Many strangers reported in the city: the watch was doubled in the night.
Wednesday, 28.—We left Andover about eight o'clock; went to a little grove at the head of Elleston Creek, where we stayed an hour to feed our animals. Reynolds said, "Now, we will go from here to the mouth of Rock River and take steamboat to Quincy." Markham said, "No; for we are prepared to travel, and will go by land."
Reynolds and Wilson Disarmed.
Wilson and Reynolds both spoke and said, "No, by G—, we won't; we will never go by Nauvoo alive;" and both drew their pistols on Markham, who turned round to Sheriff Campbell, of Lee county, saying, "When these men took Joseph a prisoner, they took his arms from him, even to his pocket-knife. They are now prisoners of yours, and I demand of you to take their arms from them, that is according to law."
They refused to give them up, when the sheriff was told, "If you cannot take the arms from them, there are men enough here, and you can summon a posse to do it; for it is plain to be seen that they are dangerous men."
Reynolds and Wilson then reluctantly gave up their arms to the sheriff. The company then started, taking the middle road towards Nauvoo to within six miles of Monmouth, and stopped at a farmhouse, having traveled about forty miles; got there about sundown, and called for supper and lodging.
Further Plans of Kidnapping.
Peter W. Conover laid down at the S.W. corner of the building outside the house. In about ten minutes, Reynolds and Wilson came out of the house with the son of the landlord. They talked for some time, and came to the conclusion to take the carriage horses, go to Monmouth, raise a mob, and come to the farmhouse in the night, seize Joseph, and convey him to the Mississippi River and take him to Missouri, as they had a steamboat in readiness at the mouth of Rock River for that purpose.
After completing their plan of operations, Reynolds, Wilson and the boy separated and went towards the stable. Conover, who had heard the plot unobserved, immediately rose and came to me, and told me what he had just heard.
I consulted with Cyrus Walker, the landlord, and Sheriff Campbell, who took Reynolds and Wilson into his custody, and put them in the upper room, placing a guard of two men at the door, with orders not to allow any man to pass in or out of the house, except the landlord, who, as soon as he was told of the attempt to get his son into difficulty, put a stop to his proceedings at once.