Minutes and Testimonies, 12–29 November 1838, Copy and Letter [State of Missouri v. Gates et al. for Treason]
Source Note
Minutes and Testimonies, [, Ray Co., MO], 12–29 Nov. 1838, State of MO v. Gates et al. for Treason (Fifth Judicial Circuit of MO 1838). Copied with letter ca. late 1838–ca. early 1839; unidentified handwriting; fifty-one pages; Mormons Collection, 1813–1970, Missouri History Museum.
I went out to & got there in the evening, remained there that night & returned next mor home to next morning. While in I saw a great deal of plunder brought in consisting of beds & bed clothes. I also saw one clock & I saw 36 head of cattle drove <in> & put into a pen, All the above property was called consecrated property, and I heard , one of the Mormons was who was engaged in assisting to drive the cattle in, say that they had taken the cattle from the citizens of the Grind stone fork, and said he had made a valuable expedition—
I saw there who had a gun barrel in his hand I asked him where he got it, & he told me, that the evening before he had set a barn on fire, & that he heard the gun go off while the house was burning & he went back and got the barrel out of the ruins of the house barn.
The following of the Defents. were in the last expedition to — Joseph Smith Jr , , , — I think was not there. was there, was there, John Buckhannan was not there, I think was there, was there, & were there. went out when I did & I think returned next morning. there were some families going to & went as one of a guard to guard them out. was not there. was there & returned while the Mormon troops were in with an express from to for some waggons to move off families [p. [20]]