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.
Now as to Peytons Evidence, he only tells part of a speech you cannot a man upon hearing a what he has said on hearing only a part of it— Peyton does not recollect who called for volunteers— or that any of the defendants called for volunteers—
Now suppose any one of these 3 defts had tried to raise volunteer[s] that day would they not have manifested it by manifest signs & words—
To constitute a — there must be a common design— was there such a design [Eli D.] Walker tells you he heard no talk about going to to murder the Smiths— something was said about blowing the jail to the devil but whether that was said before or after volunteers were called for the wit[ness] cannot say— and it amounts to nothing— for it does not appear that it was any part of theplan a common plan— besides it is not brought home to any of these defendants
There was no concert of action one man spoke of one thing and another of another— one must perhaps said— he would blow [p. [6]]