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.
mormons? He did not tell me at that time but he told me afterward. it was some of the money he had got from the mormons. He bought some butter from you and told you that was some money he had got from the mormons as he paid you? Yes. When Daniels was talking with you about this 500 dollars Did he say the mormons was paying him. that to come hear and swear A lie? He did not say a “lie” but to come hear and swear against these men. Did Daniels say any thing about the mormons getting anybody else? No. Did he not say they where going to hire of who are not Mormons to tell the truth? No. He told me the was to pay him three hundred dollars I thought he was just roamansing [romancing] then and did not believe the or the Mormons either had paid him A cent.
<Cross examined by >
Was you here at the time the Smiths were killed? No I was at <in> . Did you know any thing about this matter before it happened? I did not. Did you know any thing about the having their guns loaded with blanck caterage [blank cartridge]? I did not. At the time you was speaking to Daniels was he A mormon? Yes. Did he not tell you he had contemplated to go away for the state paid <him> for his time? No. He said was to give him three hundered dollars and the Twelve at 500? He said 5 or 6 hundered.
where do you reside? In . Are you aquainted with A man by the name of [William] Daniels? Yes. Where did you become aquainted with him? In . Have you ever had any conversation with him about his being a witteness? Yes about three times. I will get you to state to the jury what Daniels said in relation to his being A witteness. The first time he came to he said he came from Agusta I asked him if he had heard the reports of the killing of the Smiths he said he new nothing about it and wished all the mormons in this were driven out after that I had not a great deal of talk with him till after he came from for after he had stoped there a while he came back and told me [p. [93]]