Mormon (LDS) History of Joseph Smith's Arrests

Joseph Smith arrests (condensed)

Beginning in New York –

1817 – Age 20 Joseph is arrested for what was called glass looking, convincing people he could see the future with his seer stones swindling people out of their money. The official charge is disorderly conduct.

Between 1817 – 1830 Joseph is arrested numerous times on swindling people out of their money, Joseph had a reputation of being a fraudster; claimed as a Diviner /money digger he had special stones he could find buried treasure with. No treasure was ever found in all those years and numerous people wasted decades of hard labor trying to dig for treasure on his recommendations bases on these seer stones.

1826 - Disorderly conduct – accused of being an imposter – Official Court records - [Smith said] he had a certain stone which he had occasionally looked at to determine where hidden treasures in the bowels of the earth were; that he professed to tell in this manner where gold mines were a distance under ground, and had looked for Mr. Stowel several times, and had informed him where he could find these treasures, and Mr. Stowel had been engaged in digging for them. That at Palmyra he pretended to tell by looking at this stone where coined money was buried in Pennsylvania, and while at Palmyra had frequently ascertained in that way where lost property was of various kinds; that he had occasionally been in the habit of looking through this stone to find lost property for three years, but of late had pretty much given it up on account of its injuring his health, especially his eyes, making them sore; that he did not solicit business of this kind, and had always rather declined having anything to do with this business. ... And therefore the Court find the Defendant guilty. Costs: Warrant, 19c. Complaint upon oath, 25 1/2c. Seven witnesses, 87 1/2c. Recognisances, 25c. Mittimus, 19c. Recognisances of witnesses, 75c. Subpoena, 18c. - $2.68.

1830 - Disorderly conduct – glass looking

1830 - Joseph is arrested two more times on fraud accounts and realizes he has milked out his welcome and flees to Ohio. Both of these arrests he hires a team of lawyers because they were going to throw the book at him with numerous charges.

Ohio -

1837 - Conspiracy to murder Newell, According to Grandison Newell, Smith had conspired with Solomon Denton and Marvel C. Davis to murder him for Newell's impugning the integrity of the founders of the Kirtland Safety Society. On June 3, Smith appeared before Justice Flint in a preliminary hearing. Orson Hyde testified that "Smith seemed much excited and declared that Newell should be put out of the way, or where the crows could not find him: he said destroying Newell would be justifiable in the sight of God, that it was the will of God".[21] Denton testified that he, along with Davis, were tasked with murdering Newell. According to Denton, Smith spoke of "Newell; said he had injured the society, and that it was better for one man to suffer than to have the whole community disturbed; that it was the will of Heaven that Newell should be put out of the way, and that he would take the responsibility, for the deed was justifiable in the sight of God, and would be rewarded: but when we had killed him, he wanted his body secreted if possible."[21] Smith was released on a $500 bond

1838 - Warrant for arrest - Bank Fraud - Joseph doesn’t submit he instead fled to Missouri

Joseph is arrested multiple times on a variety of charges

1831 – 1838 Joseph is arrested numerous times for Illegal Banking and Bank Fraud. In February 1837, Samuel D. Rounds swore a writ against Smith and Sidney Rigdon for illegal banking and issuing unauthorized bank paper. At a hearing on March 24, the court found sufficient evidence for the case to go to trial. In October, Smith and Rigdon were tried in absentia after having left Ohio for Upper Canada. They were each found guilty and each fined $1000. "He was arrested seven times in four months, and his followers managed heroically to raise the $38,428 required for bail." Then escaped to Missouri.

Missouri –

1838 - Joseph threatens a newly elected judge; Adam Black in August On August 8, Smith led an armed group of over a hundred men and surrounded the home of Justice of the Peace Adam Black, William P. Peniston gave a sworn statement about the events, and on August 10, 1838, Judge King issued a warrant for the arrest of Smith and Lyman Wight. Sheriff Morgan attempted to arrest Wight, but arrived at Wight's home only to find Wight was protected by an armed force of over a hundred men. Missouri newspapers reported that Wight had said "that he would not be taken alive, and he owed them no obedience—that the whole state of Missouri could not take him". Around August 16, Sheriff William Morgan (of Daviess County), accompanied by Judge Morin, traveled to Far West in Caldwell County, to serve the warrant on Smith. Smith refused to return to Daviess County. On September 7, Judge King conducted a hearing and found sufficient evidence to send the case to a grand jury. Smith was released on a $500 bond.

1838 – Joseph threatens a public official after losing the Mormon war and is arrested for treason. Joseph bribes a jailor to release him and fled to Illinois After the surrender of Mormon forces on November 2, 1838, Smith was surrendered to authorities, arrested and imprisoned in the jail at Liberty, Missouri, Judge King found "probable cause to believe that Joseph Smith, Jr, Lyman Wight, Hiram Smith, Alexander McRay & Caleb Baldwin are guilty of Overt acts of Treason in Daviess County". Smith and other Mormons continued to be held at Liberty Jail. After a hearing conducted April 9–11, 1839, Smith was indicted by grand jury on the charge of treason. On April 16, 1839, Smith and his companions were permitted to escape custody while they were being escorted to Boone County.Smith fled across the border to Illinois. Missouri would spend several years attempting to apprehend and extradite Smith.

Illinois –

1841 - Smith was arrested as a fugitive from Missouri justice. On June 10, he was freed by Judge Stephen A. Douglas.

1841 – Joseph arrested for treason - conspiring to assassinate the governor of Missouri

1842 - Smith and Porter Rockwell were arrested by Illinois law enforcement for their alleged roles in the attempted assassination of former Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs. The Municipal Court of Nauvoo released Smith and Rockwell, after which they went into hiding. Smith ultimately surrendered to authorities on December 30, and on January 2, 1843, the extradition warrant was quashed by a federal judge in Springfield.

1843 - Smith was indicted by a grand jury in the circuit court of Daviess County, Missouri, on the charge of treason against the state. On June 13, 1843, Governor Reynolds dispatched Sheriff Joseph H. Reynolds to apprehend Smith. In Illinois, Reynolds was joined by Constable Harmon T. Wilson of Hancock County, Illinois. On June 21, the two placed Smith under arrest near Dixon, Illinois. But once they had Smith in their custody, Reynolds and Wilson were themselves placed under arrest by Mormon Sheriff Campbell of Lee County, Illinois. Campbell then transported Smith, Reynolds, and Wilson to the Mormon Municipal Court of Nauvoo and on July 1, the Municipal Court of Nauvoo quashed the warrant and once again freed Smith.

1844 - In May 1844, a Hancock County grand jury indicted Smith for perjury, fornication and polygamy. The charge of perjury was based on testimony by Joseph H. Jackson and Robert D. Foster, while William Law's testimony led to charges of fornication and polygamy. Smith appeared before the Circuit Court and his trial was postponed until the next term of the court.

1844 – Joseph arrested after gathering the Mormons to riot and pillage, destroyed a news agency and their press burning it to the ground after reporting unfavorable things about Smith because he was taking on multiple wives illegally some as young as 14.

1844 – Joseph While arrested becomes bitter and angry and later calls for martial law on the people of Illinois, and enforces it with his personal army the Nauvoo Legion of 5000 men.

1844 Joseph is charged with treason again for calling out the Nauvoo Legion he commanded after the governor issue a warrant for his arrest but was able to resist arrest with his army

1844 Joseph is arrested for treason against the people of Illinois for putting them under martial law. The people see he has become too vindictive, out of control, and far too powerful, so 200 of them stormed the jail to kill him to put a stop to it all as arresting him proved to be fruitless. Joseph again bribes a jailor to release him shortly after getting word about the mob and was given a gun. Joseph kills a few of them before being fatally shot himself.