[ Full-text transcription of: Witness William W. Phelps, a Mormon dissenter ]
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William W. Phelps a witness on the part of the state
produced sworn and examined [deposeth]and saith,
That as Early as April last at a meeting in Far
West of 9 or 12 persons, Mr Rigdon arose & made an
address to them in which he spoke of having borne
persecutions & law suits and other privations &
did not intend to be a victim any longer, that they
meant to resist the law and if a sheriff Came
after them with writs they would kill him, & if
any body opposed them they would take off their
heads, Geo W Harris who was present observed
you mean the head of their influence I suppose
Rigdon answered he meant that lump of flesh
and bones called the skull or scalp. Jo Smith Jr
followed Mr Rigdon approving his seniments
and said that was what they intended to do
both in their remarks observed that they meant
to have the words of the Presidency to be as
good and as indisputed as the words of God.
And that no one should speak against
what they said. Hyrum Smith was not in
not in the Country. Some time in June
steps were taken to get myself and others
out of the
afforts were made to get the post office
from me, being P. M., by a demand for it,
I explained the law which seemed satisfactory
& it was given up. I then informed the [2d]
Presidency of the church by letter, that I
was wiling to do anything that was right
and if I had wronged any man I would
make satisfaction. I was then notified
to attend a meeting. Sidney Rigdon in an
address again brought up the subject of
the P. office. I told them if public opinion
said I should give it up I would do so
but they have to await the decision of the
P. M. G. which they agreed to do, with the und=
=standing that a committee of three should
inspect the letters written and sent by me as
well as those receivd by me – this committee
however never made their appearance –
after my case was disposed of another man’s
was taken up. he attempted to speak in his
defence & said he was a Republican, several
rushed up to wards him and stopt him, telling
him if he had anything to say in favor of the
presidency he might say it, and that was their
republicanism – J. Smith Jr Sidney Rigdon
& Hyrum Smith who compose the first
presidency were there. It was observd in
the meeting that if any person spoke against
the presidency they would hand him over
in to the hands of the brother of Gideon. I
knew not at the time who or what it meant
Shortly after that I was at another meeting
where they were trying several, the first
presidency being present. Sidney Rigdon was
chief spokesman – the object of the meeting
seemed to be to make persons confess and
repent of their sins to God and the Presidency
and arraigned them for giving false accounts
of their money and effects they had on hand
and they said whenever they found one guilty of
these things they were to be handed over to the
brother of Gideon Several were found guilty
and handed over as they said – I yet did not
know what was meant by this expression
‘the brother of Gidion’ – Not a great while
after this [ ] of private meetings were held
I endevored to find out what they were and
I learned from John Corrill and others they
were forming a secret Society called Danites
formerly called the brother of Gidion. In the
Meeting above referrd to in which I was
present one man arose to Defend himself,
and he was ordered to leave the house, but
commenced to speak, Avard then said
“Where are my ten men” 30 or more men
arose up where upon the man said he
would leave the house. At this meeting
I agreed to conform to the order of the Church
in all things knowing I had a good deal of
property in the county and if I went off I
should to leave it. For some time before
and after this meeting an armed guard was
kept in town and one of them at my house, during
the night as I supposed to watch my person
In the fore part of July – I being one of the Justices
of the County Court was forbid by Joseph Smith
jr from issuing any process against him I
learned from the Clerk of the Circuit Court
that declaration had been filed against Smith
Rigdon & others by Johnson and in reference to
that case, Smith told Dennison the Clerk that
he should not issue a writ against him –
I observed to Mr. Smith that there was a legal
objection to issuing it that the cost, meaning
the Clerks fee had not been paid – Smith
replied he did not care for that – he did not
intend to have any writ issued against him
in the County – these things together with – many
other alarmed me for the situation Of our
County,and at our next Circuit Court I
mentioned these things to the Judge & several
members of the bar-
A few days before the 4th day of July last
I heard D. W Patton known by the fictitious name
of Capt. Fearnought say that Rigdon was
writing a declaration to declare the church
independent. I remarked to him – I thought
such a thing treasonable to set up a government
within a government – he answered it would
not be treasonable if they could maintain it-
or fight till they died. Daniel Huntington
and some others made about the same remark -
Sidney Rigdon’s 4th of July oration was the declar
ation referred to. Along through the summer &
fall, a storm appeared to be gathering and
from time to time I went out into Ray & Clay
Counties – saw and conversed with many
gentleman on the subject who always assured
me that they would use every [asertion] that
the law should be enforced, and I repeatedly
made these things known in
that there was no disposition among the people
to raise mobs against them from these counties
I never was invited nor did I attend any of their
secret meetings. I was at the meeting the Monday
before the last Expedition to
learned that steps would be taken there which
might affect me. At this meeting the Presidency
together with many others were there to the
number of perhaps 200 or 300 or more.
Joseph Smith Jr I think it was who addressed
the meeting and said in substance, that they
were others about to go war in
that those persons who had not turned out
their property should be taken to maintain
the war – this was by way of formal resolution
and was not objected to by any present. A
motion was then made by Sidney Rigdon
that the blood of those who were thus backward
should first be spilt in the streets of
A few said amen to this, -- but immediately
Mr Jo Smith Jr. before Rigdons motion was
put rose and moved that they be taken out
into
should be put on their horses with bayonets
& pitch forks and put in front – this passed
without a dissenting voice. There was a
short made then by Jo Smith Jr. about carrying
on the war in which he said it was necessary
to have something to live on, and when they went
out to war it was necessary to take spoils to
live on. This was in reference to the dissenters
as well as to the people of
in this speech he told the [ansedote] of the Diah=
-ohman potatoes. Finding I should have to
go and not wishing to be put in front of the
battle. I sought a situation and went out
with my waggon. This was the expedition in which
Gallatin and Millport were burt. I went on
to Diahamon a few days after the Mormon
troops had gone out. I went to the tavern late
at night when I found J. Smith Jr. Hyrum
Smith & others. I informed J. Smith that the
Clay troops had returned home some 40 or 50
in number, but told him that Genl. Parks
was in
There was a conversation among them as
to what they [ ] and they came to the conclusion
to send down to Lyman Wright at his house
for him to send an express to Genl Parks that
his troops were not needed. Some time
before day I awoke and found Lyman
Wright & Capt. Fearnaught in the house – he said he had sent the
Express to Genl. Parks informing him that his
Militia was not needed – Wight asked J. Smith
twice if he had arms to the point now to resist
the law that he wanted that matter now
distinctly understood- he said he had succeeded
in smoothing the matter over with Judge
King when he was out, and that he defied the
U.S to take him, but that he had submitted
to be taken, because he Smith had done so-
This was in reference to the examination
for the offence for which he and Smith had
been brought before Judge King in
Smith replied the time had come when he should
resist all law.
In the fore part of the night after my arrival
I heard a good deal of conversation about driving
out the mob from
there was a store at
and in the morning and in the morning after the
conversation between smith and Wight about
resisting the law a plan of operations was
agreed on which was that Capt Fearnaught
who was present should take a company
of 100 men or more and go to
take it that day- to take the goods out of the
store at
and burn the store. Lyman Wight was to take
a company and go to Millport on the same
day, and Seymore Brunson was to take a
company and go to the grind stone [fort]
on the same day. This arrangement was
made in the house before day while I was lying
on the floor. When I arose in the morning
some of the companies were gone. But
I saw Lyman Wight parade a horse company –
and start off with it toward Millport – I
I also a foot company the same day go off
on the same day in the evening I saw
both these companies return. The foot com-
pany had some plunder which appeared
to be [feed] and bed clothes &c. They passed on towards
the Bishops store. but I know not what they did with
the plunder. I remained in the Camp one day
and two nights at Diahamon when I returned
to
West an express [word crossed out] was sent from Joseph
Smith and Lyman Wight to Rigdon at F West
but what was [“in” crossed out] the contents of the Express I
know not. When I
returned to
a message in reference to having wood &
provisions provided for the families of those
persons living in Far West who were in
and for the purpose of giving them that information
I was invited to a school house where it was
said the people had assembled. I went there
and was admitted. The men being paraded before
the door when I arrived in number about 40 or
50 – It was remarked that these were tried men
and we all marched into the house. A guard
was placed around the house and one at the door
Mr. Rigdon then commenced making Covenants
with uplifted hands – the first was that if any
man attempted to move out of the county or
pack their things for that purpose that any [man]
them in the house, [“seeing this” crossed out] seeing this without
[“without” crossed out] saying anything to any other person
should kill him and haul him [asine] into the
brush, and that all the burial he should have
should be in a turkey buzzards gut. so that
nothing should be left of him but his bones.
That [ ] said was carried in form of a
Covenant with uplifted hands – after the vote
had passed he said now see if anyone dares
vote against it, and called for the negative
vote & others was moved. The next covenant
that if any person from the surrounding
Country came into their town walking about
no odds who he might be, Anyone of [other] meeting
should kill him and throw him aside into the brush
this passed in manner as the above had passed
The third covenant was conceal all these
things. Mr Rigdon then observed that the kingdom
of heaven had no secrets – that yesterday a
man had stopt his wind, and was draged into
the hazelbrush and said he – “the man who
that [lisp] it shall die.” There were several
Companies organised at this meeting, and
volunteers Called for, and I having assigned
[“to me” crossed out] the command of the express company
Called for volunteers wanting to be doing some=
thing to make a show. Amasa Lyman a Dept.
was in that meeting, and was appointed by
Mr Rigdon Capt. of a Company, whose duty it
was to watch the Movements of the enemy, or
mob in [B__ Combe], and if they burt one house
in
of theirs, and men were selected who were
strangers in the community where they were to
act toward the latter part of the instructions
to Lyman’s Company, Rigdon observed
that if the inhabitants in the surrounding
Country Commenced burning houses
in
in any other way they would poison them off.
This last remark, I did not understanding
as being particularly addressed to Lyman as
a part of the duty of his Company, but
seemed addressed to the meeting generally
This meeting was on Saturday and on
the next Monday I returned to Diahamon
with 7 or 8 waggons, 3 or 4 of which were moveing
some families, tho I had been directed to take
to Di-ahamon for use there.
I arrived at Diahamon that evening
and next morning 4 of the waggons were
loaded and sent back to
Smith Jr and Hyrum Smith perhaps informed
me they wanted 4 waggons a part of which
were to haul beef and pork to
and what the balance of the [“balance of the” crossed out]
loading was I did not know, but these waggons
brought out by me, were pointed out, and
taken back to
Camps at Diahamon that day—my waggon
and another went down to Millport and
brought up Slades goods which were there.
Slade is not a Mormon, but has three brothers
residing in or about
The following of the Defendants were in the
last
Expedition to Daviess – Joseph Smith Jr. P. P. Pratt
Lyman Wight, Geo. W Robinson, Alanson Ripley,
Geo. W. [“Robson” crossed out] Harris, Elijah Newman was
one of my men. Isaac Morley was not there,
Alexander McRae was there, Ebenezer Robinson,
was there, Edward Partridge was there, James
H. Rawlins was there, Sheffield Daniels I think
was not there. Samuel Bent was there, and
he was Called Capt Black Hawk – While
in Adam-ondi-ahmon I saw Geo W Robertson
with a clock under his arm which I afterwards
Saw in
by a Mr. McLaney of
property after the arrival of Genl. Clark
at
saith not.
W. W. Phelps
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