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Impcwtant fiam Illinois—A a bust or Joe Smith, iujn«‘X the following interesting account of the case |ol Joe .Smith, the Mormon Proph^frf-SpKiNotiKi.D, Illinois, Jan -1, IS42. Dev* Heirfrrr: —As you huve no correspondent at this place, and j» i uui her*- lor n few days, I thought I would le' /oil know wh.it was going on ui 'hr capital «»i 111 1 nolfl TheTcgtafccmrs'tsnarrin semrranv and pro* ’lahly will be until the first of March next.This has been a memorable day for thy city of th** Praries, on account of the public exhibition of theSeat lion of the day, the “ Holy Prophet, Joenitl».”.lc will be remembered that the Govvernor ot Missouri la^t summer demanded of the «iovemor •if Illinois the body of2he Prophet, und O. P. Koek-well;as fugitives from the justice of the State of Missouri, whereupon Governor Carlin issued his warrant to arrest the said Joseph Smith and Kockwell; iind as you know he prophesied that lie should be absent, and it was so; and by some manner of means the aforesaid writ was destroyed, and the mutter forgotten, or nearly so—when, lo ' on laat Saturday, the 31nt of December, 1842, about the lime of the return of the “ powerful king of day,” i thoui was heard—” they ure roining.” “ Who ia coming V* ” The Prophet Joe Smith, and hi* Nhuvoo Legion *’ With this news I joined the crowd, und found ihat u body guard of about forty tall, handsome, and athletic men, * armed lo llie hilt,” with bright muskets, and brighter bayoneis, were slowly and solemnly escorting their chief into the capital of our Stale. They marched slowly, bui steadily, into our city, and took lodgings at one ol our principal hotels. After a hearty breakfast he, the Prophet, was escorted to the ” American House,” (the boarding-house of Gcv. Ford,) and requested an interview, lor the purpo^.of being ar-Tested. Governor Ford immediately issued a writ tor his arrest, und also for his safe deliverance to the Governor of MissouriAll were astounded at the course of the Prophet in giving himself up. knowing full well that if the MiaBouriansgol hold ©I him he would be gibbeted Bystanders began to murmur advice, and almost remonstrated against such a course on the part of ”Hs Holiness.”He was immediately arrested by the High Sheriff of this county, who was about taking him to prison, when he was re-taken by a writ of halvas cor* put, and brought before his Honor Judge Pope, U. States District Court, now in session, and the Court after some consultation, appointed this day for hearing the counsel for the prisoner.At an early hour I repaired to the court room for the purpose of securing a seat, and at half after eight o’clock, A. M., I turned my eye towards the door, and I saw a tall, swarthy, keen eyed, dark-skinned daring looking person enter, wearing a red scarf about his neck, and muffled in a black cloak. This is the body guard, or perhapethe private secretary of the Prophet. He walked solemnly into the Court-room, followed by the ” great Prophet of the day,” and about twenty others, who, with the utmost 9oleinnitv and digni y, came forward and took uVeir seats Then came the crowd—men, boys, cripples, rich, poor, religious, irreligious, deacons, clase-i^aderx, parsons, lawyers, politicians. judges, lurors. legislators and ladies—all to see the great lion of th” day. “ Which is he?” 44 Which is Joe Smith f—” is it that big man ?” 44 What asharp noee.” 44 Js’ent he a pleasant looking fellow?” says one—44 he is too smiting for a prophet ?” The Court is called. How I do envy the Judge—there is six ladies on his right hand, within the bar, and seven on his left. Miss P. looks beautiful—Mia L , lately married, as c tanning as ever—Mrs. M., wife of the President of S. Bank, the same amiable, (“iider-heut'cd and loveJy creature. Mrs- T. also looking betier than common, and the beautiful little Miss R.,just in her teens, besides manyThe prophet is a large portly and fine looking mun, six feet without shoes, looks about 40 or 42, and weighs 220 pounds, eyes light blue, approaching to grey—light brown hair, peaked nose, larRe head. I think a very little self-esteem, but more of the intellectual than of the animal—dressed in box coat, black, blue dress coat and pants, black silk velvet vest, white cravat, a large gold ring on the finger next to the little ope of his left band, black cane, and wears a continual smile on his countenance. Many persons came in and spoke to him before the court was in session, lo which he merely bowed recognition—until Judge Douglas walked inte the room, when the tall, dark skinned man, in a very dignified manner, arose, made a low bow, and resumed his seat; also did the Prophet and the guard.”The counsel will proceed in the case of the People vs. J. Smith ” J. Lambnni, Esq. opened the cause on the part of the people, and was followed by Mr. Eo'warda, one of the counsel for the prisoner, who acquitted himself with much credit. He was followed by Mr. Butterfield ; the other counsel for the Prophet, who showed up the papers in the cause in the most ridiculous light The case is put over for decision to-morrow. He will he released under e'en Up/ He iWoo smart to be caught ui the Boggs.The grounds of discharge is. that Boggs alleges that Smith was only accessary before the fact, and is not a fugitive—that is,he did not flee the State of Missouri: therefore Missouri can never gel his body legally- W.
Newspaper Details
New York Herald
New York, New York, US
Wed, Jan 18, 1843
Page 2
Full Page
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Burlington P.
IA, USA 20 Aug 2024
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