COMMOTION IN A WASP'S NEST. -- Gen. John C. Bennett, Mayor of the Mormons, city of Nauvoo, and commander of the Nauvoo Legion, has been "excluded from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints" by Jo Smith, for alleged improper conduct. The General has since addressed the following note to the editor of the Burlington Hawkeye: --

                          Nauvoo, Ill., June 27, 1842.
Mr. Edwards: In your paper of the 23d you alluded to the "Trouble among the Mormons," and expressed a desire or hope that "the schism is incurable," and I assure you that it is really so. The holy Joe fears the consequences of my disclosures, and has threatened to take my life, and has ordered some of his Danite band to effect the murder clandestinely -- but he shall be exposed. If he murders me others will avenge my blood, and expose him; If I live, I will do it to the entire satisfaction of all. Just suspend your judgment for a few days until you see my expose in the "Sangamo Journal" of next week, or the week following, over my own name. In haste. Yours, respectfully.
                          JOHN C. BENNETT.


Notes: (forthcoming)

==> That prince of humbuggery and villainy, Joe Smith, the Mormonite, is bringing down upon his devoted head the denunciations of many of his late followers, since the exposures by Bennett, (one of the excommunicated) have been published. Like the Kilkenny cats, Joe and his adversary are determined to annihilate each other. Bennett calls Joe a thief, murderer and a lawless vagabond, while Joe, as an offset, threatens Bennett's life.

It has ever appeared a mystery to us, how any human being, claiming ti be civilized, could become so infatuated with a doctrine so utterly at variance with every thing bordering on Christianity; or acknowledging such an illiterate fellow as Joe Smith as a leader! Yet such is the fact, and the delusive system is actually gaining converts daily, and said to be in a flourishing condition!


Notes: (forthcoming)

GOV. CARLIN AND JOE SMITH. -- We received per the Glocous yesterday evening, a communication from Quincy, Ill., dated the 9th inst., which from the lateness of the hour, cannot be [imeried?] entire this morning. -- The substance is about this: Since the election, Governor Carlin has resolved to comply with the requisition of A. P. Rockwell. The Sheriff of Hancock county, elected at the recent election, being a Mormon, the writ was placed in the hands of the Sheriff of Adams county. -- The Sheriff repaired to Nauvoo and arrested Smith and Rockwell, when a habeas corpus, was issued by some of the Nauvoo authorities, and the prisoners taken out of the Sheriff's custody and released. The Sheriff had just returned to Quincy and reported the facts. Our informant says that it was currently reported while he was writing, that Gov. Carlin was then in the act of issuing orders calling out the military to enforce the arrest, and it was expected they would march on the day following to Nauvoo. Our correspondent, however, expresses the confident belief that when the troops reach the city, Joe and his colleague will be among the missing. -- St. Louis Republican.

---

THE MORMONS. -- The Cincinnati Microscope says: "We hear that after the Illinois troops had reached the city of Nauvoo, the prophet could not be found high or low, neither could a trace be found of Smith or Rockwell. In a few days we shall hear more from the Nauvoo country. It may be that Smith has only concealed himself to gather his forces to resist the authorities of Illinois!. He is a bold reckless fellow, and we would not be much surprised to hear that a battle had been fought, by the next mail, between the forces of the Mormons and the State of Illinois."


Notes: (forthcoming)

Dr. Bennett, the late Mormon general and Mayor of the holy city of Nauvoo, in disclosing the revelations of the "prophet" Smith, winds up one of his chapters with the following precious morceau:

"If Jo Smith is not destined for the devil, all I can say is, that the duties of a devil have not been clearly understood."


Note: John C. Bennett's 1842 book, History of the Saints, made its appearance for sale in the nation's bookshops later in1842. Perhaps this quote was taken from the publication of this particular "chapter" in a newspaper article.

ORIGIN  OF  MORMONISM.

We have the following letter in a late number of the Lowell (Mass.) Journal. It was not intended for the public eye, but giving as it does a history of the origin of Mormonism, it was solicited for publication by a number of gentlemen of that city. -- We copy it, believing that many of the facts it contains may be new to a large proportion of our readers.

                    Rochester, N. Y., July 14, 1842.

Dear Brother: -- Yours of the 10th inst., making inquiries about Jo Smith and the origin of Mormonism, I proceed to answer without delay.

I went to Palmyra, the residence of the Smiths and of the early dupes of Jo, in the Spring of 1828, a year or two after the pretended finding of the plates from which the book of Mormon was translated. The story of the manner in which it is said the plates were found, I have often had from Martin Harris, (the only honest man, if there was one, among the original Mormons,) which is briefly as follows:

Jo was one night visited by an angel, and told that in a certain hill in Manchester, a town adjoining Palmyra, was deposited a record of God' s ancient people, which he was commanded to disinter and cause to be translated, for the benefit of the present and future generations. In the morning, as Jo afterwards said, he supposed this "vision," as he used to call it, to be no more nor less than "the baseless fabric of a dream," and paid no attention to it. Soon afterward he was visited again, and told that through his agency, the Lord purposed to do wonderful things for fallen man; the locale of the record was distinctly brought before his mind's eye, and he was still more strongly urged to execute the command previously made. On awakening from his slumbers, Jo said the hair of his head stood on end, like the quills of "the fretful porcupine;" that he hardly knew what to think of his holy visitor; but still he hesitated, thinking, after all, that the matter must have been only the creature of a disordered imagination. A third time was Jo visited, and threatened with the most direful calamities in this world, and eternal damnation in the next, if he did not immediately enter upon the glorious task to which he had been appointed. As there appeared to be no longer any room for doubt in the mind of Jo, the next night he took a lantern and proceeded to the spot indicated and applying a crow-bar to the end of a flat stone which projected an inch or two from the surface of a small mound, the plates were revealed to his anxious eyes! They had been deposited in a miniature vault, and rested on a flat stone, and were preserved from contact with the earth above, by the first-mentioned stone being placed upon four small stone pillars, one at each corner of the vault.

Now, understand me; these are the circumstances under which it is claimed that the plates were found -- not that I credit a single word of the story; on the contrary, I have every reason for believing that this is only the first of the numerous humbugs hatched by Jo and his Mormon horde. Indeed, Mormonism originated in humbug, has ever since been a humbug, will continue a humbug until fully exploded, and will hereafter be remembered only as a humbug.

But to proceed: These plates were said to be some dozen in number, and of the purest gold, not in the least tarnished with age, about the thickness of tin, and some nine inches long and six wide. They were fastened on the back by gold wire, which enabled them readily to open like a book; and hence the name of the "Golden Bible." These plates were covered with hieroglyphics, the like of which man had never before seen, and probably will never see again.

Now it was that Jo noised abroad his precious discovery. At first, no one would listen to his absurd story; but he soon let some knowing ones into the secret, and by dint of their united efforts, a few of the unlearned and superstitious of their neighbors were made to gulp down the story. No one, however, was allowed to examine the plates, except three or four, to which the privilege was specially granted by the angel. These individuals, the more successfully to prosecute their imposition, signed a paper, (and I believe made affidavits to its correctness,) stating that they had seen and examined the plates, &c.

Fac similes of these pretended hieroglyphics were shown to some of the most learned in this section of the country, but they proved quite too ignorant to render them into English. Some lines of them were even sent to the late Dr. Mitchell, of New-York, but notwithstanding his profound literary researches, he was equally unsuccessful.

But, fortunately, a translator was soon found, believed to be in the person of a fellow of some learning, by the name of Cowdery. Now mark: An old manuscript historical novel, the property of a deceased clergyman in Pennsylvania, had previously fallen into Jo' s possession, by means best known to himself -- the novel having been written during the college days of the deceased, and preserved in the family as a relic by no means devoid of interest, showing as it did in its design, a genius of no ordinary stamp. It was never offered to the printer, for the reason that the writer became pious, soon after it was finished, and determined to devote the energies of his mind to divinity, instead of law, could not consent to lend the influence of his plan in multiplying the works of fiction then extant. The existence of this manuscript volume was known, however, to his neighbors, many of whom had read it with much interest, all the scenes being laid in America.

If I recollect right, it was about a year after Jo obtained possession of this volume, (he having spent a few months in the neighborhood of the widow,) that the Mormon plates were alledged to have been found. It is believed that the locality of its scenes, and the historical nature of its contents, first suggested to him the origin of this miserable humbug. Hence, the coined story of the angel's visits, the finding of the plates, their wonderful contents, &c.

The "translator," whether Cowdery or some other person, dressed up this old manuscript, merely adding to it whatever the Book of Mormon can be said to contain of a religious cast, and adapting its general phraseology as far as possible to that of the bible; but preserving the general original narrative as nearly, as to enable every one who read the manuscript, readily to detect the plagiarism on a perusal of the Book of Mormon. Affidavits to this effect are already before the public.

Soon after the translation was completed, I was one day waited upon by Harris, and offered the printing of the Book of Mormon. This was in the summer of 1829, at which time I was carrying on the printing business at Palmyra. Harris owned a good farm in that town, and offered to mortgage it to secure the expense of printing. Though he was a subscriber to my paper, and had frequently "labored" to convert me to the Mormon faith, I was so sceptical as to utterly refuse to have any "part or lot" in the imposition, telling him at the same time, that if he proceeded with the publication, I should feel it my duty, as the conductor of a faithful public journal, to expose him and the whole Mormon gang. He took the work, however, to the other office in the village, and it was soon put to press. It was then I wrote and published an article, which you may recollect, headed "THE GOLDEN BIBLE," giving a history of the humbug up to that time. This article was extensively copied, it having been the first ever published about the Mormons.

I have not the patience, nor do I consider it necessary, to trace all the movements of the Mormons up to the time of their emigration to the "Land of Promise" in the West.

The appearance of their Bible, (which by the way, cost Harris his farm,) seemed to inspire them with fresh hopes, and in the course of a few months they were able to muster for their Western tour, some hundred and fifty or two hundred souls, including women and children. Since that time their position has been sufficiently public to render anything farther from me in regard to it, an unnecessary task.

But you wish to know something about the earlier history of the Smiths. They were always considered by their own townsmen as a lazy, vicious, profane, unlearned, superstitious family. They lived "from hand to mouth," spending most of the time not required for the provision of their immediate wants, in digging in the hills of Manchester for money, under the belief often expressed by them, that Capt. Kidd or some other person of wealth, had there deposited their treasures. For many, many years to come, traces of these excavations will be visible -- monuments alike of the superstition and folly of the Smith family.

As for Jo, he is altogether too stupid to write an ordinary newspaper paragraph of common sense, as the columns of the Mormon paper will bear abundant testimony. Before he got up his humbug, he was so illiterate as scarcely to be able to write his name intelligibly or spell it correctly. -- He could have no farther agency in the preparation of the Book of Mormon for the press, than that which I have already awarded him.

I may here add, that Harris, disgusted with Mormonism, left the tribe nearly two years since, as have also all of the honest persons of ordinary intelligence, who had become the dupes of Jo and his assistant wire-pullers.

Thus have I complied with your request, though with great haste; but imperfect as this sketch is, I doubt not that you have not always thought so, you will now concur with me in the opinion, that, to say the least, Mormonism was "conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity."

                  Ever yours.       J. A. H.


Note 1: This is an important and greatly overlooked historical sketch by a person who was living in Palmyra at the time the Book of Mormon was published. In tone and content the reminiscence resembles somewhat the one supplied by another Palmyra newspaperman, Orsamus Turner, in 1851. The author probably chose to contribute the letter for publication in the Wayne County Whig due to his connections with the "newspaper people" in that town. The Wayne County Whig began its life at Palmyra in 1838 but was moved the next year to Lyons, where it was continued by William H. Cole until 1855.

Note 2: Jonathan A. Hadley was editor of the Palmyra Freeman and the Lyons Countryman. The 1830 New York Census shows a "John Hadley" living in Galen township, Wayne Co., just east of Lyons -- this may have been a relative. Milton W. Hamilton's 1836 book, The Country Printer, has the following entry on p. 275: Hadley, Jonathan A., appt. Rochester, 1825; pr. Palmyra Freeman; 1829; Lyons Countryman; 1831 (with Myron Holley, ed.); Penn Yan Yates Republican, 1835; Warsaw American Citizen, 1836-37; jrmn., foreman on Rochester Daily Democrat, 1837-1847..." This abbreviated resume does not disclose the detail of Hadley serving his apprentice with the famous Thurlow Weed at the Rochester Telegraph during 1825-26. At this time Benjamin Franklin Cowdery was employed Weed's foreman -- thus, Hadley went directly from his training under the Cowdery in Rochester (Franklin) to founding the Palmyra Freeman at the very time another Cowdery (Oliver) was active the same town, helping to get the Book of Mormon published. Mr. Hadley's Aug. 11, 1829 Palmyra Freeman article on the Book of Mormon is not extant today; its text is most easily consulted in a reprint published by the Niagara Courier of Aug. 27, 1829 -- see also the Painesville Telegraph's abriged version of Hadley's article in that paper's issue of Sept. 22, 1829.

Note 3: The "paper" of the Mormons that Mr. Hadley makes mention of in his letter was the Church's Nauvoo Times & Seasons.

==> Joe Smith and his accomplice in the intended murder of ex-Gov. Boggs, of Missouri, had not been arrested at the date of the last accounts, not had the Mormons been annihilated by the forces of the Governor of Illinois; but, on the contrary, they are represented as going ahead rapidly. They are above the law, and can commit any crime with perfect impunity, in consideration of voting the Locofoco ticket. Alas, alas!


Notes: (forthcoming)

HORRIBLE  SCENE --
THE  LATTER  DAY  SAINTS.

On Thursday, the 23d of Nov., at 8 o'clock a frightful occurrence took place at Crewe, in Cheshie, which has caused the livliest emotions of pity, anger and surprise throughout the whole of that now populous nighborhood. It is well known that the Grand Junction Railway Company have erected immense works at Crewe, and have in their employment between 400 and 500 workmen. Among these are men of all shades of religious opinions, and some of them are Mormonites, better known as "latter day saints." The priest of this order is a blacksmith, of the name of Cartwright, and among the devotees is a fanatic named Pugmire, also a smith, or engineer. The latter was married to a respectable woman of about 30 years of age, who had borne him three children, and was within three months of her next confinement. She had steadily refused to adopt the fanatical opinions of her husband, and much altercation had ensued in consequence. Worn out, however, with his repeated solicitations, and his continuing declarations that unless she submitted to be baptised into the order, she would be entirely lost, she declared her intention to one of her neighbors to obey her husband's wishes, being satisfied, as she said, that unless she did so, "She should never have any more peace with him.

On Thursday, the 23d ult., at eight o'clock at night, the poor worn out creature was taken by her husband and the blacksmith priest down to the river below the works, was denuded of all her clothing, except a small flannel singlet, and, notwithstanding her interesting situation, these wretched fanatics, after muttering some incantations, plunged her into the stream. The night was dreadfully cold and the river was running at a great rate, and was much higher than ordinary.

The priest, having hold of her naked arm, unfortunately let go his grasp, and the current running like a mill race, immediately carried her away and it being pitch dark she was instantly overwhelmed by the boiling flood and drowned; The husband walked home with the greatest deliberation and nonchalence, and told his neighbors what had occured, and, after seating himself in a chair, rolled himself in flannel, and declared his conviction "that it was the will of God that she should be drowned," adding "that it was the weakness of her faith that caused it, but that he was now satisfied that she was in glory."

Captain Wimby, of the Crewe station, and other parties, hearing of the sad occurence, immediately rushed down to the river, and after some time discovered the body of the unfortunate woman in a bend of the river, about two hundred yards distant from the spot where she was immersed, but life was quite extinct.

A coroner's inquest has been held upon the body, and the jury returned a verdict of manslaughter (ought to have been murder!) The husband and blacksmith priest have both been committed to Cheshire Castle to take their trial.

It is somewhat remarkable that a preacher of this sect, while baptizing a disciple, was carried away by the flood and drowned, the other day, in the river at Handsworth, Woodhouse, near Sheffield.

Talk of romance indeed! Why, the every day occurrences of life present appaling realities which set at naught the wildest creations of fictions.


Notes: (forthcoming)

THE MORMONS. -- An intelligent gentleman who resides in the vicinity of Nauvoo informs us that the Mormons are [making?] constant accessions to their numbers from various parts of the United States and from Europe -- that the great Temple is progressing slowly -- and that "General Joseph Smith" is becoming more and more dictatorial and threatening towards the worldly powers that be, and more impious in his pretensions to the character of a prophet. Still he is so much of the "earth, earthly," that he fears kidnapping or assassination by the "evil minded Missourians." and keeps a portion of forty Policemen pretty constantly about his person! Smith keeps a tavern called the Nauvoo House, and by special ordinances monopolizes the liquor trade at 12 1/2 cts. a glass! --  Cleveland (Ohio) Herald.


Notes: (forthcoming)

MORMON TOAST. -- The following is an extract from a communication in the Baptist Advocate, showing the spirit of Mormonism in its essence. It was the winding up to one of "Jo's" speeches to the Legions, against the missionaries, and the climax of his "bursting eloquence," on such zealous occasions.

"He was speaking in the open air to about 2000 people on the subject of the Missouri persecution. After taking a glass of water, he gave the following:

"May all the nigger drivers, kidnappers, and mobbers of Missouri, be put in a stone with an iron paddle, in the middle of the sea, shark swallow the canoe, the devil swallow the shark, the devil sink in the north corner of hell, the door locked, the key lost and a blind man hunting for it!"

"This was received with shouts of laughter by some, others responded a-men! to it, while some turned away with feelings of pity and disgust."


Notes: (forthcoming)

THE MORMONS. -- Joe Smith has been indicted by the Grand Jury of Hancock county for resisting the lawful authorities -- great excitement prevails at Nauvoo -- Joe has declared martial law in the city -- the people of the surrounding country are preparing to subdue the Mormons and capture the Prophet, and it is feared that scenes of blood will ensue.


Notes: (forthcoming)

NEWS  FROM  NAUVOO -- JOE  SMITH  AND
HIS  BROTHER  HYRAM  SHOT!

Intelligence was received last evening of the death of Joe Smith, the Mormon Prophet, and his brother Hyram. The following are the particulars as near as we can learn them:

"Joe Smith and his brother Hyram, having been charged with various crimes and indicted, were arrested, taken to Carthage and committed to jail to await their trial. An attempt at rescue having been threatened, it was expected, and a strong guard placed around the jail to prevent it. The Mormons gathered in force to effect the release of their leaders, marched to Carthage, and made an attack upon the guard. The latter finding themselves too weak to defend their charge and beat off their opponents, and being withal wrought up to the highest pitch of exasperation, entered the jail and shot both the Prophet and his brother as the only means of preventing their escape. The Prophet was pierced with four balls, and killed instantly, as also was his brother."

The Buffalo Gazette gives a different version of the matter on the authority of the Hon. Francis Granger, who states the rumor to be well founded as he believed:

"The Mormons came down with the evident intention of a rescue. A pistol was fired by one of them, without doing injury, however, when a fight commenced between the guard of the jail and others, and the Mormons, during which Joe Smith and his brother were shot down, and the Mormons repulsed. Great excitement prevailed in that region, and the fears were entertained for the safety of Governor Ford and the small party with him. The inhabitants of Warsaw, it was also stated, had entirely evacuated their town, fearing a sack and a massacre."


Notes: (forthcoming)

LATEST FROM THE MORMONS -- SURRENDER OF JOE SMITH. -- We have just received the western mail, St. Louis papers of the 22d ult. We take the following from the Reporter of that city, of that date: The Mormon difficulties have not yet reached a crisis. Joe Smith and several others voluntarily surrendered themselves to a magistrate in Hancock county, and were discharged. The citizens in the neighborhood still threaten war, but have not yet made the contemplated attack upon Nauvoo.


Notes: (forthcoming)

GREAT  EXCITEMENT  AT  NAUVOO -- PARTICULARS  OF
THE DEATH OF  JOE SMITH AND  HIS BROTHER HYRUM!

By the most authentic accounts it appears that Joe and Hyrum Smith had been arrested and were in jail at Carthage, confined on certain offences against the laws of the state. The Carthage Greys, a volunteer company, were placed as a guard around the jail. About 6 o'clock on the evening of the 27th ult., an attempt was made by the Mormons on the outside to rescue the prisoners from the custody of the guard. A youth, about 19 years of age, (a Mormon,) began the fray by shooting the sentinel at the door, wounding him severely in the shoulder. Simultaneously with this attempt, the Mormons on the inside of the jail presentewd pistols through the windows and doors and fired upon the guard, wounding four individuals very severely. This action on the part of the Mormons was the signal for certain and sure vengeance. The lives of Joe and Hyrum Smith were quickly taken, but we believe no others. Carthage was filled with Mormons, previous to the affray. The Mormons appeared to be collecting around the jail for the purpose of attempting the rescue of their leader.

Other accounts state that the affray was commenced by a mob who had assembled around the jail, determined to take the life of the Prophet at all hazzards, and that he and his brother Hyrum were shot down while attempting to escape the vengeance of this body of infuriated men.

Since the death of these leaders of the Mormon faith, we observe that no attempts at retaliation have been made at Nauvoo, though a great excitement prevails there. -- The "Latter-day Saints" seem inclined to obey the law and keep the peace, and are striving to reap the benefit from the death of the Prophet, by preaching the doctrine that "the blood of the martyr is the seed of the church."

---

EXTRAORDINARY  CORRESPONDENCE!

The last number of the "Times and Seasons," issued from the Mormon press at Nauvoo, Illinois, a few days before the death of the Mormon Prophet, comes to us freighted with an extraordinary "Correspondence between Gen. Joseph Smith and the Hon. Henry Clay," relative to the Presidential election. The following is an extract from Mr. Clay's letter: --

" I have viewed with a LIVELY INTEREST, the progress of the Latter Day Saints; I have sympathized in their sufferings under the injustice, as it appears to me, which has been inflicted upon them; and I think, in common with all other religious communities, they ought to enjoy the security and protection of the constitution and the laws."

The rejoinder of the Prophet Jo is a scathing rebuke to the demagogue candidate, who is upbraided for hypocrisy in his professions of a "lively onterest for the Latter Day Saints" -- his real object being, as Jo uncharitably charges, to "coax out a few Mormon votes!"


Note: It is remarkable that as late as July 17, 1844, that the Palmyra newspaper should be publishing such an error-ridden account of Smith's death as the one the Editor approved for this issue. Local synpathy for the late Mormon leader must have been at an absolute nadir in that neighborhood, in order to account for the fact that the "other accounts" (more reliable, news reports) did not make it to the top of the article in this edition of the Sentinel.

LATEST  FROM  NAUVOO
DEATH OF JOE AND HYRUM SMITH CONFIRMED.

Our advices (says the N. Y. Tribune) by last evening's mail confirm the death of the prophet, and indicate an end of the Mormon War, at least for the present. The circumstances attending the death of Joe and his brother appear to be quite different from our first account. We cut the following from the Cincinnati Atlas of the 4th inst.:

"The Mendota left Nauvoo on Friday last at 4 o'clock. Capt. Riley furnished the New Era with many particulars not given in the extract from the Quincy Whig, and published in the postscript to yesterday's Atlas. He says he stopped at Nauvoo several hours and talked with a number of the Mormons; and that while there a body of Mormons came in bearing the dead bodies of Joe Smith and Hyrum Smith. Mr. Phelps was not killed, but was in Nauvoo when the Mendota left, making a speech to the Mormons, and advising them to peace. -- No Mormons were killed except Joe and Hyrum Smith.

"The Mormons all expressed a determination to keep the peace, and not to resort to arms except in necessary self defence. They state that at Carthage the Mormons were confined; that about 50 or 100 men disguised, suddenly rushed on the jail house, and that the guard fired on them and wounded three of them -- that the men in disguise fired into the jail and killed Hyrum Smith before the door was opened. Joe Smith had a revolving pistol, and fired it two or three times without effect, but was himself soon killed by the assailants; that Taylor, the editor of the Nauvoo Neighbor, was in jail, and was shot through the thigh, but not seriously injured. Richards was not injured. After the assault the disguised mob retreated, and it was not even known who they were. The guard consisted of 50 men, left by the Governor, of whom eight or ten were on duty when the attack was made on the jail house."

---

A letter from on board the steamer Boreas, to the Louisville Journal, dated June 27th gives still another account of the killing of Joe and Hyrum Smith:

"Yesterday, the 26th, Gov. Ford having prevailed upon Joseph Smith and several other principal Mormons, to resign them into the hands of the officers of justice at Carthage to be tried by due process of law, five, and I believe only five, viz. Joseph and Hyrum, a Doctor Richards, and two others, were incarcerated in the Hancock county jail, and guarded by the Governor's troops, until this morning, when Gov. Ford discharged the troops, except sixty already stationed at Nauvoo, to detect and annihilate the bogus factory, leaving the prisoners in the safe and efficient keeping of seven of the Carthage Greys. Shortly after disbanding the McDonough troops, and the Governor's departure for Nauvoo, a large body of militia, say two hundred, resolved to wait on the prisoners in their room. Here was the beginning of the trouble.

"The fearful Greys could not consistently admit visitors to prisoners excused of treason and other felonies. The militia took efficient means to convince the guard of their impotence, and the opposing forces joined issue. At a charge of the militia the Greys fired, evincing a valor not surpassed nor even equaled by the renowned heroes of Thermopylae. Here two hundred men were incompetent to intimidate these valorous seven, who, true to their trust, discharged their pieces with deadly aim. The militia soon ascertained, either by roll-call or particular inspection and inquiry, that none were either killed or wounded, and bethinking themselves that cartridge paper without ball therein as harmless, the militia formed seven parties of seven men each, and thus arranged, each division seized one of the guard, and thus the valorous seven were overcome; and yet a few militia, say 150, were at leisure to enter and pay their respects to the prisoners. The door was forced, and Joe shot the foremost, named Willis through the wrist.

A general melee ensued in which pistols spoke eloquently and forcibly. Five of the militia were wounded, though slightly. -- Joe Smith, endeavoring to escape, precipitated himself from the window, receiving while between heaven and earth, some half a dozen shots, and five thereafter, Hyrum, I am told, and three others were killed within the prison. This tragedy was enacted between four and five this afternoon, and I heard the announcement of the courier in Warsaw at eight. The men immediately fell in, shouldered arms, right faced, and made diverse defensive preparations; while women with children in their arms throng the levee to cross by moonlight to Missouri, or await the return of the Boreas from Keokuk, to Quincy, that they may not be endangered should the desperate Danites attempt to revenge the loss of their defunct head. All is confusion, and Warsaw looks as if besieged.

---

The Cincinnati Gazette of the 4th inst. gives the following version of the death of Joe Smith:

The reports about the Mormons and the death of Joe Smith and his brother, are various and contradictory. A traveller just from the scene, of apparent candor and truth gives the following account of the death of the prophet:

He was left in prison with Hyrum at Carthage, and a guard of 60 men placed over them by order of Governor Ford. The guard, except about eight, had just left their position at the jail, when a mob dressed in disguise, and painted black in their faces, rushed into the jail, shot Hyrum dead, and then killed Joe. No resistance was made by either. Joe was leaning or sitting upon a window when shot; he fell from it exclaiming, My God! My God! and died. -- After he reached the ground he was stabbed, apparently by a young man, in the breast, who said, "Dam you, take that, you killed my father."

We give this as we receive it, without being able to vouch for its correctness.

---

Advices from the Nauvoo scene of action, represent that the assassins of Joe and Hyrum Smith were Mormons, of a faction that has lately opposed the Prophet. If this is so, the deed is no less heinous, but of a somewhat different complexion than we at first supposed. The account states that the murder was committed more to wreak personal revenge than to gratify a malicious hatred towards the Mormons as a sect.


Note 1: The letter from the correspondent to the Louisville Journal appears to be a remarkably accurate account to the events, less the number of Mormon deaths at Carthage jail. The modern reader suspects that the correspondent had access to more first-hand information than that which was brought by "the courier" to Warsaw.

Note 2: The final, short news report given above is probably based upon rumors coming out of Nauvoo, echoing the editorial statement in the July 15, 1844 issue of the Times and Seasons: "False brethren, or to call them by their right name, 'apostates,' have retarded the work more and combined more influence to rob him of life than all Christianism, for they, having mingled in his greatness, knew where and when to take advantage of his weakness." The Rev. R. B. Neal, writing more than sixty years later, said of this statement: "That confirms our contention that Smith was killed by his own followers -- men whom he had betrayed and outraged -- in view of his edict and tyranny of only a few days before in breaking the presses and pieing the type and destroying The Nauvoo Expositor, a paper owned, edited and published by Mormons and leading intelligent men. At that it time did not take much of a prophet to tell that 'Gen. Smith' was 'digging his own grave.'"

IMPORTANT  FROM  NAUVOO-
DEATH  OF  JOE  AND  HIRAM  SMITH.

(From the St. Louis Evening Gazette Extra.)

Friend Flagg: -- Enclosed you have a copy of an "Extra" issued at Quincy. We left Nauvoo about day light this morning (Friday 28th) all was quiet. The Mormons have not heard of the death of the Smiths, as Gov. Ford, who was encamped a few miles back, has (as supposed) intercepted the messengers from Carthage.

At Warsaw all was excitement. -- The women and children were all removed, and an immediate attack was expected from the Mormons.

We met the "Boreas," just above Quincy, with 300 men armed and equipped for Warsaw, eager for fight.

I send the Quincy Herald, printed this morning and containing the particulars of Smith's death.
                          In haste yours &c.   A. J. Stone.

From the Quincy Herald, Friday morning:

DEATH OF THE PROPHET! -- JOE AND HIRAM SMITH ARE DEAD! -- The steamboat Boreas, just in from Warsaw, brings shocking intelligence from the scene of the Mormon war. The following slip from the office of the Warsaw Signal, explains the dreadful tragedy:

"Joe and Hiram Smith are dead -- shot this afternoon. An attack from the Mormons is expected every hour. Will not the surrounding counties rush instantly to our rescue?"

"Warsaw, June 27, 1844"

It seems that the circumstances attending the killing of the Mormon Prophet and his brother Hiram are as follows: On yesterday, Gov. Ford left Carthage with about one hundred and twenty soldiers, for the purpose of taking possession of the "Nauvoo Legion," and their arms. They arrived at Nauvoo about noon, and called for the assembling of the Legion and their arms. -- They arrived at Nauvoo about noon and called for the assembling of the Legion.

About 2000 men with arms immediately responded to the call. These troops were put under command of Col. Singleton of the Brown county, who accompanied Gov. Ford to Nauvoo.

The Governor finding all quiet left Nauvoo about 5 o'clock P. M., with a company of 60 men for the purpose of encamping about seven miles from the city.

At about the same time that Gov. Ford left Nauvoo, the Prophet and his brother were killed at Carthage, under the following circumstances, as near as we can ascertain them: --

Joe and Hiram are both confined in the debtors' room of the Carthage jail, awaiting their trial on a charge of treason. The jail was strongly guarded by soldiers and anti-Mormons who had been placed there by the Governor.

A Mormon attempted to rush by the guards for the purpose of forcing his way in the jail. He was opposed by the guard, and fired a pistol at one of the guards, giving him a slight wound.

A general confusion ensued in the crowd around the jail. Joe and his fellow Mormon prisoners, it seems, had provided themselves with pistols, and commenced firing upon the guards within. He then attempted to escape by the window, when a hundred balls entered his body, and he fell lifeless corpse.

His brother Hiram shared the same fate. Richards, a leading Mormon, was badly wounded. There our intelligence ends -- what took place after this, God only knows. Mormons immediately left for Nauvoo, to carry news of the death of the Prophet. It is feared that the Mormons at Nauvoo will be so exasperated as to exterminate the Governor and his small force.

The Boreas brought down most of the women and children from Warsaw. It is feared their town is in ashes before this.

Our citizens were aroused this morning by the ringing of bells and a call to arms. Our three independent companies are already in marching order. Maj. Flood has ordered out the militia of the regiment, and the steamer Boreas is waiting to convey them to the scene of action.

There is no knowing where this dreadful affair will end. Many have expressed fears that our city is in danger, because most of the Warsaw families have taken refuge here -- but we believe there is no danger, we are too far from the scene of action.

Messengers have just left for Hannibal and the towns below for the purpose of arousing the Missourians. The excitement in our city is intense and the anxiety to hear the fate of Gov. Ford and his men are very great.

Note: Part of the introductory article was published in the July 8, 1844 issue of the Washington Daily National Intelligencer. The "slip" from the Quincy Herald was reprinted in numerous papers, including the Richmond Inquirer of July 9, 1844, etc.

FROM NAUVOO. -- All was quiet at Nauvoo on the 26th ult. The slaying of the Smiths appears to have been a wanton and unprovoked murder, and was so pronounced by Gov. Ford, who is now using his best efforts to dfetect the murderers, so that they may be dealt with according to law.


Notes: (forthcoming)

==> We learn that Gov. Ford, of Illinois, has made a requisition on the United States Government for 500 troops, to be stationed in the neighborhood of Nauvoo, to prevent any blood-shed by the Anti-Mormons or the Mormons.


Notes: (forthcoming)

FROM NAUVOO. -- We have intelligence from Nauvoo to the 5th inst. All was quiet. It appears the reports of the appearance of Joe Smith, and the appointment of his son as Prophet, are false, and originated in a desire to injure the Mormons abroad. Sidney Rigdon had returned to Nauvoo from Pittsburgh, and preached on the 4th ult. In consequence of the death of Samuel Smith, Joe's brother, since the death of the Prophet, Sidney Rigdon will be chosen Patriarch of the Mormon flock. He is their master spirit, and will make a shrewd and energetic leader. There are five widows of the Smith family now living in Nauvoo; the mother of all, and the late wives of Joe, Hyrum, and their two brothers. Accessions to the Mormon strength continue to be quite large. In Nauvoo the usual activity is apparent, and the Temple is steadily going up in its unique form and shape. Its style of architecture is of the pure Mormon order. -- St. Louis Organ.


Notes: (forthcoming)

ahead: May 26, 1858 Wayne Dem. Press