, Affidavit, before , , Hancock Co., IL, 20 June 1844; handwriting of ; signature of ; certified by ; docket in handwriting of John McEwan; one page; JS Office Papers, CHL.
Personally appeared before me <——> an acting Justice of the peace, in and for said , of in said , and being first duly sworn, deposeth and saith that on Saturday the 15th. instant John Clark rode up to where I was at work in and said he was afraid the Mormons would come and destroy their property and said he “if I have any destroyed by any person, I shall make my resort upon the nearest Mormons, and take their property in place of that which shall be taken away, wherever he could find it, so long as it was a Mormon’s”— and that on Tuesday the 18th. instt. as I was coming from my house to the road leading to , a Mob was at the Forks of the Road, standing still, and consulting together, I came on the Road about twenty Rods a head of them, in a few moments Colonel , John Clark and five others rode along the same Road after me— I heard them talking about shooting the Mormons, when Clark said “it is not disgrace to shoot a Mormon any how,” when they all laughed, they overtook me, and asked me where I lived, I replied in , he asked me if I was a Mormon, when Clark said it was no odds, he is on their part— then threatened me and said I must be sure and be at his house by nine oclock in the morning, if not, I must either get out of or be served the same sauce as the Mormons, he gave me to understand they were going to make a total destruction of tomorrow, and I had better get out of it— he then talked about Joseph Smith, when I replied I understood Joseph Smith had a fair trial, and was bound over to the Supreme Court, he said if he is, or is not, we do not care, it is illegally done, and he should go ahead— he should gather the troops, and there would be 2,000 men landed tomorrow from , he said they were Volunteers, they should meet next day at , and then go against Joseph Smith and demolish the City of , for <have> him at any rate they would, he was in a very great passion, and let out a great many <oaths and> other things that I have not mentioned. in consequence of their threats, and to save our lives, we were obliged to leave our homes in a very stormy night, and had to cross a dangerous stream that was swollen by the rain, and was unable to protect myself from great sufferings and hardships, and came to the City of for protection.
Subscribed and sworn to this 20th. day of June 1844 [blank] before me