| 392 as cold-blooded murder, and withdrew his brigade. This noble stand taken by General Doniphan prevented the murder of the prisoners. It is here worthy of note that seventeen preachers of the gospel were on this court-martial, and were in favor of the sentence.
"The next morning the prisoners were marched under a strong guard to Independence, in Jackson County, and after being detained there for a week, they were marched to Richmond, where General Clark then was with his troops. Here a court of inquiry was held before Judge King; this continued from the 11th until the 28th of November; while the five prisoners were kept in chains, and about fifty other 'Mormons,' taken at Far West, were penned up in an open, unfinished courthouse. In this mock court of inquiry the defendants were prevented from giving any testimony on their part, by an armed force at the courthouse; they were advised by their lawyers not to bring any, as they would be in danger of their lives, or drove out of the county; so there was no testimony examined only against them.
"In this inquiry a great many questions were asked relative to religious opinions. The conclusion of the court of inquiry was to send the prisoners to jail upon a charge of treason.
"They do not deem it necessary to detail their sufferings while in prison; the horrors of a prison for four long months, in darkness, in want, alone, and during the cold of winter, can better be conceived than expressed. In the following April the prisoners were sent to the county of Daviess for trial; they were then indicted for treason, and a change of venue was taken to Boone County. The prisoners were sent to the county of Boone, and while on their way made their escape and fled to the State of Illinois.
"That they were suffered to escape, admits of no doubt. The truth is, the State of Missouri had become ashamed of their proceedings against the 'Mormons,' and as the best means of getting out of the scrape, gave the prisoners an opportunity to escape. In proof of this, the prisoners have ever since been living publicly in the State of Illinois, and the Executive of Missouri have made no demand upon the
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