OCR Text |
Show Smoot Investigation. Investigation Goes Merrily on and Many Witnesses are Being Examined. Keeper of Temple Records on the Stand. Other Evidence. Washington, Dec. 10. The llrst witness In the Senator Smoot Inquiry today was Mrs. Annie Elliot of Price, Utah. She Is an elderly lady who went from Denmark to Utah In 1872 and left tho "Mormon" Church In 18!X). She was asked concerning the tho obligations taken In the Temple Lund was loqucsted to lepeat as much 'jfof the ceicmonles as she could remem- 1 bcr. I In a voice shaken with emotion, ,,! Mrs. Klllott said that tho obligations i were so Indelicate she could not bear to repeat them. Chairman lhirtows , ,told her to take her own time and not to be embarrassed.. The witness said !' the iW. oath adinlnlstcred to those i' whoiitlcipatcd was that If they did 'Siot want to go any further and take the oaths they should turn back and go out. IJy slow degrees Mrs. Kllolt repeated the oaths of vengeance and the various vari-ous penalties ascribed for revealing any partlof the ceremonies. During her testimony concerning the penal- lia ties of the mutilation of the body the witness trembled continuously and appeared to proceed with ditllculty. Alter saying that each person taking the endowment agrees to have his or her throat cut, Mrs. Elliott said it UK, would be Impossible for her to go any further. "At that time 1 considered It alllso sacred I thought I would put It away and riot mention it any more," she said when requested to proceed. Pressed by Chairman Burrows, the witness told of the other penalties and cr obligations which have been described by other witnesses. At the request of Mr. Taylor, Mrs. Elliott described tho garments worn by "Mormons" who have taken the (endowments. Senator Overman asked If every "Mormon" in good standing is compelled to wear the garments and the witness said that all such nlJ "Mormons" wear the garments as indlothing. , Losing at Senator Smoot, Senator Overman asked the witness if she were sure every "Mormon" In good standing In the committee room had inl the garments on. "Yes, sir, they have." The reply provoked laughter and the witness re-- re-- pcatcd "I know they all have them on." KCl On cross-examination, Atty. Woith- lUj. Ington endeavored to draw from the ' witness whether she had told others of the Endowment ceremonies but she -let Insisted that she had never done so ,C" except in a limited way to the pastor Ojc of the Baptist church In her town. Prop She declaicd that the attorney for the , Protestants had no Idea what she would say when she took the stand. Senator Foral.cr asked the witness if she had over heard of the Endow- Ijai ment House penalties being enforced ids against any one. She said she had H not. 1 Mr. Taylor asked If she weio likely to suiter by reason of giving testimony 1 Mere. Mrs. Elliot said she expected H that her business would suiter. Tl Charles II. Jackson, of Boise City, P nnalijjihalrnian of the democratic f stat, ;nmltteo, testified at length W concciJing the growing power of the Mormon church and Its Interference In state allalrs,whleh he said was made tho paramount Issue by democrats and Independents in the last camgalgn In Idaho. Ho said that apostles of the church from Utah go into Idaho and direct the people how to vote. These church officials, said Mr. Jackson, tell their people there have been levela-tlons levela-tlons that they should vote a certain ticket and also that the Mormon church desires It. The witness described de-scribed in detail the light being made by the Mormon church for the removal remov-al from the state Constitulon of Idaho of the test oath against polygamy. He told or the visit of Apostle John II. Smith for the ourpose of directing legislation, leg-islation, and said that the Inllucnce of the chinch accomplished the passage of tho sugar bounty bill. This measure meas-ure places a state bounty of 1 cent a pound on all sugar manufactured within with-in the state In 1003, and a I cent per pound for all sugar manufactured in 1004. It is estimated that the bounty In 1003 amounted to $70,000, and in 1004 to $150,000. There are four re-llnerles re-llnerles In the state, and President Joseph V. Smith, of the Mormon chuich, Is president of three of them. The fourth factory was constructed recently and Is controlled by Gentiles. Speaking of tho Inllucnce of the church In political alTahs of the state, Mr. Jackson took as an Illustration thedefeat of Gov. Morrison for a sec-' ond nomination. lie declared that Gov. Morrison's administration had been satisfactory to his republican cosstitucnts but that he ran foul of tho Mormon church and therefore was denied a second term. In this connection con-nection Mr. Jackson said with emphasis: em-phasis: It Is Impossible for ai. nan or any party to stand agalnsX tho Jim-on Jim-on church In Idaho." In describing tho present condition of tne state, Mr. Jackson said six of the 21 counties arc known as solidly Mormon, and that in all the southern counties tho Mormons are In contro and In that way, he said, the church practically is in charge of the legislature, legisla-ture, political conventions, and all gatherings at which the delegates are elected by the people. The delegates elected by these coun ties are not always Mormon In lelig-lon, lelig-lon, but they are always Mormon In political action," said Mr. Jackson. The witness gave In narrative form tho history of the protests against "Mormon" Interference which had been made by Democrats in the last campaign. Mr. Jackson said tho "Mormons" declared that not a vote would be given the Democrats, and s.iid the witnoss, "They made good." Ho stated as his belief that not one "Mormon" voted the Democratic ticket. tick-et. As a result ho said the increased Republican majorities in the "Mormon" "Mor-mon" counties compared with the in-cteased in-cteased Republican majorities In the Gentile counties was enormous. Mr. Jackson said he had talked with many "Mormons" who had been Democrats and they had told him that if it were known that they were to vote the Democratic ticket they would be ruined in business. Because of the agreement of the senate to vote on the Philippine bill today no afternoon session of the committee com-mittee was held. The healing was adjourned ad-journed until tomorrow. At the afternoon session Charles V. Penrose, editor ol the Descrob News, who was elected one of the. twelve apostles of tho mormon church last July, was sworn In. Ho said ho was a polygamlst, with two plural wives living. He has chlldicn by his lirst plural wife, but none boin since the manifesto. When elected toanapos-tleshlp toanapos-tleshlp Mr. Penrose said he was not present, but was sent for 'oy the Hist president and Informed of the elect Ion. He said he could not say whether Reed Smoot was present or not. DIDN'T LIVE UP TO AMNESTY. "Did you iccelvca special amnesty at the handsof Picsldcnt Cleveland in which one of the conditions that jou should thereafter obey the laws relating relat-ing to living in polygamy?" asked Mr. Taylor. "Yes, sir." "And have you lived up to that amnesty?" am-nesty?" "No, sir." Mr.TavIcr announced that completed his examination, and chairman Burrows Bur-rows said ho wanted to have It made clear whether Apostle Smoot was present at the conference which elected elec-ted Mr. Pentose an apostle. Not receiving re-ceiving a direct answer. Mr.Worthlng-ton, Mr.Worthlng-ton, counsel for Senator Smoot, said they would admit that Mr. Smoot had been present. WAS NO PROTEST. Mr. Penrose then said, in answer to a question that he had never heard of any one making a'protest against his election on the ground that he was a polygamlst. "Was It known that you weio a polygamlst?" po-lygamlst?" asked Mr. Burrows. "I did nothing to conceal the fact, but 1' had never Haunted It," tho witness wit-ness replied. In regard to general knowledge as to his polygamous relations, Mr. Penrose Pen-rose said that Mr. Smoot would have the same knowledge and that the testimony of President Joseph Smith before the senate committee last spring would give him this information. informa-tion. It was shown that the election of Mr.Pcnrose as an apostle took place In July this year, since that hearing. BUDGE IMPARTIAL. William Budge of Paris, Ida., testi-llcd testi-llcd that ho has three wives and that ho has had three children born since the manifesto of 1800. All of his wives live in Paris, and he testified that he does not live with one to the exclusion of tho others, most of the children are grown and live in Idaho. Of these children lie testified that one son Is a Judge of the district court, one son prosecuting attorney in Bear Lake county; one son-in-law, n. Smith Woolcy, is chief assayer of tho mint at Boise city, and one daughter is postmaster of Paris. Of himself lie admitted that he is a most prominent Mormon In Idaho, having served in the state senate and otherwise taken a leading part In church affairs. LETTER BUT INTO RECORD. mr. Taylor put into the record a long open letter written by nir. Budge on the subject of tho light made by Senator Dubois for "an unwarranted persecution" of the church, and charged him with misrepresenting conditions In the state. Senator Dubois asked a great many questions relating to the present conditions con-ditions In Idaho and the Mormon participation par-ticipation in politics. This lesultcd In u discussion between the senator and the witness concerning these subjects sub-jects and the positions they had taken. Mr. Budge reminded Mr. Dubois that ho had promised to work to repeal the Idaho test oath, and the senator replied re-plied that It was true, because ho then thought the manifesto was sincere. MR. NICHOLSON IS l.EUALLKI). John Nicholson, chief lccorder of tho Salt Lake city Temple, was recalled recall-ed find examined in regard to tho marriage mar-riage records he was supposed to bring to Washington. He stated that tho i coord lie brought contains all of the marriages that have been solemnized in tho temple since 1803, when the book was opened. "Is tho book you have hero the only one In which marriages have been ie-corded ie-corded In Jliat period?" Mr. Taylor asked. "1 have no recollection of any other." Then the witness explained that there Is another book In which Is recorded re-corded tticTseallng of men and women who have been married outside of the church. He was asked If there was still other books, and replied that the various processess each have a book. Attention was called by Mr. Taylor to the testimony of August Lundstruin that he had been scaled to his wife at aceiemony poifoimed In tho temple, tem-ple, and the witness was asked where this ceremony had been recorded. He said It was in another book. More than fifteen minutes was consumed by Mr. Taylor In a futile effort to diaw from Mr. Nicholson the proper name of tho other book referred to, and sonic reason why it had not been brought in response to the subpoena Issued bv the senate committee Senator Sen-ator McComas then asked the witness, and likewise was unsuccessful. HE DID NOT WANT TO. "You arc the keeper of this other book, arc you not?" ho asked. "Well, not the particular one." "But you know where It is?" tho Senator preslstcd. "I suppose 1 do," was the response. "Then why did you not bilng It?" "Because 1 did not want to." Mr. Nicholson then gave a long explanation ex-planation of the character of tho book In an effort to show that the subpoena of the senate, committee coiild not be held to call for any records except those of legal marriages which had taken place within the temple. He described tho second book as a record of scallngs of people going intothc temple, tem-ple, having married outside, to receive a blessing. This blessing he said was in the form of a seal and such records arc not put In the marriage book. "Are these iccords In the book you have here of the scaling of a man to a plural wife when ho already has a legal wife asked Senator McComas. "NoBir,"sald he witness, and ho added: "I am satisfied tlieic never have been any such cases in this period covered by this book." He repeated re-peated that the records which ho brought witli him arc those of marriages mar-riages of people who under tho law have a right to marry. Tho witness would not admit he knew where to ilnd the book of sealing of living people peo-ple previously married.. Chairman Burrows attempted to ascertain where this book was kept, and also some naiijo by which it could bo designated. The chairman asked a scries of questions which were not answered freely, and in the end he settled set-tled back In his chair with the remark that he had no more questions to ask. A moment later, however, he returned return-ed to the attack. "You admit that there arc other records and that they are kept In the temple. 1 want you to tell us why you did not bring them? he said. "1 had no authority to do so," said the witness. Then ho told Mr. Taylor that lie could not bring tho records without the consent of the president of the church. After half an hour more of searching questions In which all members of the committee participates", Mr. Nicholson Nichol-son stated that tho book of sealing could be Identified by the name "seal-(Continucd "seal-(Continucd on page 7.) Smoot Case. continued from page 3. ings of persons not married In the temple." lie gave also the names of his assistants whose duties arc to actually act-ually record the ceremonies In the book. He said, too, thai the books could not be removed without tho consent con-sent of the church president and-thc head of the church could not give them up without, u vote of the church. Mr. Tayler took charge of tho examination ex-amination again and bringing out the fact that ttc witness believes the records rec-ords aic still within the templc,askcd: 'If you were told by Piesldcnt Smith not to bring tho booksjou would refuse re-fuse to touch them, would you? "Yes, sir." "And if theseigeant-at arms of the senate should call on you with a warrant war-rant and demand the books and arrest you, and put you In Jail If jou did not give them up, you would still refuse to glvij them up, would you? "Yes, sir." Mr. Nicholson stated that the book of mairiages he had bmught with him contains the rccoul of tl,(t:iiiccremonles and said the book which he had not brought Is not so laigc as tills onc,antl docs not contain inme than half as many entries. "Suppose" said Mr. Worthingtou"a couple who were not married should apply to be .scaled, what would be done? "Nothing could bo done," was the reply. Mr. Nicholson said Ithat he was a polygamlst, having two wives, but when asked If any children had been born to him by his plural wife since 18!)0 he requested his questioner "to wait a minuet," adding, "I have so many that I can't remember." After the laughter had subsided the witness said that he had llftccn children, child-ren, Mr, Nicholson then was finally excused. ex-cused. Witness Hickman was lccallcd and stated that ho had had the consent of Francis M. Lyman to his plural mar riago, which had been celebrated in Mexico In 100. APOSTLE JOHN IIENUY SMITH. John Henry Smith of Salt Lake testified tes-tified that ho became an apostle of the chinch In 1888, and Is the second In rank. Ho has two wives and fifteen living children, four having tiled. He could not say how many of the seven living children of his plural wife wei.e born since tho manifesto, but thought four. He tcstlfod that he was one of the signers of the application for amnesty. am-nesty. Asked concerning his failure to practice prac-tice the agreement he thus made, he said: "Nobody can take from me my lam-lly. lam-lly. 1 am responsible to them and to (iod alone, and If my countrymen choose to punish me 1 shall have to suffer1 the consequences." The testimony or Apostle Smith In regard to his duties toward the laws j and his families was similar to that I given by President Joseph F. Smith when he appealed before the i.imntlt- tcc last spring. The witness said he icalv ' ' t those who disobejed the laws wuio amenable to tho com ts. He quoted Piesldcnt Smith as saying thaUiehad not manlcd Abiaham Cannon to Lillian Lil-lian Hamlin. NO CONCERN OF 11 IS. Asked If he had evcrconccrncd himself him-self about the fact that an apostle of the church had taken a fourth wife six years after the manifesto, Mr. Smith replied that ho felt that every man was amenable to the lawb; that tho courts have Jurisdiction, and that ho was not responsible for the acts of his associates, moral or otherwise. Mr. Taylor told the witness that tlie answer did not appear candid. Mr. Smith answered: "If I weio a grand Juryman and satisfactory sat-isfactory evidence were presented to mo of the facts you have stated 1 would have Indicted the defendant." Further than this Mr. Smith said ho could not answer. Apostle Smith told of his visit to Idaho for tho purpose of having the test oath removed from the constitution. constitu-tion. The committee adjourned the hearing hear-ing until Monday, when Apostle Smith will contlnno his testimony. |