Mormon History, Oct 2, 1847

[Hosea Stout Diary] Saturday October 2nd 1847. Sent 5 men out on guard and staid in[.] Saw President about Col Scotts report about seeing so many Indians last Wednesday. He did not believe that he saw any and in fact it was reported by all the guard that those whom he saw were the guard & his hay was set on fire by his own fire. It was the prevailing opinion that he was unusually excited and reported accordingly.
At 2 oclock P. M. the High Council met again for the fifth time to act upon the case of D. Russell & the police.
This tedious investigation was brought to a close to daythe police sustained every charge alleged to him which he also acknowledged before the trial was over. He manifested a stubborn willfull Spirit throughout the whole trial and denied every charge untill it was proven & then admitted it.
The Council decided that he should confess to the police and make them ample satisfaction for all he had done.
His confession consisted simply in saying that he was a young member in the church & did not wish to do any wrong &c.& justifying himself for all he had done.
Whereupon Councillor Harris asked leave to confess for him which was granted and also sanctioned by Russell.
Father Harris then arose and in a most humble and feeling manner confessed that he had willfully lied to injure the police & had lied to hide it in the trial & also that all that had been alleged against him was true and that he had been willfull during the whole trial &c[.] He made quite a long confession all very humble & asked the police to forgive him.
The police accepted the confession of Father Harris after it was sanctioned by Russell who agreed that it was true & such as he wished to make. It was decidedly the best confession I ever heard considering the practice of the confessor
After the case was settled between Russell & the police the council took up the matter as pertained to his being a Councillor. They considered that he was unworthy longer to have a place among them & accordingly droped him from the council. The council then adjourned.

[source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]
[Diaries of Hosea Stout]

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