Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1845-09-27
QUINcY, Saturday Evening, !
September l3, 1916.

hiESsRs. EDIToRs:-HaVIng Just re-
turned from the scene Of excitement
in the north part OF this (Adams) and
the south part of Hancock county, |
deem it my duty to furnish a brief
statement of the facts and circumstan-
ces attending it. will not pretend to
say that my information is in every
particular correct, for there are as
might be expected, many contradicto-
ry assertions and idle rumors in circu-
luton. will say, however, that |
spared no pains to inform myself on
the subject, and believe my informa-
ton TO be as accurate as could be OBJ
tanned under the circumstances.
On Tuesday night, the 9th inst, an
anti-Mormon meeting was held at a
school house about two miles north OF
Lima, for the purpose of adopting
measures TO protectproperty from theft;
the anti Mormons asserting that the
Mormons were continually stealing their
cattle, grain, &c. While the meeting
was in session, the house was attacked
in the rear with stones and was at the
same time fred upon in front. -Four
balls were shot into the door, two pas
sing through it in diagonal direction,
and from personal inspection ! am sat-
isfed must have gone out a Siding win
dow on the other side of the building,
which was pushed back and immedi-
ately in front of which no one happen
ed to be sitting The door stands near
the corner OF the house and the seats
project in direct line from it, forming
a right angle. This may account for
no one being injured. The window
which the stones were thrown
is so high that persons sitting down in
side Of the house could not be seen.
The window through which the balls
passed is not so high. That balls were
fired am certain, for cut one of them,
of common size, out Of the door, having
passed through it. The door is made
of well seasoned black walnut plank.
Who made the attack upon the
house | will not pretend to say. The
anti-Mormons say twas the Mormons,
while the Mormons allegc it was all a
trick of the antics. The real facts |
suppose will never be ascertained. 1t
is certain, however, that the persons in
the house were greatly alarmed, and
percipitately made their escape out OF
the door and windows, several of them
to take their hats with them,
and | have no doubt most, if not all,
believed the attack to be made by the
Mormons whether it was or not. The
next morning Wednesday, the alarm
was given and company collected.
who went to several Mormons and
gave them notice to leave with their
families and property against evening,
for they did not wish 10 injure them.
but would then burn their houses !;
some left and some did not. The
company true TO their word, before
dusk visited the houses of those they
had warned off in the morning, and
set them on fire. Where they had not
left they took the property out, and
placed il so far from the buildings as TO
prevent it from being consumed. On
Thursday the same scene was enacted
over, and several houses during the
day and night burnt. On Friday eve
ming n little before dusk. three houses
were burned. During this day about
10 o'clock, n Committee of Mormons
came into Lima with a flag of truce,
and desired to treat with their enemies
Capt. Newton Of that place, told him
that he would introduce them to some
of Hancock, an accordingly,
did so. They met Edson Whitney,
Joel Catlin aud Samuel Fleming, in
They were Immediately in
formed BY THESE gentlemen that they
were not authorized BY the public to
10 anything, and had met them on
their own responsibility; still il they
bad any proposition TO make. they
would receive and communicate it,
and do what they could 10 allay the
unfortunate excitement.
ThersopOnitseems tia, the MOtmous through
! comm,ues PurPossd to SCI o,i 10 the anti.
lIotmous: but as they would not agree TO
cave the neighbefhOOd, their proposition was
lisrerarded The work Of desuuctioo CON.
neucsd again on the lssh., 90 or 50 buildings
were burned. and still the ere was progressing.
Sheriff Backsnsioss called oct he posse com.
tatus. be, wi,hou, eiiecl the postscript to he