me, and came running up. Kennedy was the bully of the camp, and
the leader of those against me. He came up and said:

"If I had been here you would not have turned that ox out. I
would have switched you if you had tried it."

"Kennedy," I said, "I have lost property enough without your
oppressing me any more."

He shoved his fist under my nose. I parried his blow, and told
him that he would do well to keep at a proper distance from me.
He again made a pass at me. I then threw down my hat and said:

"If you attempt that again you must take what follows."

He came at me the third time, and as he did so I aimed to spoil
his face, but he dropped his head as I struck; the blow took
effect on his eyebrow, and badly sprained my thumb. We were on a
little knoll, full of stumps of small trees that had been cut
down. Kennedy caught hold of me and commenced shoving me back.

I knew that my strength would not last long. I did not wish to
risk having a tussle among the stumps, so I backed towards the
cleared ground. I fastened my left hand in his long black hair to
steady myself, and as I reached the flat ground I suddenly leaped
back, breaking his hold by tearing my shirt. I then jerked him
forward at an angle of forty-five degrees, and planted my fist in
his face; stepping back, and drawing him after me, I kept feeding
him in the face with my fist, the blood spurting over me.

The crowd saw their bully getting the worst of it, and ran in to
help him. Brother Teeples caught me around the arms, to prevent
me striking any more. My Rachel, who was standing by, called to
her brother, James Woolsey, and he came and took hold of Kennedy
and separated us. I was sorry that this fight took place, for I
had severely punished the bully, and his face was badly bruised.

This suited the people; I had shown violence, and now they could
lay a charge against me that they thought would stand. I was
cited to appear before the High Council, and be dealt with
according to the rules of the Church, for a breach of the peace
and for unchristian conduct.

The whole people were not against me, only a few; but there were
enough of them to keep up a constant broil. They began consecrating
my property to their own use; killed my cattle, and ate them, and
stole everything that was loose. They stole wheat from my
graneries, had it ground, and ate it, and bragged about it.

Kennedy, by the evil influences he commanded, induced my young
wife, Emeline