When John C. Bennett wrote to Sidney Rigdon and Orson Pratt, saying he was on his way to Missouri to obtain a new requisition for Joseph Smith and others, it was not an idle threat. Not many weeks had passed before reports reached Nauvoo that new indictments had been found against President Smith, based on the old Missouri charges, and that John C. Bennett was making desperate threats. Moreover, Bennett must have had some definite information which caused him to say that Governor Ford would acknowledge the new requisition. A conspiracy, evidently, was on foot, in which the governors of the two states were to play their parts. Further evidence that Governor Ford was a party to the conspiracy is discovered in a communication dated June 10, 1843, from Sam C. Owens of Independence, to the governor of Illinois. Owens, one of the bitterest persecutors of the Saints in Missouri, stated in his letter that John C. Bennett had authorized him to write to Governor Ford, “without hesitation” in regard to the charges against Joseph Smith. “At the last term of the circuit court of Daviess County,” he wrote, “an indictment was found by the grand jury against Joseph Smith for treason against the state,” and necessary papers were on the way to Governor Thomas Reynolds, who, on receipt thereof, would issue a requisition, and Mr. Joseph H. Reynolds would be sent as a special agent “to attend to the business.” Owens also said that “Dr. Bennett further writes that he has made an agreement with Harmon T. Wilson, of Hancock County (Carthage seat of justice), in whose hands he wishes the writ that shall be issued by you to be put. From the tenor of his letter I am induced to believe that he has made the same suggestion to you.”
A Warrant for His Arrest
June 13, 1843, Governor Reynolds issued the requisition and Joseph H. Reynolds was dispatched to Illinois. Governor Ford lost no time in issuing the warrant for the arrest and placed it in the hands of Harmon T. Wilson, who, with Reynolds, immediately started for their prisoner. The night before the warrant was issued Governor Ford incidentally remarked to Judge James Adams that the next day he would issue such a writ. Judge Adams sent an express at once to Nauvoo to warn the Prophet of impending danger. His message arrived in the evening of Sunday, June 18, but President Smith was not at home. On the 13th, he and his family had gone north to visit with Mrs. Wasson, sister of Emma Smith, who resided near Dixon, Lee County, Illinois. Hyrum Smith sent William Clayton and Stephen Markham on horse back with all speed to warn his brother Joseph. They arrived at Wasson’s on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 21, a distance of two hundred and twelve miles. Hearing their report, Joseph said: “I have no fear. I shall not leave here; I shall find friends, and Missourians cannot hurt me, I tell you in the name of the Lord.” He cancelled an appointment to preach in Dixon, and concluded to remain with the Wassons, fearing that if he started for home he might fall into the hands of his enemies where he had no friends.
His Arrest by Reynolds and Wilson
From some source Reynolds and Wilson learned that Joseph was at Dixon and thither they went with haste. On the way to Wasson’s they passed William Clayton, who had been sent to spy out the land, but as they were disguised, Clayton did not know them. Arriving at their destination the sheriffs represented themselves to be “Mormon” elders and were directed to the Wasson home. President Smith was in the yard when they arrived. Springing upon him like fiends, and without showing any papers for his arrest, they pointed cocked pistols at his head and with many vile oaths, threatened to shoot him if he stirred. They repeatedly jabbed the muzzles of their pistols in his ribs, and were for hurrying him off to Dixon without giving him a chance to say farewell to his family or friends, or obtain his hat and coat. Stephen Markham grabbed the horses by the bits and held them saying: “There is no law on earth that requires a sheriff to take a prisoner without his clothes.” They threatened to shoot him, but he paid no heed to their threats, and Emma Smith brought her husband his hat and coat. As the wagon rolled away, Joseph called to Markham to go to Dixon and secure a writ of habeas corpus. On the way the officers repeatedly thrust their pistols in the Prophet’s sides with accompanying oaths of blasphemy, and did not desist until shortly before reaching Dixon, when Markham, who had overtaken them, upbraided them for their cowardice and brutal treatment of their prisoner, who was defenseless.
Arriving at Dixon, the officers placed their prisoner in a room of the tavern, and ordered fresh horses to be ready in five minutes. Joseph asked them if he could interview counsel, but was cruelly treated for his request. A man passed the window and the Prophet shouted to him to secure him a lawyer, for he was falsely imprisoned. Attorney Edward Southwick came to the door, but it was shut in his face, with a threat. Shepherd G. Patrick, another attorney, also came and was insulted in like manner. The neighborhood was soon aroused, and Mr. Dixon, owner of the house, with some friends surrounded the door and threatened violence to the inhuman sheriffs if they did not alter their brutal course. This had a sobering effect upon them, and lawyers Southwick and Patrick came into the room. President Smith showed them his bruised sides, and asked them to obtain a writ of habeas corpus. A messenger was sent by Mr. Dixon to Mr. Chamberlain, master-in-chancery, who lived some six miles away, and another messenger was sent for Attorney Cyrus Walker, who happened to be campaigning near that place. Walker, Whig candidate for Congress, said he would come provided Joseph Smith would promise to vote for him, which the latter said he would do. This promise, Walker thought, would give him the united vote of the “Mormon” people, which would insure his election. About eight o’clock the master-in-chancery arrived and issued a writ of habeas corpus returnable before Judge John D. Caton, of the ninth judicial district, at Ottawa, which was served on Reynolds and Wilson. The same day William Clayton was sent by the Prophet to notify his brother Hyrum, and get assistance.
Reynolds and Wilson Under Arrest
Stephen Markham went before a justice of the peace and obtained a warrant for Reynolds and Wilson for threatening his life. He later obtained other warrants from the circuit court of Lee County against them for threatening the life of Joseph Smith, and for false imprisonment, claiming ten thousand dollars damages, on the ground that the writ issued by Governor Ford was a void writ in law. As they could not obtain bondsmen outside of Missouri, they were taken into custody by Sheriff Campbell of Lee County. They also obtained a writ of habeas corpus and under these circumstances the entire party, including the lawyers and Mr. Dixon, started for Ottawa.
President Joseph Smith’s Discourse at Pawpaw Grove
Saturday night, June 24, they arrived at Pawpaw Grove, thirty-two miles distant from Dixon, and the following morning the people assembled at the hotel and requested that the Prophet preach. To this Reynolds objected, saying that Joseph Smith was his prisoner, and the people must disperse. They had witnessed his abuse of his prisoner, and a Mr. David Town, an aged gentleman, who was lame, advanced and gave Reynolds to understand that he could not interrupt gentlemen. Bringing his heavy walking stick down with a thud, he said: