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.
. There was a call made for volunteers—don’t know who by or whether any of the Defendants were then present. Don’t know whether said any thing about Mormons or who was going to . Saw going towards home—heard him say, he’d be d—d if he was going to kill men confined in prison. Heard nothing of going to from Grover. Don’t know that any of Defendants went to . Woodruff [Richard Woodworth], [Hampton] Loftis and Eli [D.] Walker heard the same remark I did from . Did not hear it as public talk that any were going to kill the Smiths. rode a bay mare. There were some half dozen baggage wagons. Did not see . At that time did not know him. Did not see ’s wagon. Don’t know of Fuller having a wagon there.
Franklin A. Worrell sworn. I was one of the guards at the jail. Saw Smith when he was killed. Saw none of the Defendants at the jail. Suppose there were one or two hundred there. They staid [stayed] three or four minutes. First they formed in front of the jail, then made a rush. Knew none that came up. There was much confusion. Some had their faces blacked with powder. The men were very much crowded. Heard nothing that was said. So smoky and so much noise that I could neither see or hear. I was in the door when crowd came up and was pushed and shoved some fifty feet. There was a fence about 12 feet from the door. The larger portion of the crowd came inside of the fence. Saw Smith die—was within ten feet of him. Did not see him in the window. Perhaps a minute after he fell I saw him die. The crowd came down the fence from road. That is the only direction or road from . Is not the direction of . is south of west—the fence is east and west— is north of west. The Railroad Shantees are south of west, in a direct line to . Saw no one on horseback at the time the deed was done. Some may have come up from after it was over. Think I saw about fifteen minutes after the event at the jail; but not before. Event took place about 5 or 6 o’clock. Think was in town. Did not see , [William] Grover or . It was so crowded at the jail that I could not see much. Know about one-third of the men in the county; but none at the jail. Might have been some scared.
Baldwin L. Samuels [Samuel] sworn. Was in but not at jail when Smiths were killed. Was there afterwards. When the act was done was on the way from court house to jail. All left before I got there. I saw and and think I saw in town that day; but did not see or [William] Grover. Saw and in the afternoon, before the killing. I saw them two or three hours before. Do not know what was doing. Did not see him making any arrangements. was here with [p. 4]