| 323 These petitions were carried to Jefferson City by Heber C. Kimball and T. Turley.
On the 20th, the letter published in Times and Seasons, volume 1, pages 99 to 104, was written. This epistle was signed by the five prisoners, but was written by Joseph Smith himself. Under date of March 20, 1839, Lyman Wight in his journal writes:-
"This evening Joseph is writing an epistle to the church; myself and Bro. Baldwin letters to our families.
"22d. . . . Brother Ripley came in and took our package of letters for Quincy."
Elder Wight in his journal states under date of March 23, 1839, as follows:-
"Doniphan informed us that Judge Turnham did not think that we had committed treason, but the responsibility was too great for him; accordingly he remanded us for fear he should offend Judge King."
This is sustained by the testimony of Mr. M. Curtis, of Bandera, Texas:-
"AFFIDAVIT.
"To Whom it May Concern:-I hereby certify that I was an employee of Judge Joel T. Turnham, in 1838, at the time Joseph Smith, Jr., Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, and others were confined in Liberty jail, Clay County, Missouri, and I was often present in the office of said Judge Joel T. Turnham while the above-named defendants were being tried, and I heard the said Judge Turnham read extracts from the written testimony of the witnesses for the State of Missouri, and then point out points of contradiction in said testimony; saying that such evidence was insufficient to hold the prisoners, and that he would have acquitted the prisoners at the bar, only for fear that they would be assassinated by furious mob.
"Witness my hand this 23d day of July, 1878.
"MEACHAM CURTIS.
"BANDERA, Bandera County, Texas."
-Saints Herald, vol. 25, p. 256.
Here we quote the statement of Joseph Smith concerning the effort to reach the Governor and the Supreme Court:-
"Monday, 25th. 3 About this time Elders Kimball and Turley started on their mission to see the Governor. They called on the sheriff of Ray County and jailer for a copy of the mittimus by which the prisoners were held in custody, but he confessed he had none.
3 Lyman Wight states that they started on the 18th.
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