“’ arrived in this this morning, much worn down by travel and fatigue, having left yesterday. It is now certain that only Joe and are killed, and they were murdered in cold blood.— [HC 7:178] It seems that while was absent from to , for the purpose of ascertaining satisfactorily the strength of the Mormon force, an excited mob assembled near , disfigured themselves by painting their faces, and made a rush upon the jail where Joe and his fellow prisoners were confined.— The guard placed by the to protect the jail were overpowered by superior numbers, the doors of the jail forced, and Joe and both shot. was instantly killed by a ball which passed through his head. Joe was in the act of raising the window, when he was shot both from without and within and fell out of the window to the ground. whom we supposed yesterday was dead, escaped unhurt. , the Editor of the Nauvoo Neighbour, was in the room with the Smiths, and received three balls in his leg, and one in his arm. He is not considered dangerous. Three of the assailants were slightly wounded.

“’It will probably never be known who shot Joseph and — but their murder was a cold blooded, cowardly act, which will consign the perpetrators, if discovered, to merited infamy and disgrace.— They have broken their pledges to the — disgraced themselves and the to which they belong. They have crimsoned their perfidy with blood.

“’The dead bodies of the Smiths were conveyed to , by order of the , yesterday. It was supposed by many that the Mormons on seeing them would break away from all restraints and commence a war of extermination. But nothing of the kind occurred. The<​y​> received their murdered friends in sorrow— laid down their arms and remained quiet. Col Singleton and his company of <​10​> men are still in , and the Mormons submitted to their authority.

“‘The 300 that left our yesterday on the Boreas are at present in . A man was knocked down with a musket in yesterday, for presuming to express disapprobation at the murder of the Smiths’”