George Pitkin, Testimony, 1 July 1843 [Extradition of JS for Treason]
Source Note
, Testimony, [, Hancock Co., IL], 1 July 1843, Extradition of JS for Treason (Nauvoo, IL, Municipal Court 1843). Copied [6 July 1843]; handwriting of ; signature presumably of ; docket by , [, Hancock Co., IL], ca. [6] July 1843; notation by , ca. [6] July 1843; two pages; Nauvoo, IL, Records, CHL.
.— sworn— says that he concurs with the preceding witnesses <( & )> in all the facts with which he is acquainted; that in the summer of 1838 he was elected Sheriff of the county of & State of . That in the fall of the same year while the was threatened & infested with mobs, he received an order from the presiding Judge of said , to call out the Militia and he executed the same. The said order was presented by Joseph Smith, Senr. who showed the a letter from giving <such> advice <as was necessary> for the protection of the citizens of said ; reports of the mobs destroying property were daily received. Has no knowledge that Joseph Smith had any was concerned in organizing or commanding said Militia in any capacity whatever. About this time he received information that about forty or fifty “Yauga [Jäger] Rifles” & a quantity of ammunition were being conveyed through to for the use of the mob: Upon which he deputized William Allred to go with a company of men and to intercept them if possible, he did so and brought the said arms and ammunition <in>to which were afterwards delivered up to the order of , judge of the fifth circuit in .
It was generally understood at that time that said arms had been stolen by , and his company of volunteers, who had been upon a six months tour of service in the war between the and the Florida Indians, they were supposed to have been taken from the Fort at “Tampa Bay,” and brought to Clay County and that Captain Pollard or some other person loaned them to the Mob— He further says that whilst in office as sherriff he was forcibly and illegally compelled by Lieutenant Cook, the son in law <or Brother in Law> of , the methodist Priest to start for and when he demanded of him [p. 1]