Introduction to City of Nauvoo v. Clements et al.
City of Nauvoo v. Clements, A. Tanner, and H. Tanner
Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, Mayor’s Court, 22 December 1842
Historical Introduction
On 19 December 1842, JS found Albert Clements and guilty of violating the , Illinois, city ordinance regarding disorderly persons (see City of Nauvoo v. Clements and N. Tanner). Following the trial, Clements, along with Albert and Henry Tanner, spoke out against testimony that had been given by Susan McArthur and two of her children. Though , Susan’s husband, had not personally heard the men’s remarks, he had “been credibly informed” that they had claimed his family’s testimonies were perjured and that their language had been abusive and slanderous. He filed a complaint against the three men on 19 December 1842.
JS issued a warrant for their arrest. Initially, the officer was able to locate only Henry Tanner, noting that Albert Clements and Albert Tanner had left . Henry was brought before the court on 20 December, and three witnesses were subpoenaed: Levi Knight; Alvin Clements, who was Albert Clements’s oldest son; and , who had served the warrant and subpoena in the first trial against Clements. Henry pleaded not guilty, but after the testimony, JS found him guilty of violating the city’s disorderly person ordinance and fined him one dollar.
Two days later, on 22 December, Albert Clements was brought before the court. Alvin Clements was again subpoenaed, as was Henry Tanner. also testified. Albert pleaded not guilty. Following the testimony, JS found Clements guilty and fined him five dollars. There is no indication that further efforts were made to bring the third defendant, seventeen-year-old Albert Tanner, before the court.
Related Case
Calendar of Documents
This calendar lists all known documents created by or for the court, whether extant or not. It does not include versions of documents created for other purposes, though those versions may be listed in footnotes. In certain cases, especially in cases concerning unpaid debts, the originating document (promissory note, invoice, etc.) is listed here. Note that documents in the calendar are grouped with their originating court. Where a version of a document was subsequently filed with another court, that version is listed under both courts.
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