| 343 that they had broken down the store doors, and scattered some of the goods in the streets. Then Brother G. on seeing this, took the man whom we had taken in spoiling the store, and in company with two or three others went with him to the magistrate, and entered a complaint against him in order to get a warrant and have him secured; but the magistrate refused to do anything about it, and therefore, we were obliged to let him go again. We then went home and there was no more done that night as I know of.
"The next day (Saturday, November 2) we knew not what to do for our safety; we talked some of the propriety of bringing our families and effects into one place; and this we knew would be attended with great inconvenience: for we had no houses nor shelters for our families, nor fodder for our cattle; and as the mob was upon us night after night, we had no time to do it; therefore we must do the best we could. However, all the families in town removed as much together as they could, about half a mile west of town, and we concluded to send men to the circuit judge, who lived about forty miles off, to get a peace warrant.
"A party of the mob gathered that night and went against the branch at the Blue; and after tearing the roof from one house and doing some injury to the furniture, they divided their company, and one party went to pulling the roof from one dwelling house, while the other party went to another; they broke open the house, and found the owner in bed, whom they took and beat unmercifully. But here they were met by a party of the brethren who had been wise enough to prepare for them; a firing of guns commenced, they say, by our men, but our men say, by them upon us; but as near as I can learn from those who were there, it can be easily proven that it commenced by them.
"However, while they were in the act of pounding the brother whom they found in bed, one of them drew a pistol and swore he would blow out his brains: but as the Lord would have it, the ball, instead of going through his head only cut a gash on the top of it. All was confusion: our women and children crying and screaming with terror, were mixed in the crowd; and in the skirmish, a young man of
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