Sidney Rigdon, Testimony, 1 July 1843 [Extradition of JS for Treason]
Source Note
, Testimony, [, Hancock Co., IL], 1 July 1843, Extradition of JS for Treason (Nauvoo, IL, Municipal Court 1843). Copied [between 3 and 6 July 1843]; handwriting of ; docket by unidentified scribe, [, Hancock Co., IL], ca. [6] July 1843; notation by unidentified scribe, ca. [6] July 1843; twenty-four pages; Nauvoo, IL, Records, CHL.
imploring their assistance, and intervention to protect the citizens of against the threatened violence <of the mo[b]> These memorials were accompianed with affidavits which could leave no doubt on the mind of the or , that the citizens before mentioned were in imminent danger. At this time things began to assume an alarming aspect around both <to> the citizens of and counties: mobs were forming all around & in the country declaring that they would drive the people out of the . This made the <our> appeals to the authorites more <deeply> solicitous as the danger increased, and very soon after this the mobs commenced their depredations; which was a general system of plunder: tearing down fences, <exposing all within the field to distuction [destruction]> lettingcattlehorsesandhogsinfieldofgrain, and driving off every animal they could find.
Sometime previous to this, in consequence of the threatnings, which were made by mobs or those who were being formed into mobs, and the abuses committed by them on the persons and property of the citizens, an association was formed called the band. This, as far as I was acquainted with it, (not being myself one of the number, neither was Joseph Smith Sen,) was for mutual protection against the bands which were forming, and threatned to be formed, for the professed object of committing violence on the property and persons of the citizens of and counties. They had certain signs and words by which they could know one another either by day or night. They were bound to keep those signs and words secret; so that no other person or persons than themselves could know them. When any of the<se> persons were assailed by any lawless band, he would make it known to others who would flee to his relief at the risk of life. In this way they saught to defend each other<s> and defend <both> their lives and property but they were <strictly enjoined not> bound to touch not <any> person, only those who were engaged in acts of violince against the persons or property of one of their own number, or one of those whose life and property they had bound themselves [p. [6]]