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Introduction:
Misfire

On an island in the middle of Lake Michigan, a man was walking through the crowd. He had a look that set him apart from those around him- he had a bushy beard, a receding hairline, and a pair of the most piercing eyes. He was wearing simple clothes, though he wore a somewhat gaudy red sash- one of the few swatches of color in this conservatively dressed assembly. He carried himself with the grace and airs of a monarch- for that was what he was.

This man was James J. Strang, King of the Kingdom of God on Earth, and the leader of a dissident branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He had been invited by the captain of the USS Michigan, the flagship (and arguably only effective vessel) of the Great Lakes Patrol, for a visit. This was not the first time that Strang had been aboard the Michigan. In 1851,he had been arrested and taken to trial aboard the vessel; and soon after his acquittal, he was returned to his island “kingdom” aboard that same ship. Strang had no idea what was expected of him today- perhaps the captain (a rugged sailor named McBlair) wanted to question him about some bit of timber piracy; perhaps he simply wanted to assert some authority over the “monarch”.

Little did he suspect the real reason- Strang was being drawn in to a trap.

The island king had made several enemies in his time. As a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives, Strang had attacked the sale of liquor to Native Americans- this earned him the ire of many who had profited from such endeavors. His wielding of complete religious authority made several hate him, as did his unorthodox pronouncements (such as proclaiming women of his faith could only wear bloomers). Yet others detested him for his near-tyrannical reign over the island’s inhabitants, encoring his dictates with punishments such as flogging.

Strang was well aware that he had enemies, but he had a firm belief that God would protect him. To demonstrate that faith, Strang would neither carry a weapon with him or employ a bodyguard.

This played into the plans of four dissidents, who believed that they had found the perfect time to strike and achieve revenge for perceived wrongs that Strang had committed against them. Strang would never have suspected that among them were members of his own Kingdom.

One of these traitors was Thomas Bedford, who was resentful for a flogging that he had received for adultery. He was joined by Dr. H.D. McCulloch, who, after enjoying the favor of Strang, had been excommunicated for drunkenness. These two men, disillusioned and deciding to conspire against their former leader, joined forces with two “gentiles”- Alexander Wentworth and Dr. J. Atkyn, who had attempted (unsuccessfully) to blackmail the followers of Strang into paying off certain debts they owed. These four men believed their mutual problems and hatred could be solved in one simple step- remove Strang, and let the whole “rotten structure” collapse.

During their plotting, they had contacted Captain McBlair, and asked him to become an accomplice. This was an easy task, for McBlair already had a deep hatred for Strang, whom he strongly suspected was heavily engaged in timber piracy. The plan was simple- McBlair would invite Strang to his vessel, and at the dock, Wentworth and Bedford would attack him with pistols (as they were the best shots of the group) and then escape onto the Michigan. They had managed to conceal the plan from Strang and his loyalists for weeks- and today was the day appointed to strike.

As Strang approached the Michigan and raised a hand in salutation to the Captain (who, with his crew, stood along the railing), Bedford and Wentworth emerged from the crowd and pointed their revolvers at Strang’s back. Bedford pulled the trigger first- but no bullet came out. Wentworth did the same- but nothing happened. The two conspirators frantically tried to adjust their weapons, while the crowd, at first horrified, began to transform into a mob. The Strangite loyalists among them tried to attack the two men, while a few gentiles present did their best to defend them. They were soon overwhelmved, but not before Bedford managed to raise his pistol one more time- only to have another misfire.

Strang, who, at the sound of the crowd’s initial gasp, had turned around and stared down his two attackers, watched rather impassivly as the two men and their few defenders were quickly subdued. He turned to Captain McBlair, who was staring in disbelief at this unexpected turn of events, raised his hand a second time, and informed the Captain that “he would be unable to keep his appointment at this time.” McBlair cast off, despite the shouted protests of the two conspirators, who asked for him to come to their aid.

The game was up for the two men, and the stage was set for one of the strangest chapters in American history- a twenty-two year epic of court cases, pitched battles, piracy, feuds, and conspiracy, centered around the enigmatic figure of James J. Strang.
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