150 years ago today - Jan 12, 1864

Wilford Woodruff "Called at the prision & was with the prisioner [convicted murderer Jason Luce] until a few moments before his Execution. . . ."he had a vary hard time to part with his wife Children & Friends. He felt to Confess all of his [crimes] and ask the forgiveness of God & all men for all his Crimes. He had worn his garments up to tithing an hour before his death. I advised him to take it off which he did. . . . he then walked to his place of Execution. There was a large number outside the wall & some one hundred in the Court House . . . Jason Luce sat in a Chair with his feet maniceled. He addressed the people a few moments Renounced Wm. A. Hickman as his betrayer bid the People good by. Sherif Burton drew the Black Cap over his face & at the given signal 5 Balls was shot through or near his heart & his spirit left his body without a groan or hardly a movemet of his body." Luce had killed a man by slitting his throat with a Bowie knife on Dec. 7, 1863. The execution occurred 36 days after the crime was committed.

Having been publicly accused of using improper language, First Counselor Heber C. Kimball writes in his memorandum book: "I was told by the Lord that I should not be removed from my place as first counselor to President Young, and those who had oppressed me when it was in their power to do me good, shall be removed from their places. That [second counselor] Daniel H. Wells, [future apostle] Albert Carrington, [future apostle and son of Brigham] Jos. A. Young and others were among that number."

[Source: http://www.advent-adam.com/jakestand.html (cached, based on http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies)]

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