Historian’s Office, Martyrdom Account

<​each​> put into a rough square <​rough​> pine box. <​at 8 a m​> The room was then thrown open for their friends <​Saints​> to view the bodies <​of their Martyred Prophet & ​> and it is estimated that <​over​> 10,000 persons at least visited the remains of Joseph & that day as there was a perfect living stream of people entering in at the west door of the and out at the north door from 8 a m to 5 p m at which hour <​a request was made that​> the was should be cleared so that the families could take <​their​> farewell of <​look at​> the remains. The coffins were then taken out of the boxes and taken into the little bedroom in the North east corner of the , and then concealed & the door locked. Bags of sand were then placed in each end of the boxes which were then nailed up, and a mock funeral took place, the boxes being put into a hearse and driven to the grave yard by , and then deposited in a grave <​with the usual ceremonies.​> This was done to prevent the enemies of the Martyred Prophet & getting possessi[o]n of the bodies As it was expected <​they had threatened​> they would attempt to do so. As the hearse passed the meeting ground <​accompanied by a few men​> was preaching the funeral sermon