Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-06-14

An alleged revelation, in lS45, per.
mitting a plurality of wives, raised
storm of Indignation in the sur
rounding settlements. 1t became
bruited about, moreover, that the Nor
mons were harboring criminals and
violating State and federal laws.
Clashes and riots followed and the
situation quickly became as bad in
Illinois as it had been in Missouri.
Finally, Gov. Ford, Of Illinois, Or
dered out the State militia and also
sent a force of ten men to Nauvoo to
arrest Smith and his leading follow
ers, assuring them they would be CIV
en- a speedy and impartial trial. Pro-
lection from violence also was guar
| anteed.
Joseph Smith and his council sur
rendered and were taken to the Han
cock Jail, at Carthage, June %, 1874.
| Smith is said to have had q premo-
milton concerning his fate, predicting
that he would be murdered in cold
blood" He and his brother were book
| ed on charge or treason.
Following the incarceration Of the
Mormon leaders, Gov. Ford disbanded
all but three companies of the militia,
leaving one to guard the prisoners,
and sending the others to Nauvoo. The
slight guard over the Carthage jail de-
cided the most reckless opponents of
Mormonism to make an attack. About
$50 blackened their faces and assem-
bled at Carthage about 5 p. m. on June
q, 1874. Here they learned that only
eight Of the soldiers were actually on
guard at the Jail. This little detach.
ment made no resistance when the jail
was stormed. Hiram Smith was shot
dead. A few minutes later Joseph, the
prophet, fired his revolvers and sue
ceeded in wounding four Of the assail.
ants, but when he sought to escape
through a window was killed by the
mob below.
These troublous times soon gave way
to worse the conflicts between the Nor.
mons and their opponents being al.
most continual. Finally the futility
Of trying to remain where they were
was borne in on the Mormons. In the
fall Of 1s45 they began to dispose Of
} their property and prepared to emf
CRATE westward into Iowa.
The trail of the Mormons across
Iowa could be followed for years by
the graves that marked the pathway
of their journey through Van Buren,
David, Appanoose, Decatur and Union
; counties. More than 400 men, women
and children who died from the ef-
fects Of exposure and hardships Of the
exodus Of 184647 were buried In the
Mormon cemetery at Mount Pisgah. In
1888 the Utah Mormons caused a mon
ument to be erected here in memory
OF the dead, who, for the most part.
lie in unmarked graves.
In 1847 Brigham Young led an ex-
pedition from Iowa over the plains to
/. Salt lake, where he selected a location
for the future home of the church. In
June, 1S4S. the second expedition, con-
sisting Of 623 wagons and nearly 1000
persons, Joined the Salt lake colony.
In the fifty years that have passed
Mormons have been absent from their
old haunts In the Mississippi valley.
e History will never repeat itself to the
;, extent Of seeing once more Mormon oc-
I cupation and persecution; but evidence
: multiplies on every side showing that
= the Mormons Of Utah are looking long
e lngly and peaceably on the spots
where their fathers founded the faith.
st. Louis Globe-Democrat.