the guard made no resistance, but fell back.

Brother Stephen Markham, who had been to visit the prisoners an
hour or so before they were killed, gave Joseph an Allen
revolver. A part of the mob rushed upstairs, to the inner door of
the prison and burst it open. Brother Richards parried the
bayonets with his heavy cane. Joseph reached out his hand and
fired his six shots at the crowd, and wounded several mortally.
Hyrum, who was trying to brace against the door, received a shot
in the face near the nose.

"I am a dead man," he cried, and fell.

Brother John Taylor received a shot, but fortunately it struck
his watch, which saved his life. These four were in the prison.
Brother Taylor, however, received another shot and fell. Joseph
left the door, and sprang through the window, crying:

"O Lord, my God, is there no help for the widow's son!"

He fell pierced with several balls. The crowd then left the door
and ran around to the windows.

Brother Richards covered Brother Taylor with a straw bed. Several
shots were fired at the bed, some of which cut his leg. Richards
looked from the window on the scene, and several balls passed
through his clothing, but he received no injury.

After Joseph fell he was set up against the well-curb and shot
again. A man named Boggs rolled up his sleeves, and with a knife
attempted to cut off his head. At this instant a flash of light
encircled the Prophet, and the man who was advancing to cut off
his head fell back. They were frightened, and fled.

Governor Ford was terror-stricken, as it endangered his life, he
being without a guard, and at the mercy of the Mormons, had they
chosen to take advantage of him while he was in Nauvoo. Governor
Ford promised that he would see the murderers prosecuted. He gave
the Mormons a company of troops to bring their dead friends to
Nauvoo.

The dead were placed in rough oak boxes and brought to the city.
There were lamentation and mourning among the people. Joseph was
a man dearly loved by the Saints, and blessed with direct
revelation from God, and was an honorable, generous, high-minded
man.

The remains of the Prophet and his brother were laid in a
sepulcher made of stone. The oak boards which had enclosed them
were sawed in pieces and distributed among their friends, many of
whom had canes made of the pieces, with locks of the hair of the
Prophet set in the top of them, and those canes are kept as
sacred relics to this day. But I must g