160 years ago today - Oct 18, 1857
William A. Hickman kills non-Mormon Richard Yates for trying to transport munitions to U.S. army. Hickman later implicates Britham Young, second counselor Daniel H. Wells, and Joseph A. Young in decision, and judge Hosea Stout in actual murder. In 1858 Mormon woman says that Yates "disappeared-'used up [killed] in the pocket of the Lord,' we call it-and Bill Hickman-one of the 'Destroyers'-passed through this very town, waved the overcoat of Yates, and riding his bay pony." Hickman later writes that he gave to President Young money he took from Yates's body. Despite arrest and pre-trial detention, all those indicted in 1871 for Yates murder are freed by U.S. Supreme Court in 1872 due to improper impaneling of juries. On the same day Heber C. Kimball preaches: "Brethren, our enemies never will inhabit these valleys if we do just as we are told from this time forth; and we will inhabit these valleys and will have power and victory over our enemies from this time henceforth and for ever. . . . I felt pretty well in Nauvoo, at the time brother Brigham was speaking of; though I did regret -perhaps I did wrong-but I did regret that peace was proclaimed so quick; for I tell you there were about one or two score of men I wanted to see under the sod; then I was willing to make peace: but I had to, as it was. We have made peace a great many times, and the United States have taken a course to make us do as they wished us; but let me tell you that day is past and gone, and we will now proclaim the course they will have to take; and they will have to make peace with us, and we never shall make peace with them again. Brother Brigham will designate the course they have got to take; and if they come here, they have got to give up their arms: they cannot come in here with a gun on their shoulders, or a pistol in their belts." Also on the same day Brigham Young preaches: "I would just as soon tell them as to tell you my mode of warfare. As the Lord God lives, we will waste our enemies by millions, if they send them here to destroy us, and not a man of us be hurt. That is the method I intend to pursue. Do you want to know what is going to be done with the enemies now on our borders? If they come here, I will tell you what will be done. As soon as they start to come hate our settlements, let sleep depart from their eyes and slumber from their eyelids until they sleep in death, for they have been warned and forewarned that we will not tamely submit to being destroyed. Men shall be secreted here and there and shall waste away our enemies, in the name of Israel's God. . . . I am going to observe the old maxim-'He that fights and runs away, Lives to fight another day.'"