Ep 210 – First Night in Carthage Jail

On this episode, Jo and company spend their first entire day in the city of Carthage, one of the twin cities of anti-Mormonism. Governor Ford does his best to keep the peace and does so by marching Jo and Hyrum down the line of the various militias in Carthage shaking hands and providing proper introductions as “Generals Smith”. The Carthage Greys commit a brief bit of mutiny before Governor Ford brings them under control. Jo tells Ford about the vulnerability of Nauvoo with the Prophet’s absence and Ford elects to send a trusted advisor to Nauvoo to guard against a vigilante mob descending on the city and burning it to ash. Charges of treason are filed against Joseph Smith and his older brother, Hyrum Smith, for declaring martial law in Nauvoo to shut down riots across the city. A hearing takes place in Carthage to determine if there is enough evidence for the circuit court at Carthage to pursue criminal convictions on the initial charges of riot. 16 of the arrested city councilors are released on bail and the hearing is scheduled for June 29th when the state and defense attorneys can call witnesses and collect evidence. After most of them head for Nauvoo that afternoon, Jo and Hyrum are arrested and interred in Carthage Jail for their own protection. Jo and friends spend the night “laid promiscuously on the floor”.

Links:

Willard Richards journal extract June 23-27
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/appendix-3-willard-richards-journal-excerpt-23-27-june-1844/1#full-transcript

History of Illinois by Governor Ford
https://archive.org/details/ahistoryillinoi00shiegoog/page/n336/mode/2up/search/treason

Posse Comitatus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act

Warsaw Signal archives
http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/IL/sign184x.htm

SUNSTONE!!!
https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/2020symposium/

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