Account of Trial, [], Hancock Co., IL, 24–28 May 1845, State of IL v. Williams et al. (Hancock Co., IL, Circuit Court 1845). Published [ca. 30 July 1845] in Trial of the Persons Indicted in the Hancock Circuit Court for the Murder of Joseph Smith at the Carthage Jail, on the 27th Day of June, 1844, Warsaw, IL: Warsaw Signal, 1845.
or two—two of the troops around, and think I saw three—no more. I had seen one of them before by the name of [John] Wills. Did not know the others then, and only know them now by hearsay. One of them said that when Wills came out into the street, his arm was all shot to pieces. I never saw them since, and did not see the wounds then, but saw blood running from his arm. Did not examine any, but understood some one was hurt on the face, and one in the shoulder, and heard one man say he was wounded, as he came into the street. -[Here read from the Pamphlet as follows:—
Mr Wills was about the first that rushed up the stairs, who soon returned wounded, stated that he pushed the door partly open and fired into the jail. He was asked if he was badly hurt; he replied, ‘yes, my arm is shot all to pieces by old Joe; but I don’t care, I’ve got revenge, I shot !’
Daniels then continued:]-—He said he was the first man who shot through the door. has been making some more filling. The call to the window was after this, I think. I then walked right up the street to . The wounded man turned and went away, and I saw the other two by the fence; do not know how they got away, but I suppose Wills went off on foot. Think the man who was wounded in the shoulder was the one who shot Smith—I saw him do it. This was Voorhes [William Voras]. He held his gun in both hands. His sister told me it was him.
I saw Smith when he fell from the window. He did not jump, but fell. I saw him hanging by his hands and feet, his body out, a little time. I think his head was north and his feet south. The troops were south east. No one fired, I believe, while he was hanging. told them to shoot. He (Smith) fell on his back, and turned over on his face. I think he was not then hurt. One man rushed at him, picked him up, set him up and held him, and said “Old Joe, I know you!” I thought he had fainted. Smith said nothing while on the ground. Before that he said “Oh Lord!” While he hung in the window it was pretty quiet. After this man set him up, they shot him. he set him up on the south side of the well curb, and then stepped away from him. The men who shot him stood in a south-easterly direction, not facing him. Three or four shot at him, I think four. They stood at the fence, probably 10 or 12 feet off. They fired pretty much at the same time. -[Here read again from the Pamphlet, the following:
His eyes rested on them with an expression of calm quiet resignation, while they took deadly aim. He gave a slight twinge of his body, as the ball struck him, and fell upon his face, his body stretched to the east and west.
Daniels proceeded:]- I don’t know whether Smith had his eyes open. I did not see any signs of pain, nor any signs of recovery. I did not tell about his eyes being open and bearing a calm [p. 11]