Hyrum Smith, 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 [3–6 July 1843]; handwriting of and ; docket by , [6 July 1843, , Hancock Co., IL]; docket by , ca. [6] July 1843; notation by , ca. [6] July 1843; twenty-eight pages; Nauvoo, IL, Records, CHL.
“it was damned hard to be confined under such circumstances for he knew we were innocent men and <he said> the people also knew it— And that it was only a persecution & treachery and the scenes of acted over again, for fear that we would become too numerous in that upper country. He said the plan was concocted by the down to the lowest Judge and that damned baptist minister, priest Riley who was riding into every day to watch the people, stirring up the minds of the people against us all he could, exciting them and stirring up the<ir> religious prejudices of the people against us for fear they would let us go.” however got bail & made his escape to . our <The> jailor Judge Taylor Samuel Tillery, Esquire told us also “that the whole plan was concocted by the down to the lowest Judge in that upper country early in the previous spring and that the plan was more fully carried out at the time that went down to with generals & and , the self styled “Deleware Chief—” This was some time in the month of September when the mob were collected at , in Carroll County— He also told us “that the was now ashamed enough of the whole transaction and would be glad to set us at liberty if he dared to do it; but said he, you need not be concerned for the has laid a plan for your release. He also said that the ’s Attorney was appointed to be circuit Judge, on the circuit passing through and that he () was instructed to fix the papers so that we would be sure to be clear from any incumbrance in a very short time—” Sometime in April we were taken to , as they said, to have a Trial but when we arrived at that place instead of finding a court or a jury we found another inquisition, and who was the district attorney, the same man who was one of [p. 23]