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.
— not a word is heard from . Peyton does not know what else said— he does not profess to remember the whole speech nor any considerable portion of it but, these sentences he thinks he remembers or something to their effect. He only states detached portions of his speech— the Conexion , the meaning, the idea Conveyed he does not pretend to state— he paid little attention to what said & cannot state more than 3. sentences of what he did say & these isolated, broken & disconnected with the context. He says he made a small speech— he does not pretend what he said excited any attention— he does not pretend his small speech excited even curiosity or attracted the troops about him— that there was anything rebellious or seditious said— that there was any fanning the flames of rebellion & murder; and so little interest did what he said excite in Peyton that he does not remember what did say. did not say the had gone to and <that then> now was the time, as asserted by ,— he could ◊◊ <have> known no such thing— for he left at 8, o’clock— there was no talk then of the ’s going to nor was it known until near the middle of the day— it was impossible for the troops to have known it at that time. & this is some of ’s wringing in his mormon testimony. [p. 5]