Indictment, circa 23 May 1844 [State of Illinois v. JS for Perjury]
Source Note
Indictment, [], Hancock Co., IL, [ca. 23] May 1844, State of IL v. JS for Perjury (Hancock Co., IL, Circuit Court 1844); handwriting of E. A. Thompson; docket by E. A. Thompson, [, Hancock Co., IL, ca. 23 May 1844]; notation by unidentified scribe, [ca. 23 May 1844]; notation by , 24 May 1844; four pages; Hancock County Courthouse, Carthage, IL; microfilm 4,661,986 at FHL and photocopy at Joseph Smith Papers Project.
corruptly, knowingly, wilfully, and meliciously in and by his said affidavit in writing, did depose & swear (amongst other things) in substance & to the effect following that is to say, that Robery and an attempt to commit a murder on the body of one in said had before that time been perpetrated, and from information he the said Joseph Smith senior verily believed that one was the person guilty of the said Robery & attempt to commit murder as in & by the said affidavit would fully appear had the same not have been destroyed by the said Joseph Smith senior, Whereas in truth & in fact he the said Joseph Smith senior at the time be so sworn to and made oath to the said affidavit did not <verily> believe that the said was the person who was guilty of the said robery and attempt to murder And so the Jurors aforesaid upon their oaths aforesaid do say that the said Joseph Smith senior on the said seventnth day of January in the year last aforesaid at the aforsaid in the aforesaid before the said , he the said then & ther having such power & authority as aforesaid, by his own act & consent, and of his own most wicked and corrupt mind, in manner & form as aforesaid falsely, wickedly, wilfully, diabolically, maliciously, corruptly, and of the instigation of the devil did commit wilful and corrupt perjury; to the great displeasure of Almighty God, contr[ar]y to the form of the statute in such case made [p. [2]]