Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1883-09-28

A Statement to His Lawyer Which
Throws Doubt Upon lt-How
Smith Escaped the Mob
IN Missouri.

Throws Doubt Upon lt-HOw
Smith Escaped the Mob
m Missouri.
About the time Henry Clay came
from his home m the ''slashes" of Viz.
g,nta to keatucky youne lawyer Of
Mason county, prompted By TIE same
sort Of impulse. went to the frontier,
then in Western Missouri Some Of
the brightest young men IN the country
were gathered them at Lexington. Lib
ety and Independence, the region
Afterwards 70 be no:ed Is the hone 81
the James boys. Here the young Ken
tuckian spent his life Is promising
attorney, Representative, State Sena-
tor, the leader of the Wings, = warm
personal friend of Clay and a General
in the Mexican army. He now lives
quietly in an old fashioned tavern at
the northwest corner Of the public
square at Richmond, Mo. He is full Of
anecdotes and incidents Of early days
in the West, and wi,hal IS one Of the
most CANAL old men and brilliant con-
versauonalisst one will meet in 2 score
Of years.
A snowy evening" during the winter
Of 1882 the writer spent an evening
with him in his room. Among other
things Mormonism was discussed. And
j, is worth mentioning that several
Mormon churches hold regular scrvio-
es 10 the neighborhood OF Richmond,
and David Whitmer, one Of the men
who was the Book of Mormon given
into the hands Of Joe Smith, resides in
the town. vi. ~
He had just then been telling his
story in an interview with a. Chicago
paper. He claimed that Smiths story
was genuine, that the Book of Mormon
was divine gift, and that he himself
with his own eyes in company with
two others had seen Smith rec eve the
book, and there could be no doubt
aboutt. He regarded Smith as true
Prophet and Mormonlsm as .tkei new
est revelation Of the creator to man.
General. what do you toink Of Mr..
WINNERS sincerity in his belief in Joe
Smith -as asked.
II do not doubt 1t in the least" he
answered. "If ever a man believed
the story he tells. David Whitmer does.
He has lived here many years, and is
known as . thoroughly reliable gentle.
man. He has always maintained the
genuineness of Mormonism and has
always told the story Of Smiths inter!
view with the angel at, Manchester. New
York, just as he now tells it. What
ground he has for his faith, whether
Smith practised some optical illusion
or how he managed to give reality to
his supernatural visitations are ques-
tons not easily answered" I
THE MURDERS IN MISSOURI.
Then you think Whftmer was sim.
ply deceived, and thought he saw what
he did not see?"
an tell you. You remember Smith
and Rigdon founded their sect at Man.
chester, N. Y. and, directed by rev.
elation as he claimed, moved to Kurt
land, o, and built q temple. There
they started bank without a charter
and flooded the adjoining country with
notes Of questionable value. For this
and doubtful business transactions the
two leaders we're mobbed, tared and
feathered. Six years later the bank
failed. and Smith and Rgdon took ref
uge in Missouri. where they mad prev
iously built a temple at independence.
Large numbers Of Momons had rap
idly gathered. They were charged
with plundeing. BURNING habitations
and secret assassinations, and driven
successfully from Independence. 10
Clay county, and from Clay county to
Far West, in Caldwell country. Here
they were joined by Smith and Rigdon
Conflicts with the Missourlans continu-
ed until civil war was fairly inaugu-
rated"
..These troubles, suppose, they
claimed to be the prosecutions which
the righteous always suffer at the
hands Of the wicked" -
ayes, and Sidney Rigdon declared
that now the time had come for the
Lord to avenge his people, and the
land should flow in blood from the
ocean to the Rocky mountains.
The state militia, however, made
quick work of them and Smith and
Rgdpn we're made prisoners. Smith
was taken to Liberty. in Clay county,
for safe keeping. If he had been lodged
in jail in Caldwell county the Jail would
almost certainly have been tom down
BY the mob and Smith put to death.
A TIGHT PLACE FOR SMITH.
I was employed as Smiths lawyer,
md IN that capacity visited him in
,rison. He was q very shrewd fellow,
nth sharp, eager eyes and restless
manner. He had no education worth
Mentioning. but strong mind and =
knowledge of human nature.
think / never met 4 man who knew
pen better. OF course We. talked
,ver, The case in confidence. There
,as really NO valid charge against
i'm. There had been outrsges and
murders committed on both sides. but
, every case by mob or armed band. !,
o tina, no one person could be singled :
ut as the perpetrata, Even the :
ingleaders could not be certainly =
laced tor the raids were At night :
sn.lIv. and such precautions taken