Liberty Jail
Joseph Smith received a number of visitors
while in prison at Liberty Jail. However, not all visitors were there concerned
about his well-being. Unsurprisingly, many came to taunt and ridicule him. It
was during these jeers that a Missouri contradiction was uncovered, what was
it?
a.
That the prophet was at the Battle of Crooked River and that he
killed more than one person
b.
That he was never forced to jail
c.
That the Saints were never the instigators
d.
That Lilburn W. Boggs had nothing to do with the Saints eviction
from the State
Yesterday’s answer:
(D) $100,000
Joseph Smith, the Prophet, was subjected,
during his short ministerial career of fifteen years, to about fifty vexatious
lawsuits. The principal expense was incurred in liquidating lawyers’ bills, and
the brethren’s time and expenditure in attending courts to defend the Prophet
from mob violence. Magistrates’ court expenses were generally one hundred
dollars. The Prophet paid Generals Doniphan and Atchison for legal services at
Richmond, Mo., in 1838-39, sixteen thousand dollars; but this amount was
fruitlessly expended, as the benefits of the law were not accorded to him,
because of the predominance and over-ruling power of a mob.
At the Prophet’s trial at Monmouth, Ill., in 1841, before Judge Douglas,
the lawyers’ fees and expenses amounted to three thousand dollars. His next
trial was before Judge Pope, U.S. District Court, in 1842-43, the expenses of
which may be reasonably estimated at twelve thousand dollars.
Cyrus Walker charged ten thousand dollars for defending Joseph in his
political arrest, or the attempt at kidnapping him at Dixon, Ill., in 1843.
There were four other lawyers employed for the defense besides Walker. The
expenses of the defense in this trial were enormous, involving the amounts
incurred by the horse companies who went in pursuit to aid Joseph, and the trip
of the steamer Maid of Iowa, from
Nauvoo to Ottawa, and may be fairly estimated at one hundred thousand dollars.
Journal of
Discourses. 26
vols. (London: Latter-day Saint’s Book Depot, 1854-86.), 13:109-110.
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