Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-03-11
Legislature Against PoIygamy.

The bill reported by Representative
Mckee from the Committee on Terri
tories concerning the execution of the
laws in Utah gives authority to the
United States Marshal to appoint
deputies in each judicial district of
that Territory. The United States
Attorney is also authorized to appoint
assistants. 1t is made their duty to
citizens of the United Stases over
twenty-one years of age and for six
months residents of the Territory shall
be competent to serve as grand Orpetit
jurors, their names to be drawn from
box, a certain number of them being
written on slips of paper. In all
prosecutions for bigamy polygamy or
adultery it shall not be necessary to
prove either the first or subsequent
marriage by the registration or certiti-
cate thereof or other recorded evidence,
but the same may be proved by such
evidence as is admissible to prove q
marriage in civil cases and proof of
cohabitation by the accused with more
than one women as husband and wife.
His declaration or admission that such
women are his wives, and his acts,
recognizing, acknowledging introduce
ing, treating or deporting himself
toward them as such shall be admissi-
BILE as evidence. Any women now or
hereafter holding the relation ofspouse
or cOnsort, and not that of a lawful
wife, to any man who at the time CO.
habits with another women as his
wife, spouse or consort, may file her
petition asking to be discharged from
such relation. The Court may, upon
due hearing, adjudge and decree her
to be discharged and freed from such
relation, and give her possession and
control Of her minor children, together
with such portion of the estate and
property of the man as is necessary
for the support of herself and children.
The bill provides that nothing in this
section shall be construed as repeating,
changing or annuling existing laws
against polygamy, and that the
probate courts shall have jurisdiction
only in cases of wills and estates of
decedents, but shall not exercise any
other civil or criminal or equity juris-
| dictiOn whatever. The districts
courts shall have exclusive original
jurisdiction in all its actions for
divorce ralimony, and in all chancery
cases or proceedings. All courts,
except the Supreme, District and
Probate and Justices Courts are abol-
ished. The last section disapproves
and annuls various acts passed in the
Legislative Assembly including the
ordinance Incorporating the Church OF
Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints;
an act regulating the mode of pro-
cedure in civil cases in the courts of
Utah an act comforting upon women
the elective franchise an act for the
organization of the militia of the Terri
tory an act prescribing the duties of
selectmen and the duties of county
courts ; an act in relation to writs of
ejectment an act regulating the
mode of procedure jim criminal cases
an act regulating elections an act
concerning the property rights of mar
ried persons also all acts providing
for the election by the Legislature OF
Auditor, Treasurer, Surveyor General
and Wardens of Penitentary, so far as
said acts provide for the election OF
J said officers by the Legislative Assem-
bly,, and all of said officers shall be
appointed by the Governor of the
Territory and subject to removal by
him. The bill was ordered to be
printed and recOmmitted to the COM
| mittee.