I must here again digress to relate a circumstance which I forgot in its place. I had heard that had given a military an order to some persons who had applied to him for it to go to our house and take such goods as they claimed. the goods claimed, were goods sold by the Sheriff of on an part of which I had purchased at the sale. The man aganst whom the execution was issued availed himself of that time of trouble to go and take his <​the​> goods wherever he could find them.— I asked if he had given any such authority? “He said that an application had been made to him for such an order, but he said my your lady wrote me a letter requesting me not to do it telling <​me​> that the goods had been purchased at <​the​> sheriff’s sale, and I would not grant the order.” I did not, at the time, suppose that , in this, had barefacedly lied, but the sequel proved he had, for some time afterwards behold there comes the <​a​> man to with the order and shewed it to me sighined [signed] John by . The mans said he had been at our house and taken all the goods he could find. So much for a lawyer, a methodist, and very pious <​man​> at that <​time​> in religion and a major general in the militia of .

During the time that was examining the miltary laws, there were some things took place which may be proper to relate in this place. I heard a plan laying laying among a number of those who belonged to s army and some of them officers of high rank, to go to , and commit violence on the person of Joseph Smith, Sen’s and my wife and daughters. This gave me some uneasiness. I got at an oppertunity to send my family word of their disign and to be prepared f make such arangements as they could to guard against their vile purpose The time at last arri[v]ed and the [p. [19]]