Memorandum of Testimony, circa 27 October 1844, Copy [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.]
Source Note
John J. Hicok and James Reynolds, Memorandum of Testimony, , IL, ca. 27 Oct. 1844, State of IL v. Williams et al. (Hancock Co., IL, Circuit Court 1845). Copied [ca. May 1845]; handwriting of ; four pages; Wilford Wood Museum, Bountiful, UT; images in Joseph Smith Murder Trial Papers, 1844–1845, CHL.
Memorandum of Testimony, circa 27 October 1844, Copy [ State of Illinois v. Williams et al. ]
Page [1]
Ills. Oct Term Cir[cuit] Court 1844,
Wm M Daniels, Sworn before the Grand Jury, deposed that He heard the officers in , Capt , Capt Wm N Grover & Maj plotting to select 20 men to go and Kill Joseph & in the jail at . This was the night before the Smiths were Killed. The next morning he joined the rifle company of ; the morning he joined, 10 men were selected out of Company by , and Capt Davis <Grover> selected 10 men out of his Company to go to , then the troops marchd for , they stopped men & baggage wagons, at the shantee at the rail road— there disbanded the troops, there part of them turned back— but most of them went on towards . When they got within about 4 miles of they stopped— a man Came riding up to them wearing a Carthage Greys coat— he brought a letter and handed it to , read it to the men it said, “now is a delightful time to kill the Smiths, the is gone to , and there is nobody in but what can be depended upon” the letter was signed “Carthage Greys.” The Carthage Grey man told them what way to go; then turned off from the road to the left and went along a hollow. I went on straight to on foot. I stopped a few rods from the jail to wait & see what the men would do, I Know what they intended to do.— after a while I saw them coming from the timber north of the road & north west of the jail near the fence north west of the jail, as they came along the fence, they fired some guns, as soon as the guns were fired I saw the Carthage Greys begin to form— they marched up near the corner of the fence South east of the jail, and halted facing the jail, the other men who came from the prairie stopped before the jail. Capt [Robert] Smith walked up in front of them and passed through to the rear, said something, I did not hear what. Immediately came up from another direction to the men; and told them to go into the jail, for the guard wouldnt hurt them, they then siezed the guard and held them, and others rushed into the jail. after a while told the men to come around to the East side of the jail, for Joe Smith was jumping out. I then saw Smith lying with his arm and head out of the window, he immediately fell down near the well. told them [p. [1]]