and now an arm of the civil
power--any way it was Bogard of Crooked River battle fame. He took with
him a force of fifty men and started for Far West; and in the course
of a few days returned with the forty men. They were at once put under
arrest and by this cunning were prevented from appearing as witnesses.
After executing this _coup de main_ the judge petulantly exclaimed:
"Gentlemen, you must get your witnesses or you shall be committed to
jail immediately." Most of the brethren felt very much discouraged
at the turn affairs had taken, but Hyrum Smith, under the advice of
General Doniphan and Lawyer Reese, gave the names of some twenty other
persons at Far West, who were desirable as witnesses. The same man was
ordered to bring the witnesses to Richmond, but in the meantime the
people at Far West had learned of the intrigue being practiced upon
them, and the persons whose names Bogard took with him, who had not
left the State, kept out of the way and he returned to Richmond with
but one man who was wanted, and he was thrust into jail and not allowed
to testify. The judge again urged the prisoners to bring on their
witnesses, telling them it was the last day he would hold the court
open for them.
While the brethren were in consultation with their lawyers a Mr. Allen
passed the window and Hyrum Smith beckoned to him to come inside, and
the prisoners then informed the court that they had one witness who
was ready to be sworn. But at this juncture the prosecuting attorney,
Birch, objected to having the witness testify, as this court was merely
investigating the case, and not trying it, notwithstanding the frequent
calls from the court asking the accused to procure witnesses. General
Doniphan here lost his patience, and rising to his feet he said: "I'll
be G---d----d if the witness is not sworn. It is a d---d shame to
treat these defendants in this manner. They are not allowed to put one
witness on the stand; while the witnesses they have sent for have been
captured by force of arms and thrust into the 'bull pen,' to prevent
their testifying."
No sooner, however, had Allen begun his testimony than he was taken by
the nape of the neck by a brother-in-law of the priest Bogard, kicked
out of the room and made to run for his life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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