Mormon History, Aug 25, 1847

[Hosea Stout Diary] Wednesday Aug 25th 1847. This morning I went to Brighams Farm to see about the policy of establishing a police at that place to guard them against the depredations of the Indians. They had previously went a petition to me to that effect.
I arrived at the Farm about noon. It is in a low hemed in place and its looks is most desolate, sickly & gloomy[.] I found a majority of the place sick & in a most suffering condition. Some whole families not able to help each other and worse than all they were quarreling and contending with each other in a most disgraceful manner
There had been some melons stolen just a day or two before I came & it was rumored by some that I had come to execute the law on those who were guilty which created an unusual excitement in the place but it was all kept from my knowledge untill the next morning. It was a sad thing to see a camp of the Saints thus quarreling and trying to put each other down and more so when they were overwhelmed with sickness & death.
They all, when they learned my business, tryed to justify themselves to me and condemn their opponents, as though I was a judge, instead of an executor of the law. I heard each one in their turn apart from the rest but did not give my opinion.
They had fine and extensive crops of corn beans cabbage melons &c and had they been at peace with each other, would have been in a fair way to do well. In the evening I had the people together and had the subject of the police before them[.] They unanimously desired me to establish it on the same plan, rules, and regulations as at winter quarters to be subject to me. They also nominated those whom they wanted to act as police and for William Pace to be sergeant of the guard subject to my orders. This was done without any difficulty or feeling.
After the foregoing regulations were entered into the matter was then refered to the Council for their approval or disapproval before entering on the duties thereof[.] I staid there all night. We had a rain in the night.

[Diaries of Hosea Stout]