| 696 the matter. He said he had not, as he was only a private citizen of the county; that he did not interfere with any such matters. I think that he told me there had been an order from General Atchison or Doniphan, one to the sheriff to call out the militia in order to quell the riots, and to go to him; he could give me any information on this subject. On inquiring for him I found him not. That between three and four o'clock p. m., George M. Hinkle, colonel of the militia in that place, called on me in company with Joseph Smith, and said Hinkle said he had been in the camp in order to learn the intention of the same, he said they greatly desired to see Joseph Smith, Lyman Wight, Sidney Rigdon, P. P. Pratt, and George W. Robinson. Joseph Smith first inquired why they should desire to see him, as he held no office, either civil or military. I next inquired why it was they should desire to see a man out of his own county. Colonel Hinkle here observed, 'There is no time for controversy; if you are not into the camp immediately they are determined to come upon Far West before the setting of the sun;' and said they did not consider us as military bodies, but religious bodies. . ." [His testimony of scenes following agrees with what is elsewhere related in this work.]
Sidney Rigdon was the next witness. He agreed with statements made by other witnesses, and gave a detailed account of the disturbances at De Witt and Far West.
He also gave the following account of the causes for calling out the militia of Caldwell, and an exposition of the laws governing in the case:-
"General Doniphan came to Far West, and while there recommended to the authorities of Caldwell to have the militia of said county called out as a necessary measure of defense; assuring us that Gillium had a large mob on the Grindstone, and his object was to make a descent upon Far West, burn the town and kill or disperse the inhabitants; and that it was very necessary that an effective force should be ready to oppose him, or he would accomplish his object.
"The militia was accordingly called out. He also said that there had better be a strong force sent to Daviess County to guard the citizens there. He recommended that
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