Closing Argument of Onias Skinner, 29 May 1845 [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); unidentified handwriting, possibly ; docket by , [, Hancock Co., IL, ca. 29 May 1845]; eight pages; Mormon Trial Notes, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Springfield, IL. Includes docket.
think that if those 3 witnesses were not to be believed, there was no case made out against these defendants His object was a wrong and in saying there was no evidence against G [William Grover] & , but I do not attribute it to corruption only to his ambition—
Now what is the evidence against (here repeats it)
says made a rebellious speach— He derives this from his testimony—
The fact is that had that morning hired a horse in to ride out and meet the troops with & convey to them the news relative to disbanding of the troops— And in his speech just repeated the arguments he had with the in trying to persuade him to march to —
There was nothing singular in the speech of under the circumstances— did not say we have arms in our hands and let us redress our own grievances— he did not say let us beard the lion in his den— no— no wit[ness] said this except the perjured ones introduced by — only in his speech said what the had said to him and what he had said in reply— says the next we see of is at — it is true but he went back to to leave the horse— [p. [2]]