Account of Trial, , Hancock Co., IL, 21–28 May 1845, State of IL v. Williams et al. (Hancock Co., IL, Circuit Court 1845). Transcribed from shorthand [before 24 Aug. 1858]; handwriting of and Daniel Mackintosh; 106 pages; Report of the Trial of the Murderers of Joseph Smith, 1845, CHL.
towards . Did you stop him? Yes. what took place then? Doctor Morrison and Barns road close up to him. Did you hear them convers about any thing? I was a little piece ahead and did not hear there there conversation very little of it till he comenced trieng [trying] to get Docter Morrison to go with him to because he was frightened to go alone. I then spoke to him and said he was A young man and that I had no disposition to supose any thing would happen him as the was there. Have you seen that man since? I have not seen him either before or after the killing of Jo Smith. Did you ever hear say any thing about A conspiracy to kill Smith? I never had A word with him in my life. Did you ever have any talk with ? I did not. With ? I did not. With [William] Grover? I did not. With ? No. Might you not have had conversation with some of these individuals, and you might have forgot it? No. Did you see that company returning when they went back? I think I saw some men before I got home. How meny? I don’t know. was there as meny as 20? I dontknow think there was. And you thought it was no new thing at all? I paid no atention to it. I did not know but they was coming to pay us A visit. And in A short time you saw them go back and it was nothing to arouse your attention? No. It was not any thing new for 50 men to come and take dinner here? No for I had been at Scot County and I made A speach at every hollow and I expect to go again. What do you expect to go again for? It is none of your buisness I should like to know if there is going to be any more mobs here? I am determined to stick with the people and <not> be united with robers. <Note> Did it astonish you when you heard that old Jo Smith was killed? I was astonished at the time but it did not last long. Did you see any of these men after the smiths where killed the same evening? I dont know that I did. Was there thing said the day before about killing the smiths? I did not hear any thing to my knowledge I heard it said among the crowd that they would kill them. And they where headed and orgonized by these men did you not know that fact? I did not know it. You think the credit of killing the Smiths belongs to and not to the other Countys? I did not say so. Well these men where not of any county from the other counties? No [p. [47]]