Show FROM erom A PRISONER fon FOR uhe THE GOSPELS SAKE now how C 1 I KE KEMPE WAS CONVICTED IN ay AN ARIZONA COURT count HOUSE OF or conima rion detroit michigan february jtb 1885 editor deseret ivhon I 1 insider myself incompetent to write for the NEWS but as it is impossible for me to give satisfaction to my lily many friends and my family by writing once in 30 days I 1 feel it but just to devote this letter to the public and give a short account of my mir history since september issi sometime in that month deputy marshal donovan came to my house at 12 midnight arrested me on A CHARGE OF POLYGAMY 1 and ani took maio mylo meto rid Pid prescott scotti abo about ut u h miles distant where I 1 bave save bonds in the zum aum of lor for my appearance in court in november from there I 1 had to walk miles to get set yet let back ha having vi ug no means to pay for stage fare at the same time there was a IT y S commissioner at st johns only CO 60 miles from my home and on da the road in november I 1 attended court at which an indictment had been presented charging me with having on a certain date in 1833 married maliciously feloniously and with the force of arms two wives there were three counts in the indictment the third only charging cohabitation THE WITNESSES the first witness examined was judge bunch who claimed to toha have haye yeat veat at different times seen me working on a farm where the alleged second wife was living and to have even beard her ask me for tor a load of wood the second was mr air postmaster who testified that her children naturally born since had f frequently re got my mail and once she haa had bad beed been in the store when I 1 happened to come in there the third was county recorder ruiz who as averred had at divers livers times seen both of us but not at once or together the fourth was mr air S barth bartil who had bad once very early in the morning 0 at 10 am seen me come from th the thu o tarm larm where she lived with a load of straw the tit fit fifth th was mr air ruble huble who testified that I 1 had said some two or three years ago that my wife wanted some trimming trimmon ln the last witness was wag a mr henesey Hen esly who swore to several falsehoods hone bone none af f which a amounted mo anted to any evidence aga against instine me ile he had only seen me on the farm and nearly all the witnesses said I 1 brought two wives with me irom from utah in by request of my attorneys I 1 TOOK THE WIT WITNESS STAND stating that t f was married to those wo women some 20 years ago agg in salt gait lake city which reia reli relation tion we lye continued until december isi mci my attorneys Aless bless rs heandon hein heln don did their best and proved me positively innocent of the charge buc bui the jury being of our bitterest enemies took no notice of them thein wha whatever te ver while the declarations of pro prosecuting se uti attorney wells that it was I 1 impossible possible for ili lit him M to be in a house occupied by a woman with whom he had once cohabited without cooing doing so awain again again was accepted as conclusive e proof that I 1 was guilty as ag I 1 had bad admitted having been in ln her house bouse prosecuting attorney Zabris kies kles argument was bothin nothing 9 but a IIARA llara INGUE against AGAINST THE CHURCH all the members of which in his estimation mation matlon should be punished judge howards charge to the jury was exceedingly ingenious they had to lind find that 1 I was married in arizona since march 1882 2 but it there was circumstantial eviden evidence ceto to satisfy their minds that 1 had been seen about the place where the alleged second wife lived it was waa a sure sign sign of cohabitation according to hir sir wells adais sio nand cohabitation in arizona constitutes utes marriage hence I 1 was married since 1882 the fact that the youngest child of the alleged second wife is past four years years tears of agea age anid arid nid fid the eldest is married and has a child counted for nothing then on the plea that cohabitation constitutes MARRIAGE and on the supposition jud judging gli gin g me by ty the amorous propensities of mr wells that I 1 had cohabited with the woman the jury found me van guilty guilt of marriage but not nod guilty on the ird third coun count t of cohabitation consistency thou art a jewel ll 11 SENTENCE CE judge howard then taking into consideration that tor for the last las a t four years I 1 had lont lost my crops almost entirely and had worked hard in the dav day time farm and at night in in my y little mill that my family faintly was destitute that my present wife with seven children were living in the mogollon Mo 0 gollan o 11 a n mountains at least half a mi mile mlle 1 f from ra any other house and that their nearest neighbors even at that distance were poor farmers who like myself had lost all ail their crops through frost the past season and were thus unable to render my wife and helpless childr children e 11 any assistance taking all these fac facts ts into consideration he was gas was so extremely kind as to give me only three and a halt half years imprisonment and line me in the small sum of now here I 1 am A CRIMINAL a pris PRISONER ONER onen with no f friend to speak to or associate with but my dear friends must not think I 1 am despairing for though many an hour is very dark with me and tears unconsciously will steal forward when I 1 think of my poor innocent little ones yet I 1 know we are all in the hands of a lust god whom I 1 pray to early and late late to have mercy on the human fain family as long as there is a soul left who will listen clistea to the message of his servants I 1 the sel ser servant anu ant is is not greater than his master and our master had to suffer and die and not for ills his own sins either ile he gave his disciples to understand too that they must expect similar treatment I 1 fall fail to lind find the first instance in which a message from god has been favor favorably atly received by the world and hence we need not be surprised at the w world orld orid rejecting that which the lord h has as revealed in this day the jews are blamed for rejecting the savior at ills his first coming coining yet the world today to day have 20 testimonies of the near approach of ills his second coming for everyone every one which the jews had of his flit first and still their weapons their prisons and every means in their power are brought into use to destroy those who bearitce inspired testimony all ail 1111 I 1 can say is I 1 am sorry for them OVER SIX YEARS ASA AS A missionary yany I 1 have traveled through my native countr country yi through nearly all ali 11 of norway arway and sweden and suffered imprisonment ii hunger unger thirst cold and persecution of almost every kind for the gospels pelis sake for over six years and atou though eil ell now called to bear pear still more I 1 do not feel to give up my neff reff mrion religion in iii fact 1 I 1 am more sorry for my enemies today to 11 0 u day ay than I 1 am for myself and only hope that thai some day they may see their error with kindest regards to all friends of the oppressed I 1 remain your brother in the dospel clin chr 1 Kr kempe |