1841 — Document Showing the Testimony Given Before the Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr. and others….

Document Showing the Testimony Given Before the Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr. and others for high treason, and other crimes against that State.

February 15, 1841

Copy of the testimony given before the Hon. Austin A. King, judge of the fifth judicial circuit in the State of Missouri, at the court-house in Richmond, in a criminal court of inquiry begun November 12, 1838.

State vs. Joseph Smith, jr., Hiram Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, Lyman Wight, Amasa Lyman, …..

Sampson Avard testified that Joseph Smith and all the others charged in this case, mastermind the creation of a secret society of vigilantes called DANITES whose goal was to drive non-Mormons from the area.

W.W. Phelps also testified again them, but was later repentant and was quickly forgiven by Joseph Smith.

In reality Sampson Avard organized the group, and it had been denounced by Joseph Smith. In essence, Avard was a real scumbag, who was eventually excommunicated from the Church.

Dozens of LDS leaders were named in this suit, along with Joseph Smith, and they were charged with “several crimes of high treason against the State, murder, burglary, arson, robbery, and larceny.”

This softcover disbound item, is a Senate document of the 26th Congress, 2nd Session and is only 47 pages long. Very good condition, especially for its age.

An extremely early and important, and scarce, item on early Mormonism.