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Show V A RED LETTER DAY. Bishop Clawson Stays With His Religion Re-ligion and Gets the Usual Dose of Three-Six. - But an Angel Falls from Grace and the - Spirit Leaves Him When in Sight of the Pen. Sensible Sep. Sears Will be an American Ameri-can Citizen, and Live and Obey the ' " Law and But One Wife. This was made a memorable day in the Third District Court by following the long pending Hopt trial with a half-dozen notable unlawful cohabitation cases. Shortly after 10 o'clock, with the room filled with many ladies and gentlemen, several of whom were friends of the arraigned ar-raigned parties, Judge Harkness addressed the Court and laid that BISHOP HIRAM B. CLAWSON Desired to withdraw hi3 former plea of "not guilty." ' , Mr. Clawson. being perfectly familiar with the charges in the indictment, said, upon the inquiry being made, that he was guilty of unlawful cohabitation. Time was offered;; him by the Court in which to make . a statement, but it was waived. . ... - Judge Zane, addressing him, said : You, understand, I believe, thelaw in your case. Do you desire to say anything? any-thing? Mr. Clawson. With your Honor's permission, yes, I would like to say a few words in regard to this matter. I am arraigned before this Court for a misdemeanor, misde-meanor, not fully understood. I HAVE LIVED WITH MY WIVES AND CHILDREN CHIL-DREN FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS In exactly my present relations. I have been with this church for nearly forty years, and believed that I- was doing something in this life to merit a sought-for sought-for reward hereafter. When I married my wives they were young. We made the most solemn, covenants known to man to live the lives we now are living. They are growing gray with time, and now" to ask me to cast them and my childen off, is to put all to naught. What is this thing thought of? So far as I live up to my chosen religion, I am ostracised. os-tracised. But will I turn my wives and children away and then bear their just censure? I say, no! To me there are but two courses to pursue ; one is prison and honor, the other liberty and dishonor, dis-honor, and I. will abide by the conse- Judge Zane Mr. Clawson, it becomes the duty of the Court to now pronounce the sentence of the law. You state as a reason for your course that you formed the relations which are now to be punished pun-ished many years ago. It appears to be the opinion, of some of the members at least, of the sect to which you belong, THAT POLYGAMY WAS LAWFUL PREVIOUS TO THE EDMUNDS ACT. There never has been a time in these United States when polygamy was lawful. More than 100 years ago the greatest commentator in the United States said in relation to plural marriage that it was unlawful, and that a second marriage was void under the laws of Mexico. Before Utah was ceded to the government plural marriage was unlawful, and AT THE TIME YOU MARRIED THESE WIVES IT WAS UNLAWFUL And caused children to be stamped as bastards. r Because you say you thought it. right at the time, and that you were committing no offense against the law, is no defense for your course. A man's internal in-ternal feelings are not touched by the laws of his country. HE CAN THINK AND BELIEVE AND WORSHIP, But at the same time the arm of the law protects society and humanity against the encroachments of polygamy and all crime. The American people, together with the whole civilized world, believe and practice prac-tice the monogamic marriage system with the almost solitary exception of this people. peo-ple. This institution you have entered into is an unjust contract. Here Judge Zane spoke at length of the solemn and sacred duties of one man toward one . woman in the marrirA 1K(vn i You say you are a loyal citizen of the United States, and yet you say you will not obey the laws for which millions of as brave and good men as ever lived have proudly served and died to- preserve. pre-serve. As a man I have nothing to say concerning your case. I regret that you have not the bravery and courage to stand up to protect the laws of your country. YOU SAY YOU ARE AFRAID OF BEING OSTRACISED. OS-TRACISED. . - If y6u say you are determined to live up to live up to your adulterous relations I must obey my duty as Judge of this court and see that the extreme penalty be imposed im-posed , upon you. You will therefore be sentenced to - the ' penitentiary for six months and pay a fine of $300 and costs. . . This settled the important matter, and scored another victory for the laws of the Union. -: : WILL-LET JOHANNA GO, AND. OBEY THE LAW. Following the disposition of Bishop Clawson's case, T.- O.. Angel, the bicyclist bicy-clist and assistant architect of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as he put it, was called, and listened with head erect to the reading of the indictment indict-ment found against him for unlawful cohabitation. co-habitation. He . withdrew his former plea of not guilty, and acknowledged the corn. The Court asked him if he desired de-sired an attorney, to which, he replied he did not. . : . Judge Zane. Have you a statement or anything you wish to say? A. Yes, sir; simply one thing. As to Johanna Gregory and myself, we have MUTUALLY AGREED TO LIVE WITHIN THE LAW. " Court Do you say your intentions are sworn in good faith to live within the laws of the United States in the future ? f , ,e madea promise to not violate any of the' laws. Court You do not say directly that you will obey the Edmunds law, and not advise ad-vise any one to break it in the future. I am exercising discretion, and what I want to know is, whether or not you intend in-tend in the future to obey the laws of the United States against polygamy and unlawful un-lawful cohabitation. Here the ambitious Angel tried again to make himself conspicuous, and evade the proper answer -hy quibbling, and finally saying: "My. feelings are to keep the law, but SUPPOSE IT SHOULD BE REPEALED." A faint laughter throughout the room was silenced, and the Court informed the young pupil in search of knowledge that a law ceased to be such when repealed and therefore he could not breat it if he wanted to. - Judge Zane displayed unusual forbearance forbear-ance in answering the trifling questions and informed Truman O. Angel that he said he believed it right to obey the law but could not promise to do right when it reflected on himself. . Finally Mr. Angel said he would promise prom-ise to obey all laws in the future in this matter, in consideration of which good . '. . ' V JO intent the Court felt disposed to use discretion dis-cretion in imposing the fine, seeing that Angel supports a family of ten on $1,200 a year, and taxed him $150 and costs for his offense, without any imprisonment. SWAIN AND PORCHER PLEAD NOT GUILTY. Robert Swain, indicted on the 26th of September for unlawfully living and , cohabiting co-habiting with Mary Swain, Julia Johnson and Sophia. Johnson as his wives, was before Judge Zane this morning, and in answer to the indictment pleaded not guilty. He asked for trial, which was set for Saturday, the 10th of October. Thomas Porcher, in company with his Scotch brother, stood up and listened to the reading of the indictment found by the Grand Jury against him for living unlawfully .with Hannah and Eliza Porcher, Por-cher, as his wives. He plead not guilty, and will be heard in trial on October 10th. S. W. SEARS STEPS TO THE FRONT. The climax of to-day's wholesale business busi-ness in Judge Zane's court centered in the manly action of Mr. S.' W. Sears. Ever since the assistant superintendent of the Z. C. M. I. was arrested and arraigned for unlawful cohabitation, his numerous acquaintances and friends among the Mormons and Gentile3 have wondered how Mr. Sears, as a practical business man, would plead. To-day he came into court with Mr. Parley Williams, who explained ex-plained to the Judge that Mr. Sears was present to make a plea in the case of the United Statesagainst him for unlawful co- uauuauuu. Mr. Sears stood up' while the clerk read the indictment found against him charging charg-ing the defendant with living for a stated number of years with Mary Needham-Sears Needham-Sears and Belle Whitney as his wives. He pleaded guilty, and Mr. .Williams stated to the Court that the defendant was ready for sentence. . . : ' The Court Mr. Sears, have you anything any-thing to say before sentence is given ! Mr. Sears It is my purpose, your honor, to obey the laws of my country in the future. . s Court Do you promise in good faith to obey the laws against polygamy and unlawful cohabitation, as interpreted by the Court? A. Yes, sir; I do promise. Court In consideration of your course and, as I believe, honest intent, I will impose a light fine. You are ordered to pay $300 and costs. Mr. Sears left the- court room high in the respect of every American Citizen for the brave and commendable action he took in the face of two fires. |
