The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1870-07-14
THE MURDER OF JOSEPH AND HI.
RAM SMITH.

Twenty-six years ago yesterday,
June 9th, 1874, 10. Smith the Nor
mon prophet, and his brother Hiram,
were killed by mob while confined
in Jail at Carthage, Illinois, twenty
five miles from this city. Many of
the older citizens will recollect the
circumstances. Mormonism was then
in the height of its prosperity. Nau-
VOC was then a city of 900 inhabi-
Uants, with numerous Mormon neigh
borhoods near and far. Mormon mis-
sionaries were scattered over half the
civilized world, and were numbered
by the hundred. The Mormon lead,
ers were in their glory. A million
dollar temple was under way. 10.
Smith was sort of autocrat, ruling
with high hand and becoming more
and more avariciouS as well as ambi
tious, and less and less regardtul of
the rights of others.
Nauvoo was becoming a city OF
refuge for ali the robbers, thieves and
murderers for hundreds OF miles
around. Many came from Missouri,
and no requisition from the governor
of that State was permitted to be en-
forced until it had been passed upon
by the Council of Nauvoo. The Dan
ties, murderous band, were not
idle. There was terror and indigna-
ton through all that region Of coun-
try. Some of the Mormons them
selves had grown FESTIVE and rebelli-
Gus until finally a considerable fac
ton determined to shake off the rule
Of Smith and expose his crimes. For
this purpose they procured the mate
rials for printing paper which they
proposed to start in Nauvoo, right in
the face of the prophet. This he
would not permit. The Council was
called together and it was decreed
that the printing press and materials
must be destroyed. 1t was done.
The people outside determined
that the Smiths should now be bro't
to justice. Hundreds of armed men
were gathered at Carthage, Warsaw
and other places in the vicinity. Gov.
Ford had been appraised of the con-
templated collision and came on the
ground to preserve the peace. Under
solemn assurances from the Governor
that their personal safety should not
be endangered, Joseph and Hiram
Smith gave themselves up to the au-
tIorities of the State and were taken
to Carthage for preliminary examin-
alton, which they. underwent and
gave the required bail for their APP
pearancc before the district court
On being discharged they were I'M
mvdiately re-arrested on charge of
treason against the State of Illinois
and confined in Jail. Rumors that
they would be lynched by a mob
were already rife. The militia had
not been disbanded. Gov. Ford set
a Carthage company to guard the
Jail where the Smiths were confined,
and himself went to Nauvoo to turth-
er interview leading Mormons. On
the day following, June 9th, 1874,
about o'clock III the afternoon, the
Jail was surrounded by company of
about 200 disguised men. The Car
thage company were at convenient
distance away. The guard at the
jail fred blank cartridge at the mob,
eyi lently acting in accordance with
a pre- arranged plan. The mob rush
ed in and fired upon the prisoners
Hiram Smith fell dead, shot through
the head. Joseph was armed with a
revolver, and resisted as long as he
could, wounding two or three of the
mob before he was oyerpowered. -
But he was soon disabled, and after
being wounded was killed outright,
three or four balls passing through
his body. Though many rejoiced at
the death of the Smiths, very few
approved the method of their taking
off.
The Mormons continued on at
Nauvoo two or three years longer,
Brigham Young having been chosen
leauer, when they took up their line
or marcn Tor their present location al
Great Salt Lake City. The glory OF
Nauvoo soon departed. The splen,
did temple erected there, long since
tumbIed into ruins. The remains Of
it are still pointed out to travellers
Scarcely anything is left of this: once
famous city, but the grand site OF
which it stood.-B,ulington Haaok
Eye.