[Published on 07/03/20 by Digital Imaging Lab (1142)]

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from this/these transcript(s) must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collection Coordinating Committee.

[Notes added by transcribers are in square brackets. Dashes in square brackets indicate unclear words or letters. <Angle brackets> indicate words the author inserted to a previously written line.]

MSS SC 1453 - William Jordan Flake diary (Difficult)
Number of Pages: 69

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[A floor plan appears with the following labels]
yuma fort
large
table door
alley
kitchen
dine
store
office
gate
work
shop
door
angalls
tank

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W J Flake
J W Skas

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Ammon Tinney
was tried on the 26th of
Nov 1884 and was
sentenced to 3 years and
six months in the
Detroit house of correction
and was placed in jail
the same day with
2 men sentenced to
be hung 3 convicted
of Grand larceny 1
of petty larceny 1
lunatic 3 chinaman
P L Christofferson riceiv[-]
like Centince on the
28 C L Kemp on
on the 2 of Dec
W L Flake L N Strung out
went in court and pled
guilty of poligamy
on the 4 of Dec and
received our Sentence

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12 o'clock
on the 5th at 10 oclock
for 6 months at Yuma
a and each one of the
5 were fined $500 five
hundred dollars
Size of jail at
Priscot 32+4? with
an Iron cage inside
16+30 divided into
cells 6+8 all Iron
the first 8 nights
Tinney was left in
the large cell the 9th
they were locked
in a small one
on the 5 at 8 oclock
we were taken to
a tavern by the Debt
Marshall, & were
Treated well and
taken to the tavern
for our meals

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while in jail we
eate wilh the presing
ther[-] was 9 spoons
for 15 men we being
strangers we had
to look on or dip in
with our fingers
for we had nothing
else 1 of the boys
that was in for horse
stealing looked arou
-nd and saw me &
Br Skewson lookings
on like the 5th calf
got <up> & gave me his
plate & spoon he said
he was an old hand
& could could get holt
so two of us used the
same spoon & plate

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his name was Jon
	the name of
the sheriff was [---]
jailar was Lang. we
were treated like men
by the marshal Tidbald
Me L Evans R [-]
Pryke W H Rice W.
French and R Dry on,
delit Marshall & M Mill[-]
Took Bro Skouson &
myself to yuma he
treated us like we
were men the 8th there
started for yuma
stayed at bumblebee
had a house to our
selves next day. dro[--]
to Phenix the Marshall
took us home with
him <to his wife> [--]& introdused
us & we enjoyed

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There hospitality the
10 he took us to see Las
Stinson & left us
there without a gard
with the understan-
ding that we were
to start in half an
hour for yuma we
were on <time> & started at 11
our conviyance was a
l[-]erry team & buggy
the Marshall was
the dri[-]er & Bro S & mys
-elf look the seat so
you see he was
not afraid of us getting
away he had no pistol
with him we arrived
at yuma at 2 oclock
on the morning of
the 11 & was taken to
the pen it rained

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a good share of the time
for the last 3 days we were
put in the room with the
guard they gave us two
beds & told us to lay down
& they would give us
some blankets in the
morning we were so
cold that I told <the> gard
we would freeze if we
did so we would stay
up & walk the room
if he would let us
he said said we could
stay up but could
not walk around
we sat there awhile I
got so cold th & Br S
coughed so bad that
that I told him to
to lay down on one
lied & I would had the others

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over him so he did the [---]
was about 20 inches wide
so you see they would
not cover him verry well
& I set & shook till day
when the relief guard come
& let us go in the kitchen
by the stove where we
got warm in about
half an hour the <[---]> cap
-tain <white> came & took into
the office where there wa
a fire place we stayed
there till the prisners had
eaten there breakfast
then we were envited
to breakfast after eating
we were sent back to the
office till about 10 ocloc[-]
when aman come aro[--]
& asked the number of
o[-]er hat & pants &

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& then we told to
go & set on a bench by
the door the captain
came out & called Br
S in & took the disese
ption of him his
weight & height wou[-]
age & birth place &
the then we were taken
into a room & asked
if we had any ska[-]
on us & where they
were & then we
were given a suit
of cloths & <[---]> draw 2 un
der shirts 1 p pants
2 shirts pants &
shirt striped a bout
1 ½ inches [-]isle 2 p sock
1 bed 1 pair blankets
2 sheets 2 towels 2 so[-]ke
2 hankerchief 1 pair shoes 1 hat

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the names of the officers
Capts S Pugals, Cheif leapt,
White turnkey yard boss
green, our boats & quilts
were given back to us the
second day there is 140 prisin[-]
all striped most all young
men for different crimes
we had the privelege of the
yard all day in the
morning we let out
at 7 & run till 11 & then
shut up till 1 out till 5
13 went out & got wood &
cut it up to cook dinner
have not done any work
the officers treat us kind
we are the only men
allowed to have our
quilts & coats

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15 Sunday all the prison
was shutup till 2 octo[--]
we were let out Br S
& me we had two meal
one juice of his on
Sunday all the <boys> were
allowed j[--] the hall
is about 150 12 Br S
& myself loaf around
our cell & had had
a good bath in the
bath room the
rest of prisners dance
& played checkers
no card playing the
cells are all kept clear
& neat the prisners
are made to change
there sheets & under
cloths every weak
& are required to bathe
every week

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the prison is kipt
clean and clear of lice
& other insects Sunday
we receive our mail
our cell mates were
R C Tha[-]ton &
W Hutchinson
They were very nice men
the men were all good
to us 4 mexicans in the
next cell East nothing
but tire iron between
us bolted together 6 + 12
inches apart, bunks
for 6 in each cell
3 on each side 1 over
the other size of cell
7 + 9 wall 5 feet thick
East wall of the fort tune[--]
north luml[-]r 2+6  — 12 ft
high west 9 ft doby half yay
the other hard bank south
bank as hard as cement 15 ft

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started to learn <the> spanish
Alphabit
the negro cook &
a spanish cook had
a fight they put the
Mexican in Snake den
the den 81 10 iron cage
strip them to thier drowers & Shert
<& chain them to a ring in the blou[-]> Br S went in the kitchen
<& f[-]d the[-]e on [---] water> to help do the cookin so
he had the pleasure of
being by the fire [-]ie
was bothered with
<rheumatisim> so that he had to
walk the cell at
night without fire
we have not been
near a fire since
the first night
16 worked with one of
the cars worked all day
1 mare got his foot hurt
with arock Br Skouson
still in the kitchen

[The following page numbers appear in the left margin]

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the next right <day> night after
Finney was it sentenact
found guilty the democrats
had a grand barbacue &
fine time at night they
had a torch light possessio
n & marched 10 blacks it was 2
a grand affair their was
about 400 lights on the
court house & the rest
of the city was well
lit up & fire rockets
were flying all over.
the town some of
them were thrown
3 or 4 hundred feet high
we did not enjoy it
much for we knew
that it would not be
more than a week or
two before we would be
with Finney according

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to the
Judge Howard inter
petation of the law
we were endited for
marry<ing> a wife July 1
1883 & we had not
taken on for 16 years
his charge was that
if the <two wimmen> was seen around
the house washing dishs
sweeping the house.
that was sufficient
to prove that they were
married & guilty of
poligamy Br Skowson
& me we were satisfied
that the evidence
wos the same agianst
was the first &
that we would all
be sent up for 5
years if some thing
was not done to stop

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it so we thought it
was better to go for 6
months than 5 years
so we pled guilty with
the understanding that
our attorney should
get up & tell when we
look our wives so he did
& made a good speech
in our behalf I was
told that Br Tinney
PJ[-], CJ Kemp won[-]
be fined to the extent
of the law that they
would receive no mercy
I told my attorney
what I was going to
see the Judge & have
a talk with him about
the boys Rush said if
I did it would only
make my sentence

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greater hernden said go
a head he didn't think it would
make any difference Br
if I thought I could do
any good go ahead so I
went in his office &
found him a lone he
asked me to get down
I told him what I
had come fore & he said
he was glad I had come
I told him that it was
nothing more than
percecution & I wanted
him to understand it
I wanted him to look
before he took his stand &
remember that they thoug<ht>
as much of their wives
& children as he did &
when he sent them he
was robbing them of
his company & when

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I left he said Mr Flake
their is one thing I will
say & that is if they do
not get the full extent
of the law it will be on
account of this visit I
know I told him they were
thier wives he said he knew
ecclesiastically they were
thier wives but the law
said they must not keep
them & must tell the
store keeper post master
and post it up or advertise
them when they got
out & it would all right

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17th worked one of the cars
4 men got pardoned out
& it appered to put new
hope in all of the [---]
3 men that had wore
the ball & chain had them
cut off we have had
good procesions & verrry
well fixed up had
plenty & the guard
treated us well
18 worked with the
car 3 more convicts
came last night from
Prescot the same that
were in the jail when
we were their for <grand> larce
ny yesterday the boys
got to quarrelling
& called each other hard
names & the captain
locked [-] up till sup

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-per time to punish
him we were all glad
to see him come out
to day the Capt. gave
us a good talking to
& told them that if
any of them were caught
breaking any of the rules
of the prizon use would
be severly punished the
prisners knew what he
ment.
19 finished writing the
rules worked on the car
took out 25 cars of dirt
& the boy that was in
the snake den for fighting
the cook was let out we
got another talking to
some of the prisners
had been stieling Socks
and cloths that was not marked

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got two letter from home
1 from [-] D & Mother the
other from Bp P Hunt
20 worked with car the
wither is fine
21 Sunday some of the
prisners worke in the shop
all day & shoe making the
most of the were in coridor
the capt White talkes to
them on behavior he is
the main man in the
prison to see that they do
not brake the rules &
tend to their work two
meals on Sunday all shut
up at 4 PM we hear the
tranes pass within about
3 hundred yards away
but have not seen one
yet no dancing to day
all feeling well.

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22 fine day we had
an A portate in our
cell by the name of
Richard Thatton he was
put in for house breaking
he <said> a bad woman that
he put up with put
up a job on him to
get away with mine
that he had located he
would wake us up most
every night swearing at
her & others he said last
that a bishops <son> of Salt lake
was at the bottom of
it all he would kill him
if he ever got out another
prisner was pardon to day
I do not think I ever saw
man so hapy as they <when> where
they get pardoned!
worked in the car

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23 worked on car weather
fine all well
24 car wether fine all
well we are guarded by
<ten> 10 men at a time with guns
besides the guard inside 3
of them they are punctu
al on time and if a man
attempt to run it is all
day with him I received
a letter from WD Karl[-]
over to day folks all
well at home
25 Christmas found us in the
jail with <all> kinds of men
accused of all kinds of
crime. when I look around
me it causes me to reflect
on what I am here for
what have I done that
we must be locked up
with with all kind of

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mean men we are in here
believing that God has revieled
his Gospel for the last time
& for keeping his comdment
my only desire that we
may keep his laws and <that>
we may be found faithful
in <all> things that we may
walk in the narrow path
that leads to life eternal
is the outside world so Good
& pure that we are here NO
They are as full wickedness
as an egg is of meat I am
thankful to God that my parren<ts>
obeyed the word come out of
her o my people that you do
not partake of her sins nor
recupe of her <plage> for they are com
ing on more and more every
day I am thankful to my
Father in heaven that my

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children know are not
raised in the out side of the
church for wickedness is running
without any check and may
God same <save> the righteous rained
last night received the Orion
26 run the car <wrote to WIR> nothing of
importance
27 run the car in afternoon
played sick in morning
all well
28 Sunday laid in our cell had my first shower bath
29 pushed the car rotten
bacon for dinner
30 run the car Finch
put in the S den for
asking for mint a
good hand to work
but rather gassy

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31 worked on the car 1 man
put in the den for unlocking
the safe with a nail & stealing
a piece of cake they have orga
nised a choir Mr & Mrs ingalls
at the head I think it a verry
good thing to pass the
time all well we had an imi
tation to join but not being a singer
we could not join we a better Lo Ho Fi
Jan 1 85
we did not work fast day Bro
S & me fasted <until> 3 oclock the
Capt said the government paid
the Teritory $ 1 67/100 cts each for taking
care of us it is the first time in
my life that my old uncle ever
took any intrest in me he furnish
me with board cloths & bedding
lights all night & and a man to go around
so that if any of us fell out of bed
to wake us up so that we would

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catch <cold> he though we were among
thieves <& robers> so the men had <to guard> so that they
could not hurt us heplaced 10 men
on the wall & kep the gates shut
& locked so that we would <not> go to
the creek and fall <in> & drown his
judge thought that he would sh
ow us that the law of the man
was higher & greater than the
law of God but we failed to
see it when man measures
arms with Jehovah they show
their weakness oh puny man
God created the the earth and
evan the monkey that trys
to stop his work take the
a story of the church & where
is the man that has taken
an active part against the
saints that has lasted long
to day they <are>  on the bench
to morrow they are undder the

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Sad it perrence is a dear school
but fools will learn in no other
the Capt gave us permition to go any
where we pleased in the [-]en so
we went to the shop & warmed
at the forge the first time we
had been near a fire since the
next morning after our arrival
2 worked on the car there is plen
ty of music in the cells there is
some good musitians among the
convicts all well
3 all well. worked on car Br
worked in the Kitchen we
gave a chinaman 25 cts a
week to wash our cloths
and is on them I bough[-]
a lot with 12.90 peices [--]
it for $6 it was not finish
ed if it had it would have
cost 25 one of the cooks
was sick

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85
Jan
4 Sunday got 3 letters
1 from P Hunt 1 from L.H F
1 from A P Spils berry he had
been down in Sennora with
Br young & Grant he wants
to know if he could do any
thing for us our Spanyard
sent for the Priest to forgive his
sins before he died he has been
verry sick there is several
sick W Huchison in our cell
was verry sick I have been
studing spanish for 3 weeks
am getting along very well
answered his <A P S> letter we are
well all the letters encourages
us to do right & live so that
we can enjoy his Holy
Spirit we have the prayers
of the Saints we thank

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5 well worked on car
the Comitioners was here
the come up on the
bank on the south &
load down on the convicts
where we loaded the rock
& dirt to haul out on the
north then they walked
on the to the N W corner
of the fort we were all
ordered in to the fort I do
not think they spoke to
any of the convicts while
they were here if they
did I never saw them
they come in at the west
come around on the west
went in the office & in.
coridor that leads to the kitchen
& then went out the
South gate the Capt stayed
with them all the time

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the Capt White said they
would have a concert tonigh
& gave us all a free ticket
in the coridor one fell down
in the yard with the hart
disease & they thought he was
dead for awhill but he got be
ter after they carried him in
concert 1 songs from 8 concict
2 three tunes on cordian
by 6 Anderson
3, 1 Songs 8 men
4 2 tunes by Spanish Fiddler Cassos
5 3 tuans by Elie on the cordian
6, 3 songs by 3 met 1 negro
7 song by 8 convicts & Mrs Engall
8 Goodnight by Mrs Ingall & one
convict organist
Probes or Bancroft
it all went off will good
order guilt a number
of citts on 2 of the

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Comitioners gave $20.00 for
the benefit of the library
6 well 15 or twenty
of the convicts sick
7 worked on car till noon
went up the creek with Mr
Smith to fit a pit for a target
the at night had the headach &
could not sleep
8 sick all day did not work
9 lazy in fore noon went up the creek & helped fit a target
to shoot a 1000 yards
10 worked on the out side
hauling rock had 1 horse
& two men to pull the car
& P kep tthem <from falling off> rode back 1 fifth
of our time up we sung a few
himns at night
11 Sunday had a verry good
day well received 2 letters
1 L H F 1 W D K rote to. F

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<wrote> A M Tinney in Detroit
fine weather <wrote> and L Hunt
had a good bath & <wrote> [-] M F
12 well worked with the
horse & cart finish the foundation
on west 1 mexican died at
night
13 convicts all loved up till
about 10 all allowed the yard
till dinner berried the man
that died worked from 3 till
night
14 the Boss of the work called
on another and myself to
go up the creek to the grave
yard and straiten the head
boards their is 10 graves is
the yard & 2 under the
hill
15 [---] but riad
16 hauls rock part of the day
1 man hurt his foot read mor[-]

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17 well Marshall Aven[-]
called to see us we had a good
visit he asked me if he could
do any thing for us
18 Sunday Finck turned out
19 worked a little souldiers looking
the fort most all day recieved
two letters & 3 desert news
1 letter from W D K 1 from the boys
& mother
20 well worked out Sids
un loading the cars a verry
good job the cook put in din
Jagget put in kitchen our
meals are regular & verry
good Bro S let out of the
kitchen by his own request
21 st worked called on by
Capt Green to take charge.
of the unloading of the
cars & keeping the track
in repair

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Brothers Leyman &
& President Layton called
on us they left President
Taylor at maca & come
a head to see us Brother
E Snow Thatcher J F Smi
ith J Q Cannon. Bro
Sharp will join them
here to night & go west
for home Pres Leyman
stayed with us 4 hours
Cap J [-]galls gave us
the office to our selves
& if a man was encour
aged we were they app[-]
oved of the course we
had taken Capt White
told to Show them the
[---] & our bell and we
did we went in our cell
& they blessed us with
the greatest blessing. I was [-]ward

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Rules of the prison
1 the first rule is obidiance
to all rules and regulations &
the orders of the officers under
whos charge you <may be> are placed
2 you must observe silence
while at work or  marching
no conversation allowed
except by permition of the
officer incharge in the evning
in your cells you are permited
to converse with your cellmates
and any other privelige which
may be allowed by the officers
in charge until the eighe &
one half oclock bell rings
but conversation with
prisners in adjorning cells
is strictly prohibited
3 you must not speak to any
visiter or give to or receive from
a visitor anything except

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by permition of the super
intendent or officer in charg
you must not gaze at visit[--]
or strangery passing throug
the prison but at all tim
during working hours give
your undivided attention to
your work you are expected
to apply yourself faithfully
& diligently to whatever
labor you are assigned
4 at the ringing of the
morning of the you mus
turn out dress and make
up you bed neatly and
be ready for marching
out
5 at every signel to fall
in for marching you must
take your place in line
promply incline your
face towards the officer

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attend to & promply
obey his orders
6 you must not leave the
line or your place of em-
ployment without permi
tion if or <if sick or> unable to work
make it known to the
officer in charge & act as
he may direct
7 you must keep your
self & furniture clean &
in good order no mar
king or scratching the
well will be allowed
8 at the ringing of
the belle at eight & one
half o clock PM you
must put out your
light undress & retire
if you have occation to
call the might watch
officer give the signal

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by rapping on the your cell
door
9 you must not carry on
your person or to your cell
any knives tools or we<a>pon
of any kind or any ma
terial of any kind whatev
without permition of the
superintendent or the
officer in charge finding
such things in your
possession will be
considered proof that
you have disobeyed the
rule writing notes to
other convicts or carry
ing notes from one
convict to another is strictly
forbidden
10 you must approach an
officer in a respectful manner
alway touching your cap

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or forehead before speaking
you must confine your
conversation <with him> strictly to the
bussiness in hand you
must not address an officer
on matters out side the prison
insolence in any form to
an officer foreman or evan
another convic will not be
tolerated stealing from
assaulting quarreling with
<one> an other insulting or
assalting an officer or any
other party employed about
the prison will in no
case be tolerated or allowed
and will subject the
offender the severest punish-
ment
11 on entering an officer
you must remove your
hat unless your duties

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are such that you have
special permition to
remain covered
12 when attending religeous
service strict attention
must be paid given to the
service spelling upon the
floor shuffling the feet or
any unneccasry noise is
stricly forebidden
13 you are required to bath
as often as the officers incharge
may direct  unless, excused
by the physician.
14 you have permition
to write on the first of
each month and to receive
such letters and papers as
the superintendent or
officers in charge may
approve, in case of special
letters permition must be

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obtained and all mail
must be examaned under
the direction of the supperinten
dent or officer in in charge before
being sent or delivered
15 is case of an alarm offire
or any other alarm you mus[-]
remain at the places you
are until otherwise dericted
13 wrote Howard & Hernden speech
at Prescot wrote to [-]anny

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December <15>, AJ 1884


Lines writen by Martha
Biglow Anity
	Poetry
we are now living in a very fast age
when this great nation a war will wage
on man who will marry two or more wives
though in the light of heaven they are living <pure lives>
although on the sly some can take when they please
disgrace them & cast them off at there case
to marry & support them they would thinket
But in this proud nation it
Now remember their pride
For they have passed lives
They would done well to of
which will incur on their
For the they measure they
pressed down running over
of those noble men who
for their sacred connections
like Daniel of old they feared
And as suffers for religion
But God sustain them if

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a sin
never will win
will be cast in the dust
that are cruel and unjust
paused paus ere struck the first blain
heads dissention & woe
have meeted will be measured a<gain>
like Torrents of rain
to Prison have gone
we may more anon
God more than man
they now lead the van
their faith doe not fail

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44
And Zion
intriumph are
Whin & heard the first sentence.
Some sit months only
Now God our father has power
though sentenced by man
in his own duetime they
And join with the Saints
If the fathers of the faithful
They would send him to
To those ancient worthies this
But they never can arrest the
Five men are convicted from
skouson Chrisofferson Kemp[-]
This act of injustice those
One married a cripple
This woman though humble
Are her little ones doomed to
No the wrong that is done
He is this protector their

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earth will prevail
something whispered to me
instead of three years
to so change
these things he arrange
all will be free
in a grand jubilee
were now living here
Prison & our Brethren t[---] cheer
divine law was given
poligamist in heaven
this little stake
Finney and Flake
deamons will rue
before sixty two
on a crutch has to go
starvation & woe
them to God will assend
Father and Friend

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The families of those men
Honest and chaste adorned
the fate of the enemies of
We would shudder to tell
With sorrow & pitty we
For we know that Gods
To the supreme court above
And hear it all people
Soon this nation will
A just retribution of an

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are an honor to society
with sobriety
God fearing men
to it or write with a pen
pause with a tear
judgement on them droweth war
our cause may appeal
what God will reveal
fall the chastening had
offended God

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W. L. Flake 		275
S. N Skousen 	274
Oln Stewart 		281
C J Robson 		282
G Willson 		283
L F Willson 		284
H S Phelps 		285
A. P. Spelsbary	286
Estevan Ramirez 	264
Richard Thorton 	256

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A Sanguine Saint
George Q Cannon laughs at anty
mormon legislation
Ogden Jan 21 at the quarterly
conference held here yesterday all
the saints speakers were steadfast
to their poligamous creed and
defient to the government
George T Cannon said they talk
about a legislation commition
let it come it cannot hurt us
if we are squeesed still more
there are others who will get
forged with us God has permitted
the wicked to draw the lines so
closly that we are compeled to
change our relation to our
government we will survive in
the struggle of the fittest all the
threats in washington do not a
mount to anything they are o[-]
only compliments to us as

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indicating that our greatness &
strenght are recognised <& even feared> and all
the statements & polititions
are simply contributing to
fulfill the propesy of Joseph
Smith and furnishig evidence
to the divinity of this work

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Prescot Dec 4 84
Proceeding in Court
On the Disstrict court conveniently
last Thursday afternoon Mr J C
Hernden one of the council for the
defendant W J Flake and <L W> Skouson
arose and asked permition of the court
to with draw the plea of not guilty alrea
dy entered by those gentlemen & substi
tute therefore a plea of guilty both
the defendents were then interrogated
by judge Howard as to whether they
were fully accuainted with the conse
quence of the coarce they proposed to
pursue & on receiving replies in the
affermative permited the plea of gui
lty to be entered remarking as follows
sofar as the court is concerned I am pre
pared to dispose of your cases at once but
there is a statute in this teritory
which does not permit the imposing
of sentence for at least 6 hours after
conviction or plea of guilty I see
before me two men of mature age

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& more than ordinary intiligence whos see
I believe capable of understangind this
prosecution so far as the court is concer
ned there is but one object & that is
to show the supremacy of the law
& demand obedience to it will not
being like vindictiveness in it the
court is disposed to treat you leniently
& fairly so far as the letter and the spirit
of the law will permit as your bonds
are continuous ones the clerk of the
will respite them until tomorrow
morning when you will appear
here for sentence so that you will
not be imprisoned in the interim
	Hernden Speech
at the request of these defendants &
in justice to the council of the defen
dents to the court & to our selves
I have been selected to mak an
explanation <at> this time as to why
this course has been perseud

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by these defendants in regard to
the W J defendant W J Flake he has from
the beginning stated to us as his council
that he behaves in the tenants of the
mormans that he believes in the
church assurances that he believes them
as firmly as he believes anything
on earth that in 1858 he married
one wife and 1868 he married the
other & has lived with those woman
as his wives from that time to the
present day that he has raised children
by them & possessas a home which
he regards as a happy home in view
of these facts and the urgent advise
of council he has come into court &
entered a plea of guilty not strictly
according to the endight that he
was married in 89 but because
the Spirit of the law presumes him
<thus> guilty feeling that in so pleading
he does not violation to his

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religeous belief or to his conscience &
he desires me to state for him that
his plea of guilty is a plea of gui
lty to the violation of the statute
he has violated the law as the law
is so that is why he now enters
this plea what I have said of Mr
Flake applies to Mr Skouson [--] [---]
told his story to his council one
wife he married twenty years ago and the other
he married 13 or 14 years since he has
lived with them constantly supported
them & is attached to them <by> as strong Tie
s as the human heart knows at
the time of the second marriage by
states that he was ignorant of any
law against it I state these facts in
justice to the defendants here and I
now ask your honor though it may
not be as proper time to ask it as
at the time of pasing the senten
ce that you take all the circumstances

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into consideration they are human and
these affection are as firmly enhanced aroun<d>
their homes and wives & little ones as
human hearts can be while there we
may not understand and consider
is heresy as it was called here yet to
them it is the holiest thing in
life
Judge Howard there is but one
reason as I have said to be had
in this matter and that is the recog
nition of the supremacy & paramou
nt authority of the law of the
land over every other law or compac<t>
no matter what religious belief or scru
files of conscience that the individual
may have entertain or to be actuatid
by he must recognize the law as a
guide in the affairs of this life that all
men must regard the fact that the de
fendants are mormons & have nothing
to do with the fact that they are

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citizens assigned in this court for viola
ting the law makes it my duty to con
sider each individual cased am frank
to say here and say it on my own ac
cord responcitility of any other person
and not on the responcibility of any
other person that to day if in the
teritory of arizona every man who
has heretofore been living in violation
of the so called poligamy law should
come here with promice of future
observance of the law he should
rec[--]e a lenient sentence I believe
that to be a true compliance with
the law Spirit of the law and it
shall be my policy in the future
when two men come me mak
ing such staements I feel
it to be my duty to be as
lenient with them as can be
and maintain the dignity
of the letter and spirit

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of the law men who have been tried
& convicted & trial and conviction
has been in technicality compliance
with the law will of course have
to bear the consequences if the
trial and conviction is not in
accordance with the rules of the
law the courts are open to correct
them I hope and trust what
ever harshness of feeling may
have arisen between the court
& council and defendant in
this trial may not be regarded
as intentional on my part
as my sole purpose has been
to witness the proper enforce
ment of the law
Prescot Coeier

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Pasages stuck up in the kitchen
Wo unto him that giveth his
neegbor drink
take heed that no man lead
you esstray.
the Lord will not alto[-] acquit
the wicked
the free gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our lord
no eval will will happen to the
just
Other foundation can no
man lay than that which
is laid which is Jesus Christ
The wages of sin brings both
Death
Sin when finished brings
forth death

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21 I gave Bro Leyman
my box with about 13 o[-]
pieces in for his Mother
we received a letter from
A M Musser & 4 little
Books & answered it &
1 from Mr Kerby asking
about his brother I gave
the Bro. the letter & he
answered it we comforted
& the time will pass off
more agreeably after receiv
ing the comforting words
of the breatheren they appro
ved of the cows we had
taken & said it was all
right it was the best thing
that could have been done
under the circumstance
& told us that the brethren
sustained us & that we
had thier faith & prayers
& that it was the best day of our t[---]

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they gave us 810 00/100
22 all well worked out
side report they have
caught 30 of the Mexican
soldiers that mutined,
& killed the officers &
family they killed
5 of the mexicans
23 all right the soldiers retu
rned passed by working
& reading we lend the books
every night
24 worked out side
25 Sunday were shut up
at 2 oclock Mr & Mrs Ingalls
gave a dinner to the souldir
that captured the Mexican
they set the table in the
fort 100 men 10 [---]men
they had a splendid time
we could look throug the
grate & like the fifth calf

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But W Hutchinson the cook
that stopt in cell with us.
he brought us some cake &
nuts & an orrange a pied
& our other cellmate found
lots of cigar stumps to smoke
we recieved 2 papers
26 worked out side
28 we let Riley go
in our cell & they locked
our cell.
Feb 1 unlocked our cell
worked on the out side
every day on the 5 received
1 Book of morman
doctrin & covanants Book of
refference Mt Medow massacre
Juvenile & deseret news
from the office I L city
also letter from Lucy
Sunday 8 received 1 letter
from P J 1 from Bro Musser

----- new page (25713.jpg)

the officers are verry kind
to us we have more privilege
than any of the convicts
some of the cons thinks it
is worse to have more than
1 wife than it is to kill

----- new page (25714.jpg)

by Andrew Jenson.
Church Chronology. 1884
printed 1899 p.117
Fri Dec. 5 <4rth> 1884
Ammon M. Jenney, Peter J christ-
offersen, & Christopher J Kempe, tried
& convicted of polygamy, were each
sentenced by Judge Howard; at Prescott,
Arizona, to 3 years, & six months
imprisonment in the House of Correction
at Detroit, Mich., & $5.00 fine. Their
offence was unlawful cohabitation,
but this was construed by the court
as polygamy. Wm J. Flake &
Jens N. Skousen, who plead guilty
to U. C. (unlawful cohabitation)
were each sentenced to six
months imprisonment at Yuma,
Arizona, and $500 fine.
Sun 7 - Ammon M. Peter, Peter
J. Christoffersen and Christopher
J. Kempe left Prescott, Arizona.

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for the prison at Detroit, Mich
& Wm J. Flake & Jens. N. Skousen
for Yuma Prison.
The prosecutions under the
Edmunds anti-polygamy law
were carried on with great hostility
by the Federal officials & courts
in Utah & Idaho. A large number
of polygamists were imprisoned
& many others went into exile,
some going to Mexico.
Edmund Ellsworth of Ariz., was
sentenced to $300 fine, for U. C.,
&, not being able to pay it, was
imprisoned at Yuma
Wm J. Flake, having served his
sentence in the Yuma prison,
Arizona, was released.

[following appears in the left margin]
1885


June 1885

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Dec 23
[tally chart showing the following labels: 23, 23, 28]

----- new page (25721.jpg)

[a blue print showing the following labels: porch, porch, ofice, kitchen]

----- new page (25722.jpg)

Expences
1 gallon molasses    185
paper			10
pens				10
oil				100
tobacco			25
Envelopes
ink
Tocac[-]o			25
June 29 1879