Closing Argument of Onias Skinner, 29 May 1845, Copy [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.]
Source Note
, Closing Argument, [, Hancock Co., IL], 29 May [1845], State of IL v. Williams et al. (Hancock Co., IL, Circuit Court 1845). Copied [29 May–20 June 1845]; handwriting of and printed text; thirty-one pages; Wilford Wood Museum, Bountiful, UT; images in Joseph Smith Murder Trial Papers, 1844–1845, CHL.
by their neighbors & acquaintances. One more only circumstance, only, will I call your attention to, and this of itself, seems conclusive of these defts innocence & that the troops were not at the jail that day.— [Jonas] Hobart, [Franklin] Worrell & [Thomas] Dixon who are old citizens of the & who know most of the persons that Composed the forces, were at the jail when the act was committed, and they tell you they did not see a man among the mob they knew— They were not in disguise— it was in daylight— they had every opportunity of recognising them if, they had ever seen them before— their whole attention was attracted to the scene & the actors in it; and you do know that it is impossible they should not have seen & known those with whom they were acquainted had they been there; & the fact that neither of them saw one person among them he knew is the clearest proof that they were not the troops but, others & strangers in the . Now, Gentlemen, if I am right in any one of the positions assumed you must — if any of them leave in your minds a reasonable doubt— a doubt founded on a reason— that doubt must acquit the defendants. If one link in the chain of circumstances assum [p. 21]