they were also known in as well as in other places, and as soon as the gun was fired a Merchant of , jumped upon his horse and rode directly to and reported “Joseph and killed, and those who were with him in Jail.” He reported further “that they were attempting to break jail and were all killed by the guard.” This was their story; it was anticipated to kill all and the gun was to be the signal that <of> the deed was <being> accomplished. This was known in . The also knew it and fled, and he could really be in no danger in , for the Mormons did not know it, and he had plenty of time to escape, which he did.
It is said that he made all his officers promise solemnly that they would help him “protect the Smiths”; this may be, or may not be. At any rate some of the same officers helped to murder them.
The most strong<est> argument in the s favor, and one that would bear more weight with me than all the rest put together, would be that he could not believe them capable of such atrocity; and thinking that their talk and threatenings were a mere ebulition of feeling, a kind of braggadocio, and that there was enough of good moral feeling to control the more violent passions, he trusted to their faith. There <is> indeed a degree of plausibility about this; but when we put it in juxtaposition to the amount of evidence that he was in possession of, it weighs very little. He had nothing to inspire confidence in them, and everything to make him mistrust them. Besides, why his broken faith? Why his disregard of what was told him by several parties? Again, if he knew [p. 62]