New-York tribune., 1871-11-04
THE UTAH CRISIS.

"A CRITICISA ON AhE NAsOOANNSNNS~'' L
Fe Ae Rditor -e{ TAS -TFSA&ae.
Sir: Thomas HaWkins, the husband of three
MORMON wives by an Of whom he has children has been
convicted Of adulterT by jury Of antiOrmons ana
10 be aeatepced Saturday, the 2sth instant Ia hn
derStood and has been for some weeks, that MS PUNISH
ment VIII cover mprisonment for several years anu
WhHtAyer ne his property viii suppy IL stated tnst
the extreme term OF Imprisonment provided by tho
stakpte20 yeArs- TO be reserved for Brigham AOuns
and the other MORMON leaders, who will also oe
in heavy fines adultery ranking only seeond 70 muuer
in, the Mormon codes Of law ana morals'
Thomas Hawkins is, in the oIanon OF his orethreh'
martyr to his faith he has lived his regiop ana lOr
th fathulncss he Ia to suffer. To the average Mormon
mind there nothing shocking in the uncean details OF
the practical workings of the many-wife system gwen
with such minueness by the prosecuting Wtness' mrs
Hawkins "number one" This woman-fOrmerV de-
voted Mormon but since her quarrel with her huspahd
ave years snce spOstate trOm the fath-mamiestea
shpe Wdness In her before the Jury aud
pleaded the Of the prosecution with no little ngenn
Ity tes&cd 10 the general gsod conouct or nus
band father of her living and hve dead children
upto the period Of her employment OF Mormon servant
girl for whom the man Hawkins speedily confessed an
attachments and to whom he was at length sealed"
by the ceremonial Of the church Against this proceed
ing the Orig gnal Mrs Hawkins felt inclined to protest.
but confesses to have been finally talked into 1t.
The servant became Mrs. Hawkins No. and the equal
OF Mrs Hawkins Mol.
With eve unEoved and forehead unabashed
she dined frOu o the plate she lstely waibed"
This promotion far from agreeable to the first wife.
Sc found herself occupying plano no higher than that
of late servant in the esteem and affection Of her
husband Society too gave the servant equal place
with the wife, At the tablehe husband sat with the
first wife his right hand the second on his left Bad
hours passed by the wife and mother, especially
during the many nights Of watchfu loneliness when the
husband was missing from her side. Clearly she was
for the fresh young serving woman by whom
this devoted saint must raise up seed to Israel"
Evidently Mrs. Hawkins number one managed to make
the life Of the sanity Hawkins anything but pleasant
this forth. To this fact she testified In open
In the presence of learned judges and eminent
barrisers this good and mucabused woman swore not
only in technical sense hut in the sense ascrOed TO
army in Flanders" that she lost her faith in the
damned doctrine Of plurality from the moment when
she found herself deserted by her husband for the
superior charms of that youthful hewer Of the
domestic wood and drawer Of the family
dish-water, Elizabeth Mears. stin she held on,
Conceaing her grief from all but the husband-whOse
Hfe it Is believed this amiable lady managed to make
sufficiently miseTable-unt the terrible day when num-
hcr three-one Sarah Davs-succumbed to the charms
Of the Irresistible Hawkins This damsel was quite at
tractiVe in appearance, and although far from dmin-
tive stature she yet proved TO be the last feather In
the poygamous cap Of this bird Of prey Hawkins as
wen the last required to break the back and heart
Of that not too patient camel, number For FIVE
years she lived alone supported by her muchwcdded
husband, but longer sustaining toward him the
3iley relation. All this time she lived in the hope and
expectation that the would yet abandon the recent
fractions himself and cleaye unto that
iorOrn segment with whom he had dwet not unhapply
for than years When at last she had sufficiently
realized the hearckness Of hope deferred, she sought
lawyers and the sweet revenge which courts
ard juries hold III store Then followed the complaint
the Indictment and the conviction. Her husbands law
ycrs suggested compromise and pictured the desoa
ton Of the family when the property should all be wasted
In defending the suit; to which came the spirited rcjon-
der tnat she would prefer to enrich the lawyers rather
than allow her husband to support his outside women
on an equality with herself, In all the public proceed
ings she showed herself not only match for Hawkins
and an army Of plural wives but for bench and bar alike
cr triumph complete. For her years Of suffering she
now has the satisfaction of seeing her husband nCarce
rated and seized to court expenses and
lawyers fees She goes forth in poverty to exist as best
may Though she starve her revenge a. least is fed
Strange but true is that in this community this first
wife live frendless and alone. She has dared to
rebel against sacred institution Of plural marriage
and henceorth she meets anathemH" If she has friends
now they must be OF the Gentle faith. No true Nor
mon would give her food shelter. Judging from her
appearance in court do not think her presence would
add materially to the happiness of family II her
disposition by sweet the wODdcful ferment-
I'VE power Of this paiarchal system is made apparent
for the gall Of bitterness is nothing compared with
ncr present mental condition.
II would naturally supposed that the two young
Womon-with whom this man has been convicted Of
adulterOus intercourse extending term Of years
would be Stunned vile and immoral characters. Those
readers of THE TRIBUNE who have little knowledge Of
things Mormon will be surprised to learn that these
women are accepted permanent pensioners by the
Church. that they practically treated as widows
having their wants supplied until such time as the hus
band secures his release and again maintain them
To the Church they his wives-nOt simply for this
state Of existence but for all eternity. These marriages.
tolemnizcd by "he Priesthood" TO be annulled
ny the Courts. To the devOut Mormon, mar
rage is a sacrament Of the holest character.
and the more OF these sacraments he celebrates
the more perfect will be his salvation. Hawkins is not
an attractive man. though said TO be good tinSmith
as old England ordinarily sends forth; but 1t must he
oncedcd that he "dd his level best" toward securing
his eternal salvation wives could contribute
that desirable contamination. To the unregenerate |
locker this prominent artcer In sheetron and
kndred substances is simply low vulgar fellow, honest
enough doubt IN his strange faith and temperate
hard-wOrking man. all men say; to the Mormon he is
martyr to glorious faith noble above all Others, be-
sause the first suffer the discharge Of this particular
Aid binding duty.
Let it not be supposed that the women Of Utah gen.
orally the fcclgs which appear to have animated
this woman who has thus endesyOred to right wrong
from which she has suffered beyond the power, she
declares OF her very vOlube tongue TO describe
The most earnest in their condemnation Of her
are those Of her own sex who are living in the pOyg
amOus relation. From day TO day during the progress
Of the trial Mormon wives have sought admission the
courtroom have eyineed the utmost interest IN the
proceedings That the female element here thoroughly
aroused no careful observer can doubt. That mis- |
chief ls meant clear. The sixteen wives ofBrigham
Young, who, by the terms Of the indictment |
against that cheftan, stigmatzed prostitutes,
whose children with much legal yerbage classified
as baStarda. in fever Of modification and rage.
The same is true OF the 1--WE wives OF Daniel H. Wells
aWAN NnAk alnlEa Thnan