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.
say that I heard any one speak of killing Smiths. They cursed the Mormons some. It was an officer that called for volunteers—don’t know who. Heard no opposition to going to from . Can’t say whether saw more than once. Think he was then on horseback. Don’t know how many volunteered.
Thomas Dixon sworn. Was in the day the Smiths were killed—not all day. Came in at 10 or 11 o’clock. Know , , and by sight. Don’t know [William] Grover. Saw and that day. Saw about 11 o’clock that day laying on a table in an office on the west side of the square. Heard of no arrangement to kill the Smiths. Was at the jail when Smiths were killed—was between 10 and 20 feet from south-east corner of jail—was there before firing commenced. Had started home; saw some men about one and a half miles off west on the prairie. Saw their guns glisten and went back to see what it meant. Saw some persons pretty near the jail. Left my horse at ’s and run on up. Met some young fellows who said Mormons are coming to rescue the prisoner, and I hurried my pace and got there a little first. The guards shot and there was a scuffle between guard and mob. Saw no dead or wounded; but the one (Smith.) They scuffled until they got the guard down; this scuffling lasted until after the death of Smiths. Don’t know whether any were hurt but one man shot in the arm. The firing called my attention to room above. Don’t know who it was that was wounded in the arm. Think some must have been hurt in the scuffle. Saw some go in jail with guns. Don’t know any of them. A half dozen might have gone in. Have lived in 10 or 11 years. Know a good many of the people. Saw Greys opposite to the jail—was there some time in advance of them—say five or ten minutes. The first I saw of the Greys they were within 20 steps of the jail. The mob had then gone 100 yards off. I was half a mile east of town when I first saw mob coming. From that time till I got to jail was 10 or 15 minutes. Did not mention what I saw to any one. Saw north-west of court house as I passed. He was not with Greys. Don’t know who was with him. I went right on to jail and got there a second or two before firing commenced. Saw none of the Defendants but on the square. Saw no one on the court house. Shook hands with —said nothing to him of what I had seen. Asked him the news and ran on. Saw no men at jail that I knew till after Smith’s were killed, except the guard. Saw no black faces. There were 20 or 30 at the jail, perhaps not so many. Did not count them. Think not more than 20 or 25. Saw some persons standing at a distance from jail. The mob went from jail, right west—north of road. The fence back of jail runs west. They did not go through lane I think. Made no halt myself when I got back to town. Went on home to . [p. 17]