According to William Clayton, upon hearing Rich’s report, “the council was immediately adjourned and the Twelve with one or two others went over to Er Taylors.” Douglas indicated to them that Hardin had a writ “to search for some goods” that had reportedly been stolen by a Mormon from Appanoose, Illinois, and did not want to begin the search “untill he had first ascertained whether the authorities were willing.” Douglas also stated that “they did not intend going to the burned district”—likely a reference to the areas of southern Hancock County in which homes had been burned—“unless it was necessary to aid the officers if they had any writs, or if the citizens who had been burned out and wanted to fetch away their property and should be molested they would go down to protect them.” Douglas told the Mormons that “it was a hard matter to convince the people East of the Illinois River that it was the mob that were burning houses. They believed it was the Mormons burning the houses of the old citizens.” The council at John Taylor’s house was soon joined by others. According to Hosea Stout, captain of police, he was at the temple getting instructions from Charles C. Rich when “Backenstos & Judge Douglas [and] one of General Hardin’s aids rode up and was introduced by Backenstos and we all trooped off down to Elder Taylor’s and met in council with the 12. Douglas informed them that he was sent by his Genereal [Hardin] to notify them that he desired an interview with the Twelve to which they concented to grant at the p[a]rade ground,” where Hardin awaited with his troops. Stout then escorted Douglas to meet Hardin at the parade ground. (Clayton, Journal, 30 Sept 1845; Hosea Stout, Reminiscences and Journal, 30 Sept. 1845.)
Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.
Stout, Hosea. Reminiscences and Journals, 1845–1869. Microfilm. CHL. Originals at Utah State Historical Society, Salt Lake City. Also available as On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1844–1861, edited by Juanita Brooks, 2 vols. (1964. Reprint, Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press; Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, 1982).
After meeting with Douglas as described in the preceding footnote, Young and others met with Hardin; according to Hosea Stout, Hardin “showed his authority for coming here and told his intentions of mentaining the ‘Supremacy of the Law.’” Clayton reported that Hardin, who was accompanied by “about 400 men,” indicated that the “stolen goods matter was settled” but that he now wanted to “search for the bodies of two men” (one named Wilcox and one named Debonair) who were missing and were believed to have been murdered in Nauvoo. Stout reported Hardin’s statement that “he intended to have an effectual and thoroug search made here for them that it was some what strange that a man should leave so large and populous a City as this and no body see him and in a scarcastic manner insinuated that we had been guilty of their death.” Hardin “then marched his troops and formed them in front of the Temple and sent four or five of his men to search the Temple through. Bishop Whitney escorted them. They found nothing there and then went down to the Masonic Hall to search.” Both Clayton and Stout believed that the search for bodies was a ruse. Clayton wrote, “There are strong reasons to suspect that Hardin means us no good. We suppose he will search for Bogus Machines [used in counterfeiting money] or any thing else but we dont suppose he has told his real designs. There is no doubt but he is a rank mobocrat as well as the troops who are with him.” For his part, Stout believed that Hardin and his troops hoped “to find our cannon &c as we had good reason to believe and deprive us of our means of defence and then we could be more easy brought to bow in submission [to] their unjust mandates.” The supposed search for bodies, Stout wrote, was “rediculous and contemptible.” (Clayton, Journal, 30 Sept. 1845; Hosea Stout, Reminiscences and Journal, 30 Sept. 1845.)
Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.
Stout, Hosea. Reminiscences and Journals, 1845–1869. Microfilm. CHL. Originals at Utah State Historical Society, Salt Lake City. Also available as On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1844–1861, edited by Juanita Brooks, 2 vols. (1964. Reprint, Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press; Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, 1982).