The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-04-25
Mormonism and spiritual Wifclsm In Lee
County.

From the Chicago Press April 1871
smith ha brother q % rsoeSss lost track Of William
him well He was then keeping tavern in Plymouth,
small village in Hancock county, thirty miles from
his house, but he never bad much influence with the
great body of Mormons "Bill,v as he was familarly
termed BY his Gentle acqnaintancss was always
older brother Joe, or his younger brother Hiram he
an infer Tor He had much less capacity than the
former and far less cultivation than the latter Yet he
was by no means deficient in tina peculiar shire wdness
which, from the mother Of the prophet down to the
youngest Of her children Of the Smith
family Bill, however, lacked caution He had not the
faculty OF concealmen which distinguished Joe and Hi
RAM Perhaps this the that the two latter
duced him to take up his residence outside Of he holy
city This weakness Of Bin conduced to his popular ty
where he lived He obtained reputation for ranknes
and cand0r that denied his shrewder brothers and
when he became candidate for legislative honors he
poled many votes outside of the Mormon organization
After the murder OF Joe and Hiram Bill made des
perate attempt for the succession But he carried to,
ev guns. Rigdop was a bigger man than Dili strang
was bigger than Rigdon, but Brigham Young was the
biggest q then all But Rigioa sSrang and Bill, were
all too big to play second fiddle to Brigham. Each drew
off with his particular aherens and set up on his own
account Brigham and the great mass OF the saints
made their hegra to Salt Lake Rigdon and his followers
TO Pennsylvania and Straug TO Beaver Island Bill com
menced hind Of nomadc life We met him repeatedly
afterwards upon the Southern rivers travelling up and
down lecturng Mormouism in TIE principal cities ana
towns, seemingly fond Of the notoriey which attached
to him Within the last five six years had heard
but little Of him. and supposed he had either sub sided
into peaceful retirement had made his submis oa to
Brigham Young, and become citizen OF Utah Eur rst
impression correct. William smith as we learn by
late number of the Dixon Telegraph together with
few followers, has settled in Lee county, Hin dis There
he maintains the distinctive tenets Of Norm .nis keeps
up stated preaching and practiscs many of the pscu.
hsrities for which the sect famous last week he
was brought before the Circuit Court dxon AT the in
stigation Of spiritual wife," We copy what follows
from the Dixon Telegraph
"At the preeent term Of Giro nit Court william
Smith brought before IT, hay mo been arrested in
consequence Of an affidavit made by one OF the female
members of the church. in which she set forth that she
mad been sduced to believe this IL was necessary for
saaton that she should beco me bis spiritual wife the
result Of which the that usually accom- pa MES
the mapty OF the w''ne attend at this term the
case was continued ne defendant says that It all
ARISES IN persecution the entiiss AS another item
on 'he sane subject may state that Smith has himself
now pending in the same court an application for d
yoice on ne gro md that his wife, while at Nauvoo was
initiated into " mysteries Of and he says. tooh
seven degrees in spiritual wifery SO that il seems
coroing 70 ideas Of the doctrines OF that particular
branch OF the church militant, what is for til,
goose IS. not sauce for the ganier'