| OCR Text |
Show r i r uiH WHY MRST MARGARET OEDD'I H WAS IT EXCOMikffl ' ij Bishop's Court Had Ordered Her Expelled From the Church, H If She Did Not Disclose the Identity of the Fajherof Al- H bert, But David Eccles Saw the Higher Authorities H and the Proceedings Were Dropped, Sto H Mrs. Geddes Testifies. H On April 24, 1900, after Mrs. Margaret Mar-garet Geddes, then residing in Plain City, had refused to disclose the name of the father of her infant son, the bishop's court of that ward of the Mormon church, took action and threatened excommunication, but David Da-vid Eccles, by interceding in her behalf be-half with the higher authorities of the church, saved her that humiliation, so Mrs. Geddes testified today on cross examination in the suit of Albert Geddes. Ged-des. her 16-year-old son, against the David Eccles estate estimated to have a value of $6,500,000, the establishing of heirship in which would give to young Geddes approximately $200,000. Mrs. Geddes again stated that Mr. Eccles had repeatedly requested her not to divulge the paternity of her child before the Senator Reed Smoot Investigation in Washington and had told her that If they asked if "Mr. Eccles" was the father or the child, she could 'have some other Eccles in mind and truthfully say no. Mr. Ec- cies nau cauuoneu ner mat u wouiu ruin him If it were knownthat he was the father of the child an'd he expected expect-ed that she would stand by him and shield him. At the opening of the trial, Mrs. Geddes was again called to the stand to testify on redirect and recross examination. ex-amination. She appeared well rested and showed no bad effect of yesterday yester-day afternoon's illness, -when she was compelled 4o discontinue her testimony testi-mony for a time. The decision of tho bishop's court at Plain City of April 24, 1900, had been identified before the court and jury at the request of the defendants, but thev did not offer it in evidence. Today Judge King, for the plaintiff, presented it and read it into the record. rec-ord. It was signed by Bishop George W. B ram well. The document stated that Mrs. Geddes Ged-des had showed a spirit of penitence, for -which she had the sympathy and respect of the board, but it was regretted re-gretted that she had transgressed atttasttfesllav'5JoS'fl:;,tiujT?j. b.y being be-ing the mother bf' a child wnose rather ra-ther was not known. The decision of the board was that she should be excommunicated from the church because of her "transgression, "transgres-sion, the order to go into effect on May 15. 1900, unless", before that time, she should divulge the paternity of the child. In answer to Judge King. Mrs. Geddes Ged-des said that she did not divulge the name of the father of her son Albert ( and that she was never deprived of i her standing In the church. She had i previously 'testified that she had done temple work until about IS months ago, and that members of the church were not permitted to wor:c in the temple tem-ple except those in good standing. Respecting the order of the bishop's court, Mrs. Geddes said she soon after talked the matter over wiUi Mr Eccles Ec-cles and that he told her, he would take the matter up with the church authorities. She understood that he had done so and that it was through his influence with the leaders of the church that the order of excommunication excommuni-cation did not go into effect tier further testimony related to conversations with Mr. Eccles as to the advisability of her writing Mr. Eccles Ec-cles a letter naming some other person per-son as the father of her child, and relating to what Mr. Eccles had requested re-quested her to do at the Senator Reed Smoot, investigation in Washington in 1904. She nlso said that, in 1910. Mr. Eccles told her that he had not told the president of the church, Joseph Jo-seph F. Smith, the paternity of the child and she told him that she would do so. This statement was made, she said, at the time Mr. Eccles threatened threat-ened suit for libel against the Salt Lake Tribune for accusing him of being be-ing the father of the child in polygamous polyga-mous marriage. She said that Mr. Eccles wanted her to deny that he was the father of the child but that she had refused to do so and had said that she was going to tell the truth to President Smith. Judge King continued with his redirect re-direct examination of the witness most of the forenoon, and Attorney C. A. Boyd was examining her on re-cross re-cross examination at the time of the adjournment at noon. Mrs. Geddes seemed to be considerably amused at times when the attorney for the defendants de-fendants insisted that she not make so many explanations about, her testimony. testi-mony. . The witness said that Mr, Lccies, on tho last day of his life, told her that ho had arranged for certain stocks in the sugar company and also In the lumber company to be turned over to her. He hod told her of this, she said, because she had asked him to make some arrangements for thel protection of herself and boy luggH he should die. She told hlnmtM might die at any time "iliH should be protected. JH she sayiuH w h om die," aojfH die for a "H Pie toldHH to uerjHH woJH9HB9 stock in her name."- He'also wroteOior JH that in all likelihood theiUuHttpas" onHH stock that she: had.jireviouBly received fH from his father, were pergonal favors "H rather than because of any stock i her "H late husband, William Geddes, owned ""H in any of the Eccles companies. ' H The. witness was again te quired to H explain conversation with Mr. Eocles "H regarding the secret of the pate'n&ty "H of the 'child, and she said that, while H she (considered it1 "a cruel requeue ""H she had compiled, stating, howeYerv "H thati-ewVa'iQjniilIe about it if Om M was brought into coDdt'on libel proJ''H ceedings for any amoumr 'ofSmoPj'''H She said that Mr. EcclesVtold herH she could have the money recoH'''H from the Tribune in a damage suitT""H she would say the child was nothis-l'''H Because of her firmness in not abree- VH ing to say that Mr. Eccles was not'j""H the father of Albert, the''wltness re- '"H peated. the proposed Tribune 'suit H was dropped. il Mrs. Geddes "was questioned at con- H air?ATilila lATirrft. nvi liar f oaf Irrtnrnr rif IH a few days ago about the furnishings JH of her house, the safety deposits "lH the bank, the purchase of a plano'nnjH other minor matters. JM Afternoon Session. H It is questionable whether H Geddes will be released from '-ll ress stand earlier than late tblsjfl ning, as the attorney for the (Ie ants began a rather extendod hI examination this afternoon on Vl question as to what action she hau H taken about the order from the Plain M City bishopric providing a conditional jl excommunication. This line of ques- M tioning may lead into many ramfiica- M tions as to who interceded lor her be- H fore the authorities of the church ' higher up than the bishopric. '1 Mrs. Geddes testified that she had jH taken no action personally to have ; M the order reversed, or set aside, but M that she understood that Mr. Eccles H and others had done so. "At any rate,,f H she said, "1 nave not been excomraunl- H cated." - r- The witness suiteo. mat nen tim ;m told Mrs. Maria "Eccle'S" that sop woUrtLH not blame the church for her pHirajH marriage with David Eccles, bccau&H it was after tho time of the num-H festo, she had already claimed Al'fH bert's heirship to Mr. Eccles estate. jH She said that the statement was madelH to Mrs. Eccles In April, of 1913. ' Respecting her communication tq jH David C. Eccles about stock in the',H sugar and the lumber company tho M witness said that In a second letter' JH to D. C. Eccles which was writtenjH , January, 1913, she referred to netH I as Albert Eccles, which, in bar tVH was tantamount to claimiug his hevnH Mrs. Geddes further said that the.H late David Eccles told her of arrange- jH ments to have certain stocks turned 'm over to her just after tho Smoot In- JH vestigation. as well as on the night M preceding Mr. Eccles' death. On tb?H night of his sudden demise, the w-H ness said, she had talked a great djl with him about Albert and he h2d fH plained fully to her that she and the. H boy would be taken care of in any" H eventuality. She said it was seven' m teen minutes past eight o'clock m tne H evening when Mr. Eccles left het H home to catch a car for Ogden, Shcj H beard of his death the next mornimj H when a neighbor brought her a new-B Mrs. Geddes said she did jgH pear before the bishop's couH the decision of provisional eJjH nicatlon had bten made, as --H not think It necessary. She ,iaid tnal ffH she understood that others were tek- H Ing up the matter with the church an-. H thorlties In Salt Lake. H It was expected that George F,4- H GIbbs. secretary to the president of IH the Mormon church, would be placed H on the witness stand this afternoon, tm but he will not be called to testify H today even though the cross examlna- H tion of Mrs. Geddes should be co H eluded In time to place another wi- H ness on the stand. In case another m witness should he called before ad- H journmenUthis-afternoon, it will be -K some orfeother than Mr. Gibbs. possl- H Wx&m ember of the Nellson family. H The Neilsons and Mr. Gibbs. it is un- JM derstood. will testify respecting the H purported acknowledgmen t, hy Mr. Jm Eccles of Mrs. Geddes as his wife and IM Albert as his son. H The letter of excommunication as H sent to Mrs. Geddes on April 24, 1900, H was introduced, as follows JM Order of Excommunlcatfon.B'H April 2 mM "Sister Margaret Geddes, H City, Utah. H cons!(JH case (1 J the spl JgM tang the invrH Why Mrs. Geddes Was Not Excommunicated (Continued from Page 1.) for the wrong done and recommend them to extend you tho hand of fellowship fel-lowship as heretofore. "But in case you refuse to divulge the name of the father of your child by the date mentioned, you forfeit your standing in the church. (Signed) GEO. W. BRAMWELL, Bishop. A. MAW, First Counsellor. PETER C. GREEN, Second Counsellor. P, B. GREEN, Clerk. Letter by D. C. Eccles. Tho David C Eccles' letter was as follows "Oregon Lumber -Co, Lumber Manufacturers, Manu-facturers, Ogden, Utah, Dec. 24. '12. "Mrs. M. F. Geddes, 26 E. 12th So. St, Salt Lake City, Utah. "Dear Madam- Replying to your letter let-ter of the 17th InsL asking if we had found any stock In your name or in the name of Mr. Stuart Williams, will say that the books of the Oregon Lumber Lum-ber company do not show any stock in either name, and neither have we found any paper of my father's which would indicate that you had any holdings hold-ings in this company, and I am Inclined In-clined to think that the dividends you have received havo been more of a personal favor than due you from stock held in this company by your husband. "Yours very truly. (Signed) "D. C. ECCLES." (Continued on Page i.) WHY MRS. MARGARET GEDDES WAS NOT EXCOMMUNICATED (Continued from Pago 1) LETTERS INTRODUCED. Among tho letters introduced yesterday yes-terday were tho following: Suggests Traveling Map. "Plain City, March 8, 1903. "Mr. Grant Geddes. My Dear Brother: Bro-ther: "The children are all at Sunday school so thought I would take tho opportunity of writing to you. Well at last Bishop Bramwell has sent me back my recommend. I suppose the letter you sent to Shurtliff had the desired effect. Now, what shall I do with it' Shall I send it to Bishop Taylor again or shall I retain It? It is dated October 21. "Well, Grant, I am in a state of great anxiety the last week past. Albert's Al-bert's father has not sent any remittance remit-tance fon- the month. As ho has never disappointed me before. I am very uneasy. The store, milk, butter but-ter and sundry other bills for last month aro unpaid. I was out ?10, last month for coal. Well, perhaps he will send tho money soon or perhaps per-haps he will not. Now this is confidential, con-fidential, so please do not mention It. Last month I saw him, and as I havo screened him all theso years of my own wish and desire, he now wishes me to como out in writing, exonerating exonerat-ing him from all blame, and to invent some story about a traveling man whose name I have forgotten, etc. Well, I could not feel secure In doing all ho desired Of course you must remember he said if I did this thing it would not Injure mo In any way, but would make it possible for him to help me openly, as It would sweep away all suspicion. I wrote him once before at his asking, saying that ho was not the father of Albert That was when Albert was only 5 or 6 months old but I feel like It would hardly be right to Albert to steal away his birthright with a stroke of tho pen for this reason. I last month wrote to his father part of what ho desired me to write namely that it was a traveling man. Well, of course, he Is a traveling man, but does not travel to sell goods. I also said, 'God help the man that denies his own littlo child and several other things that I know would not suit, but Grant It is ono thing for me of mj' own account to shield him, yet another thing to Invent a fabrication that will sully my name moro than ever, and place Albert in a worso position than he Is now in. Well, whether he is angry with mo or not I cannot help it, but he has gone off without letting me know or sending mo a check. I never asked him for an allowance but he always sent it as it was utterly Impossible to get along without. Thero Is no use ruining ruin-ing my health any more than Is necessary neces-sary I havo fretted, worried and suffered suf-fered so much that I cannot worlc as I did heretofore Ho has more money mon-ey than ho knows what to do with, so the pittance that ho has sent to mo has been nothing to him although it did keep the wolf from our door. Well, I am more than sorry to even let you know this about tho man that has spoiled my life and yet I honor him. "Grant, pleaso do not over mention this, but borrow some money from the Oregon Lumber company and send It to mc by return mall. Perhaps ho will havo sent mo by that time or have given Instructions to send mo some. I havo some bills to meet right away and just because I have no money everyone is sending in their bills. Rachel even sent for tho milk bill. You had better borrow $30 If he sends will send it back right away. Well Grant when I asked you to get me a pass It was to let you know other things as well as this and to ask your advice as I was afraid U write. Well goodbye and wrlto mo a return mall. (Signed) MAGGIE." f --t Offers to Buy Home. "Oregon Lumber Co., Lumber Manufacturers, Man-ufacturers, David Eccles, Prest. and General Manager. "Ogden, TJtah, July S, 1905 "Mrs. M. F. Geddes, Salt Lake City, Utah: "Dear Sister: Pfec. your letter and r seeing you had to move I thought If a house could be got somewhalr for about $1000 that I would help you get It. I spoko to Hiram Young and told him your condition that you had $400 and that If ho new of some praco at about $1000 I would help you get it. he did not know of any but said he would seo some real estate dealers and see what he could do I also spock to Mr. Murphy of tho Utah Lumber Co. and ask him to look ouL I see a house for sale on tho block you live on I think It Is the 2 house from tho corner going up town. It is about like the ono you live In you might seo what tbey ask for It and let me know. I hope you will bo able to find a place to suit. you before you have to move. I will close hoping this will find you all well. I remain your Friend as Ever (Signed) D. a ECCLES." Goes to Theatre. "Salt Lake City, Utah, Jan. 16. "Sister Maggie Geddes. "I havo been trying to get time to call on you but find it Impossible at present I will try and see you next month. If possible. I hope this will find you all well as it leaves us at home. Winnie and her husband hus-band stopped over at Ogden with us two weeks on their way homo and we took them to the theatre and they had a pleasant time and went as far as Logan with them on their way home. "Enclosed find a bill for your New Year's gift. "Hoping to see you soon "Your friend as ever, "D. E." En Route to Europe. "On train for Chicago "May 4, 1910, Lormoy "With Mrs. E. and Twins going to Europ. , "Well, Sister Maggie, I forgot to send j'ou your Davidean before I left I was only going to send you 30 Dollars Dol-lars as that was all that was coming but on second though I send you 50 so you can pay up your debtors. Expect Ex-pect to get home in about 2 weeks. Hoping this will find you all well I am as over your Friend and Brother (Signed) "D. ECCLES." To Meet at Conference Time. "On train near Evanston, March 28, 1911. "Tho Los Angeles Limited, Electric Lighted, Chicago & North Western, Union Pacific, Salt Lake Route. "You will see by this I am on my way to Ogden. I have been east as far as New York and I know wnen I get homo I will be very busy as I was thinking about you on tho train and thought perhaps you are in need of a ck 60 am sending it in case I might forget when I get to Ogden. I have been gone for 12 days had rather a hard trip as the weather was cold and stormy. I will close hoping this will find you all well and that I will see you about conference time. "I am your fried & Bro D Eccles. "It la hard to write the train shakes so." " |
