The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1895-10-25

prevailed In the country to a greater
or lesser degree since the Mormons set
tied In Nauvoo In 1S39-i0. or course
the Mormon war. which occurred In
1916. and which resulted In one or two
deaths only. was also historic incident
OF these troubles. but the murder OF
Smith. the leader and king Of the Nor
mons. forever immortallzcd him In the
eyes Of all Mormons and made Mormon
Ism peculiar, yet unwrltten history.
The writer, who has studied the sub
ioct for years. claims that no true his
tory Of Mormonlsm In Illinois has ever
been written. and never will be. from
the fact that those who were once com
petcnt to perform the work are dead.
and while they lived they made no Of
fort to gather the data necessary for
true and impartial history.
Joseph Smith came with his hun
drcis, aye. thousands Of people, TO iii
nois In 1890, They had been driven
out OF Missouri and Ohio. and were In
a demorallzed and almost starving con-
Z dltion. But the pioneers OF Hancock
county received the outcaata kindly,
and the Mormons located city on the
bank Of the Mississippi river and called
the spot Nauvoo- pleasant land" Here
a city grew TO the unusual size, In
4 those days. Of 1900 inhabitants In n
/ year or two. Smith had little trouble
In getting several Illegal charters grant
cd him by the state legislature, and II
was through the rascally acts OF this
body largely that led to most OF the
troubles In Hancock county with the
Mormons. Whenever Smith or any OF
his followers would evadc or break the
law and were threatened with arrest,
or were arrested. they would resort to
the protection OF the habcas corpus act.
and by this method escaped the clutches
Of the law.
The late Judge Hlbee and his brother
Francis were living In Nauvoo during
the reign OF Joseph and became very
weary OF the methods employed by
Smith and his followers So. about
June 20. they Issued the FIRST number OF
the Nauvoo Exposuer. which fairly
screamed with dcnunciatlons Of Nor
mon methods. This was the FIRST and
last issue OF that paper. by order OF
Joseph Smith. mayor and president OF
Nauyoo. the Expositor office was de-
molished. ana the press and type
thrown into the Mississippi river
Joseph Smith. his brother Hyrum ant
Dr. Taylor. who was the late head Of
the Utah church. were arrested for thll
act. and were placed In Jail ut Carthag'
In the debtors room. Gov Ford and IA,
local authorities OF Carthage hat
promised Smith protection from mol
violence. as the feeling IN tho county
against Smith was very strong. Blu
the local militia placed around th'
Jail TO guard II played into the hand
OF the mob. which came out OF th'
timber near Carthage on the Afternoon
OF June q, 1874, and shot Joseph an,
Hyrum Smith to death and badl!
wounded Or. Taylor.
The citizens Of Carthage fed nfto
the murder was committed. fearinl
vengeance from the Mormons. but IN
Mormons did not attempt any rotalia
tion. After Smiths death Brigham
Young tried TO run affairs at Nauvo
and trouble ensued Polygamy wa
then, as alleged. introduced into III
church. Al any rate. Hancock count.
people resolved TO drive the Mormon
; out Of the state The Mormon war oc
CURED In 1876. and In the spring o
. 1876 the Mormons left Nauyoo. In 1874
the beautiful temple. costing abou
81 100000, was burned by vandals.
There are few Mormons IN Hancocl
county now Mrs. Catherine Salisbury
residing al Fountain Green. east Of Car
q thage, Is a sister OF Joseph Smith. sh
Is SO years old and ia good health.
4 Sew Usplo.ive.