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.
had not sufficient intelligence to write a book. He asked why, I told him I thought his education was deficient. He then said, “As a friend and brother chip, I’ll tell you. I have a friends to aid me in it, and it suits me better to support my family than working.” He did not think a man that could make an easy living should work hard; the world owed him a living, and he meant to have it. We were always good friends. In October last he proposed we should go hunting. Whilst out, he said he was to get $500 if he could only work out some hit to swear against some people; there was a man at the City hotel the day before, who had offered it, and he was not right sure whether to take it. Said if he could get it, he would pocket the money and go to where he came from, and leave them all. I told him he was getting into a very curious business. He said he did not know much about it, at present but he could get into it after a while. He left soon after, and I never saw him again till last Thursday, in .
Cross Examined sworn. After he came from in August or September, he said he got $100 in trade for writing a book. I never saw the book. I think it was about September. I did not hear what Daniels said in Court. Told me he was to get $500 for getting up something to swear against the men who killed the Smiths. Said if he could get the $500 he would give them all leg bail, and take his family to his friends in or . I was born in Ireland. I may have talked this, but to no one in particular. I wrote to about it, say about a month ago. gives me nothing. Daniels said he had been in , and worked for Philip Thomas; said nothing of being at . I have been in more than two years.
George Seabold sworn. Live in , follow the coopering business, and am acquainted with [William] Daniels. He worked in the same shop, at Chapman’s, opposite the City hotel. Daniels told me he had some way of making $500, but would not tell me how then. Two days after he told me he could make $500, and a man at the City hotel had offered it to him. He intimated that it was for prosecuting these men—said it was for prosecuting the men who killed the Smiths.
Charles Andrews sworn. Live in , am a carriage painter, and have known [William] Daniels for the last two years. He came to my house on the 5th or 6th of July last, and told me he was just from . I asked him what had been going on, and he replied that he had seen both Joseph and killed; that he had got some money from to bear his expenses. He then took a handfull out of his pocket. There was nothing more said then. Some time after, he told me he was offered $500 to clear out, and asked me what I thought of it. I replied that I would devilish quick go. I asked him who offered of it, and understood him that he was offered it by of . He said he should stay; that he could get $1000 from the . I said, suppose they kill you, which I am afraid some one will; and he replied, that if they did, his wife would get the money, and that is just as well. I do not recollect any other conversation about it. My wife and Daniels’ wife are sisters. I do not know Eliza Graham; think I have heard Daniels speak of her.
Cross Examined. I do not know whether the was in then or not. Daniels saw the when he was there in the fall—said he was acquainted with the . Said gave him about $10 to bear his expenses. Daniels said he was going to take the highest bid. I suppose he knew all about the difficulty. Did not put much confidence in what he said about offers. Am well acquainted with Daniels for the last two years. I was afraid if he told all about the murder, some of the murderers would kill him.