“It was surprising to see the awe with which his followers approached him [Joseph Smith, Jr.] with hat in hand, contrasted with the cavalier and heartless style of his treatment of them. A poor man came to the door while we were there, and with evident trepidation addressed the prophet. He wished to obtain some information as to what he had best do with his family, having just arrived. ‘Had I better come into town, and settle on one of the lots, or stay out on the prairie.’ ‘If you are going to farm it, you had better stay on the prairie,’ was the reply of the prophet. ‘I wish to buy a piece of land, for which I will pay trade of various kinds to the amount of $5000; will you sell me some?’ ‘My lands are all good titles, and I must have money for them,’ was the reply of the prophet, as he turned on his heels and left the man to reflect on the Christian politeness and courtesy of one whom he esteemed as a prophet of the Lord, and to obey whom he had left his early home, and braved the hardships of a western life. It is surprising that the conduct of the pretended prophet does not open the eyes of his poor, deluded followers.”

^{Senior Editor of the Pittsburg Gazette, New York Weekly Express – Volume 7, no. 360 (New York, NY: Townsend & Brooks, 29 September 1843), the interview took place 30 Aug 1843; 5.}