Allen Wait, Affidavit, before , , Hancock Co., IL, 20 June 1844; handwriting of ; signature of Allen Wait; certified by ; docket in handwriting of John McEwan; one page; JS Office Papers, CHL.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
Personally appeared before me <> an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said Allen Wait of in said , and being first duly sworn deposeth and saith that on saturday morning he was at the house of Colonel when he told me that I must take up arms and go and fight against Joseph Smith or I must leave the place immediately— or else I must give up my arms and stay at home— he also said they would take Smith by law if they could, or if the would not grant a writ to take him, they would take him any how— he also said that if the people would not give smith up, they would lay the whole city of in ashes. I enquired what they would do with those people of who would not fight. He said they must make some signal, or else they must share the same fate, they must all perish, men women and children— I then left, in order to go home, when Captain Harrison P. Crawford overtook me and told me if the would not help them they did not care for the any how. He said was an unconstitutional man, he had issued two illegal writs and they were done so on purpose, and any such man ought not to hold any office whatever, and they intended to proceed against the Mormons whether they got any authority from the or not.
Allen Wait
Subscribed and sworn to, this 20th day of June, 1844. before me.