--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1841 to 1842. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 3 number: 19 published: 1842-08-01 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“Affidavit of Wm. Law,” *Times and Seasons* 3, no. 19 (August 1, 1842): 872–874." printed_title: AFFIDAVIT OF WM. LAW. source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-08-01_3_19 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v3n19.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-08-01_3_19 start_page: 872 end_page: 874 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1842 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-08-01_3_19 publication_year: 1842 --- # Affidavit of Wm. Law As. John C. Bennett has become our open enemy, and is engaged in circulating falsehoods of the blackest character, I deem it duty to make the following statement of facts: John C. Bennett states in the Sangamo Journal that the withdrawal of the hand of fellowship by the first Presidency, and the Twelve, was after he had withdrawn from the church. I presume the notice of our withdrawal was not published till after he withdrew, but that does not prove his statement true, for I hereby testify that I signed the article in qnestion [question] several days before he withdrew. I believe it was on the evening of the 11th day of May, some four or five days afterwards I had some conversation with J. C. Bennett and intimated to him that such a thing was concluded upon, which intimation I presume led him to withdraw immediately. I told him we could not bear with his conduct any longer-that there were many witnesses against him, and that they stated that he gave Joseph Smith as authority for his illicit intercourse with females. J. C. Bennett declared to me before God that Joseph Smith had never taught him such doctrines, and that he never told any one that he (Joseph Smith) had taught any such things, and that any one who said so told base lies; nevertheless, he said he had done wrong, that he would not deny, but he would deny that he had used Joseph Smith's name to accomplish his designs on any one; stating that he had no need of that, for that he could succeed without telling them that Joseph approbated such conduct. These statements he made to me of his own free will, in a private conversation which we had on the subject; there was no compulsion or threats used on my part; we had always been on good terms, and I regretted exceedingly that he had taken such a course. He plead with me to intercede for him, assuring me that he would turn from his iniquity, and never would be guilty of such crimes again.-He said that if he were exposed it would break his mother's heart-that she was old, and if such things reached her ears it would bring her down with sorrow to the grave. I accordingly went to Joseph Smith and plead with him to spare Bennett from public exposure, on account of his mother. On many occasions I heard him acknowledge his guilt, and beg not to be destroyed in the eyes of the public, and that he would never act so again, "So help him God." From such promises, and oaths [oaths], I was induced to bear with him longer than I should have done. On one occasion I heard him state before the city Council that Joseph Smith had never taught him any unrighteous principles, of any kind, and that if any one says that he ever said that Joseph taught such things they are base liars, or words to that effect. This statement he made voluntarily; he came into the council room about an hour after the council opened, and made the statement, not under duress, but of his own free will, as many witnesses can testify. On a former eccasion [occasion] he came to me and told me that a friend of his was about to be tried by the High Council, for the crime of adultery, and that he feared his name would be brought into question.-He entreated me to go to the council and prevent his name from being brought forward, as, said he, "I am not on trial, and I do not want my mother to hear of these things, for she is a good woman." I would further state that I do know from the amount of evidence which stands against J. C. Bennett, and from his own acknowledgements [acknowledgments], that he is a most corrupt, base, and vile man; and that he has published many base falsehoods since we withdrew the hand of fellowship from him. About the time that John C. Bennett was brought before the Masonic Lodge he came to me and desired that I would go in company with B. Young, to Hyrum Smith, and entreat of him to spare him-that he wished not to be exposed-that he wanted to live as a private citizen, and would cease from all his folly, &c. I advised him to go to Texas, and when he returned, if he would behave well we would reinstate him. He said he had no means to take him to Texas, and still insisted on B. Young and myself to intercede for him. WM. LAW. Sworn to, and subscribed before me a Justice of the Peace, within and for the county of Hancock, State of Illinois, July 20th 1842. DANIEL H. WELLS. STATE OF ILLINOIS, } COUNTY OF HANCOCK. } I hereby certify that on the 17th day of May last John C. Bennett subscribed and swore to the affidavit over my signature of that date, and published in the Wasp, after writing the same in my presence, in the office where I was employed in taking depositions of witnesses. The door of the room was open and free for all or any person to pass or repass. After signing and being qualified to the affidavit aforesaid, he requested to speak [speak] with me at the door; I followed him out-he told me some persons had been lying about him and showed me a writing granting him the privilege to withdraw from the church, and remarked that the matter was perfectly understood between him and the heads of the church; and that he had resigned the Mayor's office and should resign the office he held in the Legion, but as there was a court martial to be held in a few days Joseph Smith desired that he would wait until that was over. I was in the City Council on the 19th day of May last-I there heard him say what has been published concerning the teachings of Joseph Smith, and of his own course. I afterwards met him in company with Col. Francis M. Higbee, he then stated that he was going to be the candidate, (meaning candidate for the Legislature) and Joseph and Hyrum Smith were going in for him: said "you know it will be better for me not to be bothered with Mayor's office, Legion, Mormon, or any thing else." During all this time if he was under duress, or fear, he must have had a good faculty for concealing it, for he was at liberty to go and come when and where he pleased, so far as I am capable of judging. I know that I saw him in different parts of the city, even after he had made these statements, transacting business as usual, and said he was going to complete some business pertaining to the Mayor's office; and I think did attend to work on the streets. I was always personally friendly with him, after I became acquainted with him. I never heard him say any thing derogatory to the character of Joseph Smith, until after he had been exposed by said Smith, on the public stand in Nauvoo. DANIEL H. WELLS July 22, A. D. 1842. Sworn to, and subscribed before me a Justice of the Peace, in and for the City of Nauvoo, in said county, this 22d day of July, 1842. GUSTAVUS HILLS, (L. S.) J. P. & Alderman. Daniel H. Wells, Esq., is an old resident in this place, and is not a Mormon. The whole of these affidavits are given by gentlemen of the first respectibility [respectability], of unquestionable character, and of known reputation and veracity, and can of course be relied upon; and what light do they represent Bennett in, but that of a perjured wretch, a graceless vagabond, and a mean, vascillating [vacillating], unprincipled villian [villain], and a disgrace to human society; and if their testimonies, and the testimony of the City Council, cannot be relied upon, then indeed are we in a poor case;-corrupt, fallen, and dishonored,-But John C. Bennett is not the man to prove us so; we must have different testimony to his, and that of his partners in crime, to convict us of evil. As John C. Bennett and the Sangamo Journal have called upon several persons, in this city, to come out and make disclosures, relative to the things about which they have been writing; they have responded to the call, and publish the following:-