1844-07-08-New York Commercial Advertiser-Death of the Prophet
From the Mormon Country—Death of the Prophet
- New York Commercial Advertiser, v. XLVII July 8, 1844, p. 2
A sudden and tragic issue has followed the exciting accounts from Nauvoo and its vicinity, which attracted so much attention last week; whether it will be the end, or only the beginning of the end, is a question very difficult to answer.
The career of Smith, the self-styled prophet, is brought to a close by a short and bloody death. It appears tat on the 24th of June, in compliance with the peremptory demand of Governor Ford, Smith surrendered the arms collected at Nauvoo, and gave himself up a prisoner, with his Council. On their arrival at Carthage they were all arrested on the warrants previously issued, the charge against Smith being treason against the state; and they were committed to the jail, which was strongly guarded. What followed we learn from an extra issued by the publishers of the St. Louis Evening Gazette, dated 3rd instant.
A Mormon attempted to rush by the guard for the purpose of forcing his way into the jail. He was repulsed by the guard, and fired a pistol at one of them, giving him a slight wound.
A general confusion in the crowd around the jail ensued. Joe and his Mormon fellow prisoners, it seems, had provided themselves with pistols, and commenced firing upon the guard within. He then attempted to escape from the window, when a hundred balls entered his body, and he fell a lifeless corpse.
His brother Hiram shared the same fate. Richards, a leading Mormon, was badly wounded. There our intelligence ends—what took place after this God only knows. Mormons immediately left for Nauvoo to carry the news of the death of the prophet. It is feared that the Mormons at Nauvoo will be so exasperated as to exterminate the Governor and his small force.
The Boreas brought down most of the women and children from Warsaw. It is feared their town is in ashes before this.
Our citizens were aroused this morning by the ringing of bells and a call to arms. Our three independent companies are already in marching order. Major Flood has ordered out the militia of this regiment, and the steamer Boreas is waiting to convey them to the scene of action.
There is no knowing where this dreadful affair will end. Many have expressed fears that our city is in danger, because most of the Warsaw families have taken refuge here—but we believe there is no danger; we are too far from the scene of action.
Messengers have just left for Hannibal and the towns below, for the purpose of arousing the Missourians. The excitement in our city is intense, and the excitement to hear the fate of Gov. Ford and his men is very great.
The fears expressed for the safety of Governor Ford arose from the fact that he remained, with a small force, at a point between Carthage and Nauvoo, and only seven miles from the latter. The apprehension was that the Mormons, infuriated at hearing of their leader's death, would attack and overpower him.
It is proper to remark that the account given above has some features inducing suspicion of its truth. The St. Louis extra was copied from another extra, purporting to be from the office of the Quincy Herald. The pessission of arms by Smith and the other Mormons, in their prison, seems rather questionable; and it seems almost incredible that they would commence an attack in the face of such an overwhelming force as they must have known they would have to contend with.
We shall know the truth of the matter, probably, to-morrow.
