Docket Entry, 1–circa 6 July 1843 [Extradition of JS for Treason]
Source Note
Docket Entry, [, Hancock Co., IL, 1–ca. 6 July 1843], Extradition of JS for Treason (Nauvoo, IL, Municipal Court 1843); Nauvoo Municipal Court Docket Book, 55–87, 116–150; handwriting of and ; CHL.
came in & we were introduced to him, the awkward manner in which he entered & his apparent embarrassment, was as to force a Smile from me. He was then asked for what he had thus cast us into prison? to this question he could not or did not give a direct answer. He said he would let us know in a few days, & after a few more awkward & uncouth movements he withdrew. After he went out I asked some of the guard what was the matter with , that made him appear so ridiculous? They said he was near sighted: I said replied that I was mistaken if he were not as near witted, as he was near sighted.
We were now left with our guards, without knowing for what we had been arrested, as no civil process had issued against <us>— for what followed until came in again to tell us that we were to be delivered into the hands of the civil authorities. I am entirely indebted to what I heard the guards say— I heard them say that had promised them before leaving Coles county, that they should have the privilege of Shooting Joseph Smith, Senior & myself. And that was engaging <engaged> in searching the military law to find authority for so doing, but he found it difficult as we were not military men & did not belong to the militia; but he had sent to Fort Leavenworth for the military code of law & he expected after he got the laws, to find law to justify him in Shooting us.
I must here again digress, to relate a circumstance which I forgot in its place. I had heard that had given a military order to some persons who had applied to him for it, to go to our houses & take such goods as they claimed. The goods claimed were goods sold by the Sheriff of on an , which I had purchased at the sale. The man against whom the execution was issued, availed himself of that time of trouble to go & take the goods wherever he could find them.— I asked if he had given any such authority. He said that an application had been made to him for such an order, but he said, “your lady wrote me a letter, requesting me not to do it— telling me the goods had been purchased at the Sheriffs sale, and I would not grant the order.” I did not at the time, suppose that in this had barefacedly lied; but the sequel proved he had— for some time afterwards, behold there comes a man to with the order & shewed it to me signed by . The man said he had been at our house & taken all the goods he could find. so much for a lawyer, a Methodist, and very pious man at that time in [p. 145]