[ Full-text transcription of: Letter from L. B. Fleak, Iowa to Governor Reynolds, Jefferson City, Mo. ]
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Fleak P.M.
Free; L. B. Fleak P.M.
at Keokuk
His Excellency Thos Reynolds
Mo
Steam Packet “Amaranth”
1842
Keokuk I.T. Oct 5th 1842
His Excellency Thomas Reynolds
Sir
Your reward for Smith & Rockwell is making
a great stir among the “brethren” at the “City of
is said has fortified himself in some sort of a den [“and R” is crossed out] this
I do not vouch for, & Rockwell has left the Country. I am inform
ed that the Gov of Illinois has added $400 more to your reward
and I at this time know of no less than three persons that
are on the alert determined to arrest him if possible
There will be some Judas among themselves I think I am
in hopes to have it in my power to announce to you the cap=
ture of Smith by a week from this evening. Yesterday was
a day that was set for about 50 of them to come down to
our Town to select lots, but by an order from the Prophet
they all remained at home. This Ù information I have from one of the
Mormons & I have no doubt but it is correct—The intention
of the three persons above alluded to, is to seize Smith some
night in his own house perhaps, gag him, & carry him on
board a small boat and bring him down to my house &
keep him securely in a room in the 3rd story until the arrival
of one of our regular St. Louis Packets, one of which leaves
here every night in the week except Monday night. I am the
agent for all of those Packets & when once on board there will
be no further difficulty. If the enterprize succeeds I am entitled
to one fourth of the Reward which I will take pleasure in
bestowing on the State of
and has been there for 2 days since which time I have heard nothing
from him, but, Ù I have no doubt but that he is making all the discoveries that can
be made, without creating suspicion. They are all careful, resolute
fellows & will do nothing without the utmost caution, & if they
should accidentally be detected it will take the half of Nauvoo
to arrest them, for all is planned either for victory or defeat
Thus, I have given you the outlines of the plan & it is needless to say
to you that it is in confidence. In the course of two months
our Town will be overrun with those cutthroats as one of the
principal owners in the Town has sold his interest to them
I shall leave here with my effects in the month of March
for
that I can leave without too great a loss. I am selling
goods here & think of locating in some County seat in the South
western part of
me. I have now on hands about 70 head of cattle that
I shall send off this Fall to Van Buren County
Very Respectfully
Your obdt servant
L B Fleak