History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

178 THE STORY OF MORMONISM.
the state, that no harm shall come to you while undergoing
this imprisonment." The governor took his
departure on the morning of the 27th of June.
Scarcely was he well out of the way when measures
were taken for the consummation of a most damning
deed. The prison was guarded b} r eight men detailed
from the Carthage Greys, their company being in
camp on the public square a quarter of a mile dis-
tant, while another company under Williams, also
the sworn enemies of the Mormons, was encamped
eight miles away, there awaiting the development of
events.
It was a little after five o'clock in the evening. Joseph
and Hyrum Smith were confined in an upper
room. With the prisoners were John Taylor and Willard
Richards, other friends having withdrawn a few
moments before. At this juncture a band of a hundred
and fifty armed men with painted faces appeared
before the jail, and presently surrounded it. The
guard shouted vociferously and fired their guns over
the heads of the assailants, who paid not the slightest
attention to them. 32
I give what followed from
Burtons City of the Saints, being the statement of
President John Taylor, who was present and wounded
on the occasion.
"I was sitting at one of the front windows of the
jail, when I saw a number of men, with painted faces,
coming around the corner of the jail, and aiming
toward the stairs. The other brethren had seen the
same, for, as I went to the door, I found Brother
Hyrum Smith and Dr Richards already leaning
against it. They both pressed against the door with
their shoulders to prevent its being opened, as the
lock and latch were comparatively useless. While in
this position, the mob, who had come up stairs, and
tried to open the door, probably thought it was
32 Littlefield says the Carthage Greys were marched in a body, ' within about
eight rods of the jail, where they halted, in plain view of the whole transaction,
until the deed was executed. ' Narrative, 9.