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.
he had made A great speculation in writting A book I asked <him> what what kind of A book he told me he was going to write A book upon the proceedings as they happened in I said you told me you knew nothing about it but said he say nothing about it as soon as I can make speculation of some dollars I will make it I asked him if he had got any money he said no but he had got 100 dollars in trade I told him I thought he had not generall knowledge enough to write A Book he asked me why I thought that I said I know he was not A man of A very great figure for I had tried him he told me then that he had freinds to aid him he said he did not want to work hard and if he could get along without working he meant to do so. I showed him my hands and said I expected to work hard for my living. After that some time I proposed to go a hunting with him it was in the latter end of October or the first of November we went to hunt and on our travel he told me that he was to get 500 dollars if he could make out to swear against some people he also told me that there was A man in the city hotell that offered him 500 dollars. Did he say who he was to swear against? No. He <said he> did not know if he would take the money or not he said if he could raise it he would pocket the money and go away he said if he could receive it he did not care about any side he would put it in his pocket and leave them all. I told him he was getting into A curious buisness he said he did not know much about it now but he could get to know after a while. With this our conversation ended.
Cross examination by .
When was it he told you about getting 500 <the 100> dollars? It was after he came down from . In what Mounth I think it was in the mounth of August What was he to get it for? For writting A book. Do you know when that Book of Daniel was written? I never saw it. He told you he had got the 100 dollars? He did. Who did he say spoke to him about the 500 dollars? He did not say. Did you not hear him say something about it here in this court the other day? I did not notice. Did he say he was to get 500 dollars for being A witteness? He said he was going to get 500 Dollars if he could swear against the smiths. Did he say if he could raise it he would not do it? He said if he could raise the 500 dollars he would go to [p. [94]]