Second Book of Mormon.

Story of the Elaborate Hoax and its Results.

Metamora, Ill., Jan 30.—Special Telegram.—

The Inter Ocean of the 27th contained an account of the origin of the "Book of Mormon," which reminded your correspondent of what he knows of the translation and origin of the "Second Book of Mormon." Every one who is at all acquainted with their history will know that this Second Book came to light just prior to the evacuation of Nauvoo, and that the Mormons consider these books much in the same light that Christians consider the Old and New Testaments.

An account of the origin of the Second Book may prove interesting to most of your readers. After having read the statements to follow all will agree that it is not only possible, but very probably, that the First Book was no more of divine origin than the Second Book.

The facts are as follows: Some time before the demise of Joseph Smith, the Mormon leader, one Mr. John Fugate, who then lived in or near Quincy, Ill., conceived a little plan by which to startle the natives. He obtained two, large copper plates of a blacksmith (whom, of course, he let into the secret) and they thereon engraved, by the use of wax and acid, some signs and symbols. The plates were mostly covered, I think, with a writing very similar to the Egyptian hieroglyphics, and around on the margin were figures of the sun, crowns, the crucifixion, and other such signs of similar character. And then with paint, or acid, and iron filings they covered them with a very good imitation of rust. They then bound them together with a rusty wire, went to the woods and buried them between two huge flat stones, and down deep in an old Indian mound. They covered them up carefully, replaced the sod and dirt and awaited developments.

On a day that there was a big religious gathering in town they went to the woods with the avowed purpose of excavating a well-known Indian mound, and returned with these plates. Of course their find soon became known and everyone in town was interested, and particularly so when the rust (?) was taken off and the marks exposed.

Joseph Smith, hearing of this and seeing therein a strong hit in his favor, obtained possession of the plates, proclaiming them to be connected with the Mormon religion, and set about to have them translated. For this purpose they, or copies and descriptions of them, were sent all over the old world to prominent hieroglyphists for translation. But the problem came back unsolved, and many letters were written to Mr. Fugate concerning the same. Undaunted, however, Smith put on his magic spectacles and proceeded to translate from them the Second Book of Mormon.

This is not quite all. Mr. Fugate, thinking the joke had gone far enough, told the whole affair to one of the leading Methodists in town. The Methodists immediately spread the news far and wide. Owing to the anger of the Mormons Mr. Fugate was obliged to quietly leave to avoid being murdered by them. Mr. Fugate died at Camp Point, Adams County, three years ago, but his wife and all his family still live. His oldest son, Dr. J. T. Fugate, of Urbana, Ill., has all the newspaper reports, documents, and letters concerning the case, and would no doubt be glad to verify these statements to any person skeptically inclined.