Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-07-15
10. SMITH.
FRoM THE o. S. DEMocsAT.


per, 10 make public concise statement OF theI
facts connected with the late arrest OF Joe Smith,
the Mormon Prophet, his subsequent rescue by
the Municipal Court Of the city Of Nauvoo, and
other matters connected with the subject,
have seen several paragraphs in different pa
pers, noticing the various rumors afoat, but have
seen nothing like true statement OF the case.
and in the State of Illinois especially. | have
good reason to believe, that a fair statement can
not, and will not be made, until after their Au.
gust elections; each party being afraid OF giving
offence to Holy Joe, who can control the election
of at least one member OF Congress. o..
Governor Reynolds, on the 18th June ult,
sent a requsition by me as agent for Missouri, to
the Governor of Illinois, for the body Of 10.
seph Smith; the demand was founded on an in
dctment against Smith. found by the grand jury
Of Daviess county for the crime OF high treason,
alleged to have been committed in the fall OF
1888. On the 18th the Governor of Illinois is
sued warrant authorizing his arrest by any
Sheriff, Coroner, or Constable Of the State, and
requiring him to be delivered to me as the au
thorized agent Of Missouri.
The warrant was placed in the hands Of Mr..
Hartman I. Wilson, Constable Of Hancock
County, and on the 23d, Smith was arrested by
Mr., Wilson, in Lee county, ILL.,, near the town
OF Dixon. about $50 miles northeast Of Nau.
VOC, and being present Smith was in few min
utes delivered into my custody, and Mr.. Wilson
was employed by me as guard Having trav.
elled between 40 and so miles that day, we
stopped at a tavern in Dixon, end remained all
night. Great excitement prevailed among the
| citizens in favor Of the prophet. / was abused
as kidnapper, and no small degree Of indigna.
ton was heaped upon the State Of Missouri for
the unrelentng persecution Of Holy Joe.-Du.
ring the night wit Of habeas corpus was serv,
| ed on me commanding me to take Smith before
Judge Brown, at Galena. Between one and two
o clock in the night, Mr.. Wilson and myself
were compelled to go before a Justice to answer
a charge Of assault alleged to have been commit.
ed by US on a Mormon called Markham, who
was present when we arrested Smith. Mr.
| Wilson was also arrested at the same time, on a
charge OF delivering Smith into my custody for
the purpose Of depriving him OF the benefit Of
Habeas Corpus. We begged of the Sheriff of
Lee county, Mr., James Campbell, who arrested
US, TO let us remain in the room which we occu.
pied until daylight, but in vain; the object, as
we believed, being to rescue our prisoner, night
was the most suitable time. had employed
two young men as guards, and Mr.. E. r. Ma
son, attorney at law, whom had employed as
council, being present. ...
We went reluctantly before the Justice taking
our prisoner along, and upon motion the Justice
postponed our trial until after daylight. We
marched back to the tavern, still guarding Smith
very closely, but before entering the tavern the
lights in the house were put out. have no doubt
but it was intended then to make an attack, but
we were we'll armed, and Mr.. Mason went in
and procured lights, while we waited without,
and we at length got to our room in safety.
Next morning before our trial, writ of CAPT.
as was served on Mr.. Wilson and myself, issued
by the Clerk OF the Circuit Court, and we were
arrested al Tie suit of Joe Smith, for alleged
trespass, and false imprisonment and held to bail
in the sum of four hundred dollars. Soon after
this arrest, Mr.. Wilson and myself were disarm.
ed by the Sheriff OF all weapons, and they were
not returned 10 US till after Smiths discharge at
Nauvoo. On our trial before Justice on the
first mentioned charge, we were acquitted but
still held in custody by the Sheriff on the latter
charge. On the same day, the Oath, the writ Of
habeas corpus was changed so as to make it re-
turnable before Judge Cation, at the town of OF
tawa, the Sheriff Of Lee county having Wilson
and myself in charge. We travelled 80 miles,
and stopped just within the limits Of Lee county.
Next day we returned to Dixon, having learned
that Judge Cation was not at home. On the 25th,
| writ was served on me commanding me to take
Joe Smith before the nearest legal tribunal in the
Judicial Circuit in which Quincy is situated.
believe that this was intended to induce me
to take Smith before the municipal court at Nau.
VOC, which, however, l did not intend to do,
knowing that said court had no legal power to
interfere in the matter at all. And inasmuch as
Cyrus Walker, Esq, principal counsel for Joe,
and candidate for Congress, (God save the mark!)
and Edward Souhwick and S. G. Patrick,
Esqrs., employed by Smith, and the Sheriff Of
Lee, and Mr.. L. P. Sawyer, stage coach pro-
piietor, &C., all pledged their word and honor
that Smith should not escape until he was legally
discharged, | had not the most distant idea that
would be forced to go to Nauvoo. Yet such was
the fact, and these honorable gentlemen had made
an arrangement before we left Dixon, to take Joe
and myself and my friend Mr.. Wilson, to Nau.
WOO Sheriff Campbell has since stated that he
did not know of the arrangement, but intended
10 take Wilson and myself to Quincy, before
Judge Young, as we had procured writ of ha
beas corpus, and had it served on him to that ef
lect but that he was coerced by threats made by
Smith, after we began to meet parties Of NOR
mons, to go to Nauvoo. must say also, that
do not consider that Mr.. Patrick was under any
pledge TO that effect.
On the 9th, 2sth. and 29th days OF June, We
met parties Of mormons, belonging to the Nau
VOC legion, of which the Prophet is commands
in chief, and on the Both we were escorted into
Nauvoo by from three to four hundred mormons
' Myself and Wilson closely guarded in the coach
by smaller party, and the whole party comman
.. ded by Holy Joe in person.
D demonstrated with sheriff Campbell day Oh
TIVE before arriving at Nsuyoo against being Ia