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Closing Argument of Calvin A. Warren, 28 May 1845, as Recorded in “Minutes of Trial” [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.]

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Introduction to State of Illinois v. Williams et al. and State of Illinois v. Elliott–C Complaint, 22 September 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Warrant, 22 September 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Proclamation, 27 September 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Proclamation, 27 September 1844, as Published in Nauvoo Neighbor [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Agreement, 30 September 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Agreement, 30 September 1844, Copy [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Agreement, 2 October 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Agreement, 2 October 1844, Copy [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Agreement, 2 October 1844, as Published in Warsaw Signal [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Recognizance, 2 October 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Praecipe, 9 October 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Praecipe, 25 October 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Indictment, 26 October 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Indictment, 26 October 1844, Copy [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Indictment, 26 October 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Praecipe, 26 October 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Capias, 26 October 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Discharge from Recognizance, 26 October 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Recognizance, 26 October 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Memorandum of Testimony, circa 27 October 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Memorandum of Testimony, circa 27 October 1844, Copy [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Order, circa 19 November 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Warrant, 20 November 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Warrant, 20 November 1844, as Published in Reports [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 14 December 1844–A [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 14 December 1844–B [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 14 December 1844–C [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 14 December 1844–D [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Attachment, 14 December 1844 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Bond, 20 March 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 8 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Bond, 17 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Praecipe, circa 18 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 19 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Recognizance, 19 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 20 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Affidavit, 20–21 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Affidavit, 21 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Motion, 21 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Affidavits and Motions, 21 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 21 May 1845–A [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 21 May 1845–B [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Account of Trial, 21–28 May 1845, Shorthand [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Account of Trial, 21–28 May 1845, Longhand [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Oath, 22 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 22 May 1845–A [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 22 May 1845–B [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 22 May 1845–C [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 22 May 1845–D [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 22 May 1845–E [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Venire Facias, 22 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Instructions for Jury Selection, 22 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Alias Venire Facias, 22 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Writs of Venire Facias, 22 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Attachment, 23 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 23 May 1845–A [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 23 May 1845–B [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 23 May 1845–C [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 23 May 1845–D [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Pluries Venire Facias, 23 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Attachment, 24 May 1845–A [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Attachment, 24 May 1845–B [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Attachment, 24 May 1845–C [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 24 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Motion Withdrawn, 24 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Attachments, 24 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Continuance, 24 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Account of Trial, 24–28 May 1845–A [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Account of Trial, 24–28 May 1845–A, as Published in Trial of the Persons Indicted [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Account of Trial, 24–28 May 1845–B [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 26 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Continuance, 26 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Attachment, 27 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 27 May 1845–A [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Subpoena, 27 May 1845–B [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Continuance, 27 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Closing Argument of Josiah Lamborn, 28 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Closing Argument of Calvin A. Warren, 28 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Closing Argument of Calvin A. Warren, 28 May 1845, as Recorded in “Minutes of Trial” [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Continuance, 28 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Continuance, 29 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Closing Argument of Onias Skinner, 29 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Closing Argument of Onias Skinner, 29 May 1845, Copy [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Closing Argument of Orville Browning, 29 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Jury Instructions, 30 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Verdict, 30 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Verdict, 30 May 1845 [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Attachment, 30 May 1845–A [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.] Docket Entry, Attachment, 30 May 1845–B [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.]

Closing Argument of Calvin A. Warren, 28 May 1845, as Recorded in “Minutes of Trial” [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.]

Source Note

, Closing Argument, [, Hancock Co., IL, 28 May 1845], State of IL v. Williams et al. (Hancock Co., IL, Circuit Court 1845). Copied [between ca. 11 Feb. 1944 and ca. 16 Jan. 1968] in “Minutes of Trial of Members of Mob Who Helped Kill Joseph Smith, the Prophet,” p. 22 (first numbering); CHL.
The custodial history of this typescript is unknown. Wilford C. Wood acquired the manuscript from Frank C. Baum in 1944 and thereafter created three typescript transcripts of it. Two of the transcripts, identified as a first copy and a carbon copy, were retained by Wood and are in the possession of the Wilford C. Wood Museum in Bountiful, Utah. At an unknown time, Wood created a third transcript titled “Minutes of Trial of Members of Mob who Helped Kill Joseph Smith, the Prophet” that was donated to the Church Historian’s Office before Wood’s death in 1968. The transcripts contain portions that are unaccounted for in the manuscript. The copy donated to the church is virtually identical to the copies at the Wood Museum, except that some of the documents are in a different order. The typescript was presumably placed in a Joseph Smith name file after its donation. Church Historical Department (now CHL) staff cataloged the typescript in 1973.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Mrs. Frank Baum, Quincy, IL, to Wilford C. Wood, Woods Cross, UT, Receipt, 11 Feb. 1944, microfilm, reel 16, Wilford C. Wood Collection of Church Historical Materials, CHL; Letter, Wilford C. Wood, Woods Cross, UT, to David O. McKay, 16 Feb. 1944, microfilm, reel 16, Wilford C. Wood Collection of Church Historical Materials, CHL.

    Wilford C. Wood Collection of Church Historical Materials. Microfilm. CHL. MS 8617.

  2. [2]

    See “Martyrdom Court Records (typed) carbon 4-c-b-2.2,” microfilm, reel 5, Wilford C. Wood Collection of Church Historical Materials, CHL; and “Martyrdom Court Records (Typed) 4-c-b-2.4,” microfilm, reel 25, Wilford C. Wood Collection of Church Historical Materials, CHL.

    Wilford C. Wood Collection of Church Historical Materials. Microfilm. CHL. MS 8617.

  3. [3]

    “Rites Held for Wilford C. Wood,” Davis County Clipper, 26 Jan. 1968, [12]. This title page is not included in the other typescripts.

    Davis County Clipper. Bountiful, UT. 1892–.

  4. [4]

    See the full bibliographic entry for “Minutes of Trial of Members of Mob Who Helped Kill Joseph Smith, 1844–1845,” in the CHL catalog; and Oaks and Hill, Carthage Conspiracy, 227.

    Oaks, Dallin H., and Marvin S. Hill. Carthage Conspiracy: The Trial of the Accused Assassins of Joseph Smith. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1975.

Historical Introduction

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. Closing Argument of Calvin A. Warren, 28 May 1845 [ State of Illinois v. Williams et al. ]
Closing Argument of Calvin A. Warren, 28 May 1845, as Recorded in “Minutes of Trial” [ State of Illinois v. Williams et al. ]

Page 22

If thinks he has evidence enough without the three witnesses, why has he consumed three or four days in getting their testimony before the jury, and forcing us to discredit them.
Why did he think it necessary to charge Miss [Eliza] Graham to be sure and tell the truth?
He is famishing for a victim thirsting for blood— eagerly seeking a sacrifice to appease the [blank] and quell the spirit of the murdered prophet.
Why does he not seize upon [William] Daniels and drag him forth to the altar. He is before us self-condemned, self-convicted— denuded of every [blank] circumstances.
wishes a conviction to vindicate the majesty of the law— let him take Daniels. He should as the hired prosecutor have had him arrested.
But these are the men to be immolated— these are the men who are obnoxious to prophets, priests and governors. A price is set upon their heads.
There is no evidence of a conspiracy among the men. No common object. It was attempted to prove this by Daniels, by proof of conversation the night before and detailing 20 men.
Whatever you do find a verdict— do not ruin your county by continuing these prosecutions.
Your county is a purpatory— there is no intermediate place between this and the abode of the dm’d. [p. 22]
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Related Case Documents

State of Illinois v. Williams et al., Hancock Co., IL, Circuit Court, 30 May 1845

Editorial Title
Closing Argument of Calvin A. Warren, 28 May 1845, as Recorded in “Minutes of Trial” [State of Illinois v. Williams et al.]
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