Did William Law try to kill Joesph Smith?

[_Sammy Jankins]

Today in the Deseret News:

13 little-known facts about Joseph Smith

A near-death experience
"Apostate William Law attempted to kill Joseph and fired a pistol at him six times at close range. It misfired six times, and he then pointed it at a post and all six shots discharged properly."

Charles H. Stoddard, "Remembering Joseph,"

Trying to find out more, I found this link which repeats the story fairly differently.

As they approached their destination, Mr. Law came staggering out of the house shouting out what he intended to do. The Prophet said kindly and unafraid, “You sent for me, Mr. Law?” To which Mr. Law replied with oath that now he was going to do the whole world a favor by disposing of the Prophet with one shot. Calmly, the Prophet unbuttoned his shirt and bared his chest, and then said, “I’m ready now, Mr. Law.” Charles said at this point he nearly fainted. Sick fear strangled him until he was speechless and paralyzed, unable to move a muscle. Mr. Law paced a few steps, turned, aimed, and pressed the trigger. There was complete silence. Then the air rang with profanity and Mr. Law turned on Charles, accusing him of fixing the gun so it would not go off and threatened to kill even Charles—my innocent, frightened, but faithful son. The Prophet, to divert Mr. Law’s blame of Charles, suggested that a can be placed on a fence post for Mr. Law to take a practice shot. Relieved, Charles ran for a can and laid it on its side on a post. Mr. Law paced back, took aim, and fired. His one shot streaked through the exact center of the can. Even Mr. Law was quiet as if stunned. The Prophet buttoned up his shirt, gave Charles a meaningful look, and then said, “If you are finished with me now, Mr. Law, I have other things needing to be done.” (As quoted by Robert H. Daines at BYU-Idaho Devotional, 28 May 2002)

And also claims:

Joseph Smith had asked Charles Stoddard, age 14, to serve as a house boy for William Law. William Law was one of the Prophet’s enemies, and felt by many to have led the charge on Carthage.

I'm not an expert, but I assume they are talking about the William Law. As the Nauvoo Expositor William Law.

[_Runtu]

Here's the full account from the diary of Sarah Stoddard (Charles's mother):

April 1844

Charles had another faith promoting experience. Early this morning, even while the darkness still hemmed out the light of day, Mr. Law, after he had been drinking and planning with his associates through the night, got Charles out of bed to clean and oil his gun for he said he was going to shoot the prophet, only William Law called him "old Joe Smith." Poor Charles was frightened beyond description but Mr. Law stood over him and prodded him with his foot when Charles hesitated through fright and anxiety. Finally when Mr. Law was satisfied with the way the gun was working, he put one bullet in. He boasted that he could kill the prophet with one shot and sent Charles to bring the prophet.

He ran as fast as he could and delivered the message but begged the prophet not to go to Mr. Law's as Mr. Law was drunk and Charles was afraid he would carry though on his threat to shoot the prophet in cold blood. In spite of Charles' protestations the prophet rose from bed and dressed.

It was breaking dawn by this time. As they walked the few blocks from the mansion house to the Law residence the prophet reassured Charles that no harm would come to him that day. Charles was frightened and he said it kept racing through his mind "I am the one that cleaned the gun that is going to be used to kill the prophet" until he was sick with fear. The prophet in a final attempt to calm my dear son uttered the fateful words, "Mr. Law may some day kill me, Charles, but it won't be today'

As they approached their destination Mr. Law came staggering out of the house and his only greeting was angry boasts of what he intended to do. The prophet said kindly and unafraid, "You sent for me, Mr. Law?" to which Mr. Law replied with oaths that he had and that he was now going to do Nauvoo, Illinois, and indeed the whole world a great favor by disposing of the prophet with one shot.

Calmly the prophet unbuttoned his shirt and bared his chest, then said, "I'm ready now, Mr. Law." Charles said at this point he nearly fainted. Fear strangled him until he was speechless and paralyzed, unable to move a muscle.

Mr. Law paced a few steps, turned, aimed, and pressed the trigger. There was complete silence, then the air rang with profanity and Mr. Law turned on Charles, accusing him of fixing the gun so it would not go off and threatening to kill even Charles, my innocent, frightened, but faithful son. The prophet, to divert Mr. Law's blame of Charles suggested that a can be placed on the fence post for Mr. Law to take a practice shot. Relieved, Charles ran for a can and laid it on its side on the post. Mr Law paced back, took aim and fired. His 'one shot' streaked through the exact center of the bottom of that can. Mr. Law is well-known for his marksmanship even when drunk. Even Mr. Law was quiet as if stunned.

The prophet buttoned up his shirt, gave Charles a meaningful look and then said, "If you are finished with me now, Mr. Law, I have other things needing to be done. Good morning."

[_Runtu]

The two preceding entries:

January 1844

Charles is young to be given so much responsibility (just turned 14), but his experiences have made him old for his years. I hate to see Charles put in such a precarious position but if this is where the prophet thinks he can be of greatest service then it must be so. I have never doubted but what the prophet knows what is best for us all. May my faith ever be as strong as it is now though we have very little of worldly goods having moved from New Jersey to Ohio to Nauvoo in so short a time. Still our physical needs are provided. We feel rich in the spirit and our faith in God and in His church grows with each passing day. But back to Charles. Mr. William Law is known to be wanting a houseboy, so the prophet has told our son to take the position and to keep his eyes and ears open. The prophet feels Mr. Law bodes only evil to him and to the Church, him being so resentful to the prophet and having been excommunicated.

February 1844

Charles doesn't like his work at the Laws. He says the riffraff of Nauvoo drink and carouse all night and lay plans for what unpleasant things they can do to the Mormons in general and the prophet in particular. The boy looks tired, up most of the night so he can keep the prophet posted on Mr. Law's plans and then working by day. He's growing so fast right now, too, and should be getting his rest.

http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/SStoddard.html

[Guest]

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[_Runtu]

Nevo had some interesting observations on the authenticity of the journal here. http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/64586-so-the-nauvoo-expositor-was-right-afterall/page-9.

calmoriah, on 22 Nov 2014 - 4:45 PM, said:
What leads you to that conclusion?

If you check out the whole diary (which is suspiciously short) I think you'll notice that it reads like bad fiction. Nothing in it is credible. All of the characters are broadly drawn caricatures (especially William Law, who, unlike his real-life counterpart, is here a foul-mouthed drunkard). I think it was probably written in the early 20th century, based on expressions like "umpteenth" (which first came into use around the turn of the 20th century and gained prominence after WW1), "keep your eyes and ears open", and "faith promoting experience" (which, as far as I can tell, did not enter the Mormon lexicon until the 1880s). "Keep him posted" also seems out of place for 1844.

Robert H. Daines described the provenance of the diary in a 2000 BYU devotional: "I should like to share with you an entry from the diary of my great-great grandmother. This is a record of a little-known experience of the Prophet Joseph—little known because this diary was lost for 30 to 40 years in my mother’s home in New Jersey. It was only rediscovered as they were preparing to move back to Utah in the late 1970s. This is a diary entry of Sister Sarah Stoddard." My guess is that it was created ca. 1920-1930.

Edited by Nevo, 22 November 2014 - 09:51 PM.

It does read rather like a 19th-century romance novel, to be sure. I suppose it would be impossible to authenticate it.

[_Runtu]

Nevo FTW:

Origin of UMPTEEN
blend of umpty (such and such) and -teen (as in thirteen)
First Known Use: 1918

[_Sammy Jankins]

Thanks for the reponses as my initial searches did not return much. I'll have to learn to Google better. And Nevo as always is extraordinarily knowledgable when it comes to Mormon history.

[_Runtu]

Here's a Stoddard family site that lists pretty much everything I could find. The only sources for the Law story are the dubious diary and late recollections of a grandchild and great-grandchild (circa 1950).

http://www.stoddardhome.org/history/sto ... les-henry/

So, I'm thinking this story is to be taken with a rather large grain of salt.

[Guest]

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[_Cinnamon Bear Head]

I wonder where Law got his gun? Percussive revolvers existed in 1844, but in Europe and as showpieces (proof of concept) for royalty. Americans took the idea in 1835 but did not develop a marketable product until 1856. The average American did not have access until then.