They “God damned their souls to hell”. made the most solemn asseverations, and swore by God and the Devil, and everything else, that they could think of, that they would stand by me to death, and protect me. In half an hour every one of them had left town fled from the town.

Soon after a coroners jury was assembled in the room over the body of . Among the jurors was Captain [Robert F.] Smith of the “Carthage Greys” who had assisted in the murder, and the same justice before whom we had been <​tried​>. I heard the name of as being in the neighborhood; on hearing his name mentioned I immediately spoke up and said; “Captain Smith you are a Justice of the Peace— I have heard s name mentioned— I want to swear my life against him.” I was informed that word was immediately sent to him to leave the place, which he did.

was busy during this time attending to the coroners inquest and to the removal of the bodies, and making arrangements for their <​removal​> from to . When h[e] had a little leisure he again came to me and at his suggestion I was removed to I felt that he was the only friend the only perso[n] that I could rely upon in that town. It was with difficulty that sufficient persons could b[e] found to carry me to the ; for immediately after the murder a great fear fell upon all the people, and men, women and children fled with great precipitation (C-9) leaving nothing nor <​anybody​> anythi[ng] [p. 55]