Murder hung in the Carthage air on June 27, 1844. Joseph and Hyrum Smith were locked up. Gone were the days of seer stones , angels on command and Joseph himself emitting light . The end was at hand. John Taylor and Willard Richards were bunked-up too. Outside approximately 200 men were hiding their features with wet, black gunpowder. Their aim was to kill and be home in time for dinner. Here’s a painted picture of the ensuing horror: “Reaching the top of the stairs and assuming the door locked, the mobbers fired at the latch, shattering the door’s edge. Inside, the Prophet, Willard Richards, and John Taylor jumped back to the wall. Almost at the same time, a ball came through the door and hit Hyrum in the face. From the outside, a second ball hit him in the back. He fell full length to the floor, face up. “I am a dead man,” he murmured. “The Prophet dropped to his brother. “Oh! my poor, dear brother Hyrum,” he groaned. The deep look of sympathy on Joseph’s face fastened itse...
