Show WILL OBEY THE LAW R 0K t Sleaters Country is Dearer to Him Than His Wives H 11 G Sleater a printer who had been indicted for unlawful cohabitation entered en-tered the court room yesterday and plead guilty to the charge The ndge asked him whether he was ready for sentence and he replied by handing the following statement Your Honor In answering for the first time in my life to a violation of the laws of my country I wish to state that I have lived withia the law from the time that I was sa isfied of its definition now over two years ago Whataver my opinions may be ns to the justice of the law regarding unlawful cohabitation I realize that it is roy duty asa as-a citizen to bow before Us mandates regardless regard-less of my opinions In doing this 1 am rendered unable to fulfil my obligations which yet to me ace most sacred and I regret re-gret that thereis a law that comes betwerii me and the relation that I solemnly established estab-lished nearly twenty yeirs ago The ties of affectIOn that bound me to my wives and mv children arc doar as life itself it-self but those which bind me to my country arc dearer yet At Shiloh at Vicksburg at Missionary Ridge and many other battlefields battle-fields from July lOll until the close of the war I did not hesitate to offer my life for the Union and the same sense makes me now yield to its statutes however great my affliction maybe in doing so Since realizing realiz-ing what the law really meant I have obeyed it and intend in the future by the same means to maintain my integrity as a a citizen ROBT G SLEArER COURT How many wives have you ME SLEATEK Two COURTWhen were you married to the second MR SLEATEH In 1SG9 COURT You say you intend to obey the law in future MK SLEATERYes sir COURT You intend to live with your lawful wife and her only MB SLEATEnYes sir COURT Have you any means to pay a fine MB SLEATER No sir couRTWell in viev of the circnm atmces of the case I am disposed to extend to you the same leniency that has been shown to others that is if you make this promise in good faith as I believe you do Sentence will be suspended sus-pended for the present Five other Mormons came forward for arraignments on the charge of unlawful un-lawful cohabitation They were J as C Watson Hyrum H Evans and Edwin Rushton who took till Saturday to plead and Alexander Edwards and Charles Burgees who entered pleas of not guilty |