Did William Law try to kill Joesph Smith?

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_grindael
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Re: Did William Law try to kill Joesph Smith?

Post by _grindael »

William Law never tried to murder Joseph Smith. On the other hand Charles Foster drew a pistol on him once. This was not an unusual occurrence on the frontier in those days. The Stoddard account is obviously fabricated. Law went to court and filed charges against Smith. Smith, on the other hand threatened dissenters with death on more than one occasion, and was involved in setting up and naming the Danites who did murder people.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Mar 18, 2015 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Did William Law try to kill Joesph Smith?

Post by _grindael »

Craig Paxton wrote:
I completely disagree...This diary entry rings completely true to me in every sense of the word...everyone knows that Apostates kill Gods Prophets and that God's prophets have the ability to counter the laws of physics with their super magical priesthood powers...if Joseph hadn't caused that gun to misfire with the power of his superior male magnetism...the bullet surely would have bounced off his chest due to his super magical priesthood powers...ergo this must be a true recollection of an actual event….I have no doubt. The church is true…amen.


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Re: Did William Law try to kill Joesph Smith?

Post by _The Erotic Apologist »

Cinnamon Bear Head wrote: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.

The Colt Paterson revolver hit the markets in 1837 and remained in production past 1840, If I recall correctly. By the mid 1840s, tens of thousands of primitive revolving pistols were in circulation, consisting of Colt Patersons, shoddy imitations thereof, various pepper box designs, and volley pistols.

Some of these contraptions worked pretty well, like the later production Colt Patersons and the higher-end pepper box pistols. Joseph was armed with a six-shot pepper box revolver in Carthage Jail.
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_ldsfaqs
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Re: Did William Law try to kill Joesph Smith?

Post by _ldsfaqs »

Sammy Jankins wrote: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.


Actually, the story isn't "that" different.....
One is more detailed and only indicates one trigger pull that didn't fire, and a second time that did.
The other indicates 6 trigger pulls each time, otherwise the story is the same.

Now, it's possible each story is simply missing information.
For example, on the initial attempted shot, it would be normal that if your gun doesn't fire, that you would keep trying to pull the trigger to fire, thus equalling six times. The second attempt at the post is more problematic, possibly just a misrelaying of the information given the shortness of the statement. Someone got lazy in retelling the story, so they indicate six shots at the post. Though, it's possible he did fire six shots at the post, the first went through the can like said, and then he just fired the other shots at the post, but the second story omits those additional shots.

Conclusion, we don't necessarily have a perfect retelling in either version. But there are consistent points.
Law attempted to shoot Joseph, and when couldn't shot at a post/can.

Thus, it does appear that Law did try to kill Joseph.
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_grindael
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Re: Did William Law try to kill Joesph Smith?

Post by _grindael »

ldsfaqs wrote:
Thus, it does appear that Law did try to kill Joseph.


No, he didn't.
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Re: Did William Law try to kill Joesph Smith?

Post by _grindael »

This is like the story that was told by Dennison Harris, who said he went "undercover" to William Law's meetings and that they tried to make him swear an oath to kill Joseph Smith, but he was actually a spy for Joseph. It's all made up folk tales.
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Re: Did William Law try to kill Joesph Smith?

Post by _ldsfaqs »

grindael wrote:
ldsfaqs wrote:
Thus, it does appear that Law did try to kill Joseph.


No, he didn't.


Are you calling those who witnessed the event liars?
This is recorded history, not something made up.
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_grindael
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Re: Did William Law try to kill Joesph Smith?

Post by _grindael »

ldsfaqs wrote:
Are you calling those who witnessed the event liars?
This is recorded history, not something made up.


Absolutely. Recorded History? Please supply the CONTEMPORARY documents from the Nauvoo era to prove it. You can't. They don't exist.
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Re: Did William Law try to kill Joesph Smith?

Post by _The Erotic Apologist »

Not that I've checked, but I'm pretty sure attempted murder was against the law in Nauvoo. In which case William Law would have been arrested, tried, and convicted post haste for the attempted murder of Nauvoo's number one citizen.

No arrest, no trial, and no verdict = it never happened.
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_ldsfaqs
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Re: Did William Law try to kill Joesph Smith?

Post by _ldsfaqs »

grindael wrote:
ldsfaqs wrote:
Are you calling those who witnessed the event liars?
This is recorded history, not something made up.


Absolutely. Recorded History? Please supply the CONTEMPORARY documents from the Nauvoo era to prove it. You can't. They don't exist.


Well, clearly it's a story recorded by someone (pretty detailed by the way), thus it's in the history.

As to the claim that Law would have been tried for attempted murder, well..... things worked differently in those days, and Joseph was forgiving.
I don't remember near anyone tried for anything of the things they did against Joseph, the tar and feathering, various assualts, various crimes against members of the church, etc.

So, that's not a good argument.
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