Lucy never said that she stole or burned the 116 pages. Historians, writers, and LDS film makers suggest that she burned the pages. This leaves us with the question of whether she was the culprit. Although there are definite signs in her life that suggest she could have taken the pages, the Lord in a revelation refers to “wicked men” who took the pages. This suggests that we should enlarge our circle to include men that may have collaborated with Lucy or took them without her knowledge.
In an effort to broaden our search, let us back track. On June 14, 1828 Martin “took the writings, and went his way,” about two months after the translation process had begun. He was instructed to show the pages to five individuals—his wife, his father and mother, his brother Preserved, and his sister-in-law Polly Harris Cobb. We now know something of his wife and her possibility of being the culprit, but what of the other four?
Not only are the five individuals named relatives of Martin Harris, they each had ties to Quakerism in the Palmyra area. Of the four witnesses mentioned only Polly Harris is being seriously considered as a suspect. After all, she lived with Lucy Harris and was surely her confidant. Nathan and Rhoda Harris have no motive to take the pages. As for Preserved, he becomes an adherent of Mormonism and shows no signs of disenchantment with Joseph Smith until 1836.
Wanting to broaden our pool of suspects, recall that during the three weeks that Martin Harris had possession of the pages, he took his wife to visit her relatives, some ten to fifteen miles distance from Palmyra. When he returned to Palmyra (according to Lucy Mack Smith, not Martin)—
"a very particular friend of his made him a visit, to whom he related all that he knew concerning the Record. The man’s curiosity was much excited, and, as might be expected, he earnestly desired to see the manuscript. Martin was so anxious to gratify his friend, that, although it was contrary to his obligation, he went to the drawer to get the manuscript, but the key was gone. He sought for it some time, but could not find it. Resolved, however, to carry his purpose into execution, he picked the lock" (Smith, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, 130).
Who was that particular friend? Judging from the fact that the five individuals who could be shown the 116 pages were relatives, it is possible that another relative Peter Harris was the “particular friend.” Since 1808 Peter was the pastor of the Quaker meetings in Palmyra. He would be a good choice for the “particular friend, but not really. Peter was a relative not a “particular friend.”
Assuming that the “particular friend” Martin wants to impress is a Quaker, the one Quaker with big money in Palmyra is Lemuel Durfee. This man was also a “particular friend” of the Joseph Smith Sr. family. The June 18, 1828 of the Lemuel Durfee Account [Farm] Book reads: “Credit by Hiram & Harison Smiths a hoeing one day a piece.” Two days later on June 20, 1828 an entry reads: “Joseph and Harison Smiths To the Liqure of three barrels of cidar at 9/0 per barrel $3.38.” On July 7, 1828, supposedly the very day Joseph learns from Martin Harris that the pages are lost, the entry reads: “Credit by J. Smith & Rockwell by hoeing the three days.”
Although this may prove a dead end, let’s learn about the man. As you read of Lemuel Durfee, ask the question would he steal the pages or did he have the means to pay someone else to steal the pages for him? Who in that three week period had moral, ethical, and financial issues that knew the Harris family well enough to walk inside either of their homes without any questions and steal the manuscript? Such a man is mentioned several times during the three weeks that Martin had possession of the manuscript. He marries Martin’s daughter which suggest that he has the right to enter the Harris homes at will. He has already forged “caracters” that looked like those written by Joseph Smith. He paid off his debt to Dr. Gain Robinson even though it does not appear that he has gainful employment. That man is Flanders Dyke.