The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-31
A LITTLE REHEARSING.

Merely for the purpose OF having
things set right before the public, The
Tribune will revert to that little matter
of controversy which it had with the
Deseret News over the martyrdom -
of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith. 1t
will be recalled that this paper took
the stand that Joseph and Hyrum
Smith were slain by their own Mormon
people; and the church organ took the
opposite view, and endeavored (as
falsely as it has in other matters) to
place the murder of these men upon the
heads of Gentiles.
The Tribune will quote Nor.
mon concerning Mormon. 1t
has shown out Of the mouth of Jo-
seph Smith himself that he feared
death at the hands of his brethren.
We have produced from all sorts Of
Mormon sources, including Brigham
Young, Hebcr c. Kimball, Farley p.
Pratt, John Taylor, Orson Hyde, George
A Smith, Bishop Denison l.. Harris and
others of authoritative repute, to show
that the founder of Mormonism was
murdered by Mormons. There is an
other bit of testimony upon the mat
ter which must not be dlsregarded IN
consideration. In the Latter-day Saint
| Biographical Encyclopedia, page SO, is
sketch of the life of William Law,
second counselor to President Joseph
Smith, from 1s41-44," as the author,
Elder Andrew Jenson, designates him
or Mr.. Law, the historian says:
Towards the close OF 1843 he began 10
show symptoms Of apostasy and asso-
ciated himself with the enemies OF Joseph
communication from the church April
| 49, 1914, in a council meeting held M
Nauvoo and attended by the leading au-
thoritIes Of the church. After this oc-
curreDce William Law came out openly as
| an enemy and was one of the promoters
and owners Of the libel sheet called the
.'Nauvoo Expositor." published at Nauvoo.
His name is cassed In history with those
| Foster, Charles A, Foster. Francis NJ
| 1igbee, Chauncey l.. Higbee, Joseph II
Jackson. Sylvester Emmons and others
who were the instigators and abettors OF
the murder OF Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
1t was on June 27, 1914, that Joseph
and Hyrum were killed-a little over
two months after William Law and his
Mormon fellow-conspirators were ex
communicated from the church There
is one thing in connection with that
communication, however, that His
torian Jenson fails to relate, Counselor
before the high council of Nauvoo at
o 'clock on the afternoon of Saturday
April 20, 1914, TO answer to the charge:
preferred against him by Joseph Smith
The high council met on Thursday
April IS, 1914, and took snap judgment
upon him, at the behest of JOSEPH
Smith, and cxcommunicated him from
the church without permitting oppor
tunity to make defense of his position
The accommodation was, therefore
illegal, under the rules of the Nor
mon church, and William Law was
Mormon IN belief and fealty, as his owl
utterances in the Nanvoo Expositor in
dicate and claim. 1t was merely
vicious fight between Mormons, anc
Joseph and Hyrum Smith were the un
fortunate victims of that fight. Will
liam Law had evidence from Mrs. Law
that Joseph, to whom he was
counselor in the church, had made in
} decent proposals TO her, She becam
enraged, and her rage was communi
Gated TO her husband, who immediatel,
called his Mormon friends togethe
for the purpose of organizing to d
. away with Joseph and Hyrun
} Smith. They held secret meetings
! and plotted and schemed agains