[Joseph Smith Diary] This morning I heard there was some disturbance on the hill. Rode up and found it reported a robbery had been committed at the Key Stone Store. Mr Rollosson [had been robbed] of some $14100] or [$] 1,500 and some goods and they were suspicious of a certain black man. I issued a general search warrant and returned to my office where I found the black man Chism [was in distress] with his back lacerated from his shoulders to his hips with 20 or more lashes. My clerk, Dr. Richards, kept him secreted and called Aaron Johnson a justice who issued his warrant for [blank] a Missourian who had boardered at my house a few days and on testimony fined him five dollars and cost for whipping Chism. One Easton a witness said he could not testify without implicating himself and he was apprehended and held in custody. Marr Esq[ui]r[e] refused to testify because he was counsel.
[Source: Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1844, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]
pp.461-62. Saturday.
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