Trial Aftermath: Letter of William Webb
The Martyrs: A Sketch of the Lives and a Full Account of the Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith by Lyman O. Littlefield (Salt Lake City, 1882)(Chapter XI)

The Smith homestead in Nauvoo, with the grave of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in the foreground

CHAPTER XI.

LETTER FROM THE MAN WHO ATTEMPTED TO CUT JOSEPH SMITH’S HEAD OFF- CORROBORATIVE OF THE STATEMENT OF DANIELS.

 

NOTHING is here known of the writer of the following state­ment beyond what the article itself contains. It is inter­esting in connection with Daniels' narrative on account of the source from which it emanates, and it will be seen that these two eye-witnesses to the murder corroborate each other in all except a few unimportant particulars. The general thread of their statements harmonize. He says nothing about the flash of light, which Daniels testifies of, nor does he mention his attempt to cut the Prophet's head off after he had been shot, but as an admission of the latter fact would only crimin­ate himself, it is not to be wondered at that he suppressed that part of the narrative.


Web's article seems to have been a communication addressed to the editor of some paper published in the congressional dis­trict where Thos. C. Sharp was a candidate for office, and was evidently intended to damage his prospects for election. It is stated that this correspondence was not published, but remained in the office until a change of owners was effected. The purchaser found the letter among the rejected papers, and handed it to a friend to look at, with permission to keep it over night. The borrower happened to be friendly dis­posed towards the "Mormon" people and allowed Elders McEwen and Wareham to take a copy of it, a transcript of which has been furnished for publication by Brother C. C. A. Christensen, as follows:

 CARTHAGE, October 14, 1844.

Mr. Editor:


Sir-As your paper has quite a circulation in this  congres­sional district, I hope you will find room in your paper for these lines. My reason for writing is to let the 

citizens of this and the adjoining Counties know who they are voting for when they are voting for Thos. Sharp, of Warsaw. I have been attend­ing court here for several days past, and find that there are some who calculate to cast their votes for Sharp. I will now give my reasons for being against Sharp:

I came from Iowa to Warsaw, Illinois, three weeks before the murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. I was quite a young man, not over twenty years old, and had not much experience in life. Sharp, and some others, persuaded me to call my name Boggs, a son of Governor Boggs, of Missouri. I agreed to do so, and then Sharp circulated all kinds of mean tales about the Mormons. He often said, in my presence, that there was a "young man that Jo Smith had his father shot," which had a great influence to raise the prejudices of the people against the Mormons. He also persuaded me to join the company that was gathering there to meet the governor's troops at Carthage, which I did. The time came when we had to march to Car­thage. We marched about six or eight miles and met a man with orders from the governor, that we were not wanted and to return to our homes. This word enraged Capt. Sharp, as he was called, very much. He said all might go home that wanted to; but he would go to Carthage, if he had to go alone. He said Smith ought to be killed, and if he could raise men, it should be done before night; he was in jail, and now was the time. He then asked how many of those in the company would go with him to Carthage to commit this disgraceful deed. Clerk Burs, Snar Redman and Hoakes Middleton were the first to join Sharp. He then asked if the rest were all cow­ards. At that, about fifty or sixty went over to him, and myself with the crowd. Jack Davis said he was no coward, but he should not go in such a company, in a thing of that kind. He and several others went back. We then organized and moved for Carthage. We moved to a point of timber, west of Carthage, and waited for Williams to return, as he had gone on to see if there were any there who would oppose us. When we came to the timber, a man came to us on a large, white horse; he brought with him a note to Sharp, stating that he would not meet with any opposition. This paper was signed by W. A. Smith, the man that had charge of the company that the governor had left at Carthage to protect the Smiths until the day of their trial.

Sharp sent this man back, to learn if the guard at the jail would oppose him. The captain of the guard sent him a note, stating that their guns were all loaded with blank cartridges, and to fear no danger. This paper was signed F. Worrell.

We then marched to the jail, overrun the guard and rushed in the jail. The door of the room was closed by the Smiths so hard that we could not enter. One of our men shot through the door and a man fell back on the floor, I supposed dead, as he never made any attempt to rise. The door flew open; I saw two men in the room. We shot at them several times; at length one of them fell on the floor; the other jumped out of the window. I ran down the stairs to see where he was. When I got to him he was trying to get. up. He appeared stunned by the fall. I struck him in the face and said: "Old Jo, damn you, where are you now! I then set him up against the well-curb and went away from him.

Hoake and some other person shot him; whether it was Sharp, or not, I never could exactly learn; but I presume it was, as his gun was empty. We then left the jail. When we got a few rods from the jail, Sharp ordered all the guns loaded that were empty and he "loaded his.

I never can forget the frightened family that was in the jail. To think that a set of men would go in a house where there were two women and several little helpless children and commit the willful murder! It is too bad to think of it, and I wish I could never think of it.

Clerk said, before we got to the jail, he wished he could let the jailor know what they were going to do. Sharp said they were Jack-Mormons, and it made no difference.

I was led into this mean act by Sharp and others, at War­saw. I can only say, I wish they had given me good advice in place of that they gave, as it has caused me to be an unhappy man ever since.

I here mention, when I went to Smith, after he fell out of the window, I dropped a pewter fife out of my hand and left it there. It belonged to a man by the name of Phelps, as I understand by some of our gang (though he was not one of our gang).

While we were in the timber, the man on the white horse brought a letter to Sharp, how to manage when he came to the jail, and spare none of them, as they were all four Mor­mons. This letter was signed A. Simpson. I could give the names of several more, but I will not do it at present. I will give my true name,

W. WEB.

N. B.-I hope you will not fail to publish these lines. I would send you the money to pay for the job; but I am a good ways from home and my means limited. I live in the south part of Missouri.             W. WEB.

 Testimonies:- We certify that this is a true copy of the orig­inal.       

                                              ALEX McEWEN,
                                                             JAMES WAREHAM

 
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