with the remarks of , but he thinks it is difficult for this people to know what the enemies want to accomplish by their writs. He then asked council of this kingdom concerning the difficulties in the branch at , on account of the writs served on them by the mob. He wanted to know whether they should stand their trial and lay themselves liable to be sent to the penetentiary, or shall they try to have the trial put over, or shall the brethren go away and forfeit the bail.
said in regard to s suggestion, if officers come here with writs, professing to be for civil processes &c and then show something else for a criminal prosecution, he moved that we be ready also to show them something to let them know that we shall not [p. [331]]
On 7 February 1845 a large quantity of foodstuffs was stolen from non-Mormons in the vicinity of Lima, Illinois. The wagon used in the thefts was traced to Isaac Morley’s son-in-law, Amos Cox, while three other Latter-day Saints—Joseph Huff, Abraham Losee, and Warren Snow—were caught in possession of the stolen goods. All four men were arrested and incarcerated in Quincy, Illinois, on 12 February along with church member John R. Gilbert, who was accused of perjury. Because of Morley’s association with the wagon, a writ was issued for his arrest as an accomplice, but he eluded authorities and came to Nauvoo. When he arrived Morley claimed that “the mob have stolen property and concealed it on the premises of those brethren” as a pretext for persecuting the Saints in Adams County. Between 13 and 20 February, the four men arrested for theft all signed recognizances, agreeing to appear before the Adams County Circuit Court in the April 1845 term to face trial. (“Brethren in Trouble!,” Warsaw [IL] Signal, 19 Feb. 1845, [2]; “More Thieving,” and “The Mormons Committed,” Quincy [IL] Whig, 19 Feb. 1845, [2]; “Can Such Scamps Be Brought to Justice?,” Warsaw Signal, 26 Feb. 1845, [2]; Clayton, Journal, 14 Feb. 1845; see also the four recognizances dated 13, 15, 19, and 20 Feb. 1845 in the larceny cases against Abraham Losee, Warren Snow, Amos Cox, and Joseph Huff held during the April 1845 term of the Adams County Circuit Court that are a part of the collection Selected Court Files, 1840–1852, CHL.)
Warsaw Signal. Warsaw, IL. 1841–1853.
Quincy Whig. Quincy, IL. 1838–1856.
Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.
Adams Co., IL, Circuit Court. Selected Court Files, 1840–1852. Photocopy. CHL. MS 14306.