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.
of Hawley’s field, and went with [Derrick] Fuller and I to Mr. [Larkin] Scott’s. He was in a bluster, and complained of being tired. I asked him what was the matter. He told me he was in the first section of the men who jumped the fence, and caught the guard. He was one of the men himself, and said, “We had a scuffle with [Franklin] Worrell,” that he (Worrell) was a very strong man—it took four men to hold him down—that he then got up and drew his sword; but he (Daniels) caught the sword and struck him on the wrist. Worrell then let go the sword, and Daniels threw it across the street into the garden, in the north-west corner. He told Fuller and I, that if we saw Worrell first, to tell him where the sword was. He said something about taking his company back to ; remarking what a coward he was, and he believed they would ride him on a rail. He did not mention any thing about the rest of the men.
Cross Examined. Daniels said a light flashed at the jail. He said nothing about dragging off men, or of four men shooting the Smiths. When he came to me he was scared and tired. I was not at the jail; was about a quarter of a mile off, and saw the smoke of the guns there.
John Carlyle [Carlisle] sworn. Have seen [William] Daniels. Saw him at Larkin Scott’s the night after the Smiths were killed. He was there part of the night in bed; I was in bed with him. He told me orders came from to Railroad Shantee for disbanding the troops. He told me that the two Smiths were dead—that he was not satisfied they were killed, and came from the Shantee to see; but did not say whether he was present when they were killed. Heard at the Shantee that they were killed. Did not say when they were killed. This was late bed time. He did not mention which Smith, or who killed them. He said they were shot—that he did not personally see them killed.
Coleman Garrett sworn. Reside in Schuyler County, Illinois, and know [William] Daniels. Have heard Daniels say that he was getting pretty well paid for being a witness. I asked him what he was doing; he said he had quit coopering, and never expected to do any more hard work, for he could make money easier than by cooper work. He said the Mormons were to give him five or six hundred dollars; that they had given him some. I got 50 cents for some butter. He said they were to give him this for appearing as a witness against these men. This conversation took place last winter in . I have known Daniels two years. He told me at , that 50 cents he paid men once before he got from the Mormons. He said he was to be paid for coming here to swear. He said nothing about the Mormons paying other witnesses. he said the was to pay him $300 for swearing. I was in with the , when the Smiths were killed. Do not know whether the guard had the guns loaded with blank cartridges or not. When this conversation occurred Daniels was a Mormon. I never heard any admissions from the defendants.
Thomas L. English sworn. Live in , and have known William M. Daniels since last July. First knew him in . Have conversed with him two or three, perhaps four times, about his being a witness in this case. The first time he came to , he said he came from Augusta. The first time I asked him the particulars of the Smith killing, he said he knew nothing about it. He wished that all the Mormons in had been driven out. Some time afterwards he went to , and when he came back he said he had made a great speculation in writing a book. I asked him what book, and he said he was going to write about the proceedings at . I told him he had said he knew nothing about it. He said, “No matter; say nothing; as long as I can make a speculation I’ll make it.” I asked him if he got the money. He said no, he had got $100 in trade that suited him as well—that he had received it already. I told him I thought he [p. 28]