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.
again until midnight. said, We have finished the leading men. Grover said he killed old Joe. They were all passing backward and forward through the dining room. Mrs. Fleming was there at the time. We had not been to bed; but were not waiting for return of the men. I did not go to bed till 4 o’clock. Grover and went into dining room and staid perhaps 15 minutes. I was not there at the time. Don’t know how many came with and Grover. I suppose that most of the men who came with and Grover belonged to ; but can’t name any one who went into the room with them. The company were talking about the death of the Smiths. I set the table while aunt worked. Don’t know why my attention was attracted to and Grover. Asbel Genung was there when and Grover came. Soon after he went out on guard. Don’t know which arm Voorhes was wounded in. He sat in the kitchen with a blanket around him. There was no physician there that I know of to see him. Grover said that he was wounded in the shoulder. I am certain that Grover eat breakfast at Fleming’s that morning. Grover and both staid at Fleming’s the night before Smiths were killed and took breakfast there that morning. and Grover were in the bar room when I went to bed at 4 o’clock in the morning. Do not know how many I heard say they had killed the Smiths; perhaps half of them said so. Grover is the only one I recollect. I saw no arms at all. I do not know how they came; there were but few at regular supper that night. We took supper before came. I am certain that was at breakfast, and not at regular supper. said, “We have finished the men;” do not know who he was addressing. I did not hear say that he had not been to . I did not enquire whether the Smiths were dead; did not suppose any one else was dead. There were two leading men then, Joseph and ; I suppose they were part of the council. I don’t know the third man in the council; know he is not a leading man. They have 12 leaders now. Cannot say whether it was a moonlight or a dark night, or whether there was any light in the hall when Grover and came in. The lad was wounded on one cheek, don’t know which one. There was no blood. I heard him say he was wounded, but did not say how, or by whom. There was a patch on his cheek. I do not know whether there were any troops from . I don’t know that Capt. [George] Pollard was there. There was no alarm at Mr. Fleming’s that night, that I know of. I never called on Mr. Key for protection. The next night at dark, the stage driver came down from , and gave an alarm. I was not alarmed, and told aunt that the Mormons were not coming. I wanted to be with my friends, but was not afraid; I had no cause to be alarmed. Mrs. Fleming [p. 20]