[ Full-text transcription of: Letter from L. B. Fleak, Iowa to Governor Reynolds, Jefferson City, Mo. ]
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L. B. Fleak
Keokuck
Free L. B. Fleak P.M.
Keokuk IT
Dec 5
His Excellency Thos Reynolds
Mo
1842
Keokuk I.T. Dec 4/42
Gov Reynolds
Dear Sir
All of our efforts to seize the renegade
Smith have proved fruitless and we have been com=
pelled though with reluctance to abandon the
project. He keeps constantly around him as body
guard some 12 to 14 enthusiastic fanaticks which renders
a secret approach impossible, and with the River frozen
over as it now is, even if we were to get him it would
be impossible to get away with him for one haloo from
him call a thousand men to his rescue.
The only possible way to get him is through
the newly elected Governor He may do something
but Carlin never would if he were to continue
Gov 20 years, he is about half Mormon himself
His house has been Smith’s Hotel when in
Depend upon it, those fanaticks will one
day give your State a great deal of trouble, their
whole thoughts is how they they shall injure or des
troy
is to despise
part of Keokuk & are coming into it very fast which puts
a body of them within 3 miles of the
leave here in March for
L B Fleak