He fell pierced with several balls. The crowd then left the door and ran around to the windows.
Brother Richards covered Brother Taylor with a straw bed. Several shots were fired at the bed, some of which cut his leg. Richards looked from the window on the scene, and several balls passed through his clothing, but he received no injury.
After Joseph fell he was set up against the well-curb and shot again. A man named Boggs rolled up his sleeves, and with a knife attempted to cut off his head. At this instant a flash of light encircled the Prophet, and the man who was advancing to cut off his head fell back. They were frightened, and fled.
Governor Ford was terror-stricken, as it endangered his life, he being without a guard, and at the mercy of the Mormons, had they chosen to take advantage of him while he was in Nauvoo. Governor Ford promised that he would see the murderers prosecuted. He gave the Mormons a company of troops to bring their dead friends to Nauvoo.
The dead were placed in rough oak boxes and brought to the city. There were lamentation and mourning among the people. Joseph was a man dearly loved by the Saints, and blessed with direct revelation from God, and was an honorable, generous, high-minded man.
The remains of the Prophet and his brother were laid in a sepulcher made of stone. The oak boards which had enclosed them were sawed in pieces and distributed among their friends, many of whom had canes made of the pieces, with locks of the hair of the Prophet set in the top of them, and those canes are kept as sacred relics to this day. But I must go back and speak of the cause of their arrest.
While I was in Kentucky the printing press of Higbee & Foster was declared a nuisance, and ordered destroyed. The owners refused to comply with the decision of the City Council, and the Mayor directed that the press and type be destroyed, which was done. The owner of the grocery where the press was, employed John Eagle, a professional bully, and others to defend it. As the Danites entered, or attempted to enter, Eagle stood in the door and knocked three of them down. As the third fell the Prophet struck Eagle under the ear and brought him sprawling to the ground. He then crossed Eagle's hands and ordered them tied, saying that he could not see his men knocked down while in the line of their duty without protecting them.
This raised the ire of Higbee, Foster, and others, and they got out writs for the arrest of Joseph, and laid their grievances before the Governor. Joseph, knowing the consequences of such a move, concluded to leave for the Rocky Mountains and lay out a country where the Saints would not be molested. He crossed over into Iowa with a few faithful friends. These friends begged him to return and stand his trial; saying that the Lord had always delivered him, and would again. He told them that if he returned he would be killed, but if he went away he would save his life and the Church would not be hurt; that he would look out a new country for them. The Governor had advised him to do this.
Those old grannies then accused him of cowardice, and told him that Christ had said he would never leave his brethren in trouble. He then asked them if his Emma wished him to return. They answered:
"Yes."