The New York herald., 1874-09-02
TIE PROPHET ACCUSED OF PERJURY.
He Blindly Repudiates the Super
numsrary Wives.
GOOD MoRMONS INDIGNANT.
The Nuptial Ritual as Performed in the
Latter Day Church e ~
SAT- LAxy CITY, August %, 1874

SALT LAKE CITY, Au0USS 20 1914
The community was startled this morning oy
the publication Of Brigham Young's legal defence
IN answer to the claim of his nineteenth wife for
bill OF divorce and altmony. IL Is Just about
year since this case Was orought before the Third
District Court in this city and the plalnttn, Mrs.
Ann Eliza Young. claimed 100000 Tor damages.
$4,000 for lawyers fees and an allmony OF 81. 300
per month for the remainder OF her widowho0d.
It Is needless to pass an opinion upon she
amounts here stated % In all PROBABILITY the at
torneys who dSew mp the com piaint had no idea OF
any such sums being adJudged by she Court the
fact however, that these sums were set forth by
Mrs. Young furnished tho disciples with An oppor-
tunity OF crying out that 1t was "a 0lsckmail
operation The attorneys, on the other hand.
assumed that Brigham Young was very wealthy
man, with an income OF at least $4,000 per moath
so that the dissatisfied wife was fully entitled to
ali that was asked for
The attorneys Tor Brigham responded at that
time. and challenged the jurisdiction Of the United
States District Court in matters of divorce, and
there the case was laid over. The passage of the
Poland bill and that granting full jurisdiction in
divorce cases TO District Court brings the
up again.
A TEST QUESTION.
The Importance OF this case cannot be overestt-
mated ss 1t viii become test question ana settle
forever what the national Congress is going TO
permit In THIS Territory in the name OF poygamy.
1t another interesting phase. for 1t will define
to the Mormon mind the exact status OF the plural
wives-wnat they are and what they are not.
1t mas never been expected by any sensible per-
son that Mrs. Ann Eliza Young could get divorce
from Brigham Young, for the United States courts
could not compel him 70 give divorce to woman
whom the law could not recognize as his wife.
The present action, therefore, was undertaken, I
think. with the view OF forcing Brigham to come
into court and define his position. That he has
Vow done.
BRIGHAMs DEFENCE
The points of the defence take everybody out
side OF his ring with surprise, for they to
the vulgar pubic 'conspicuously inexact." de
denies that Ann Eliza was ever his vile; nrst be.
cause she mad been married before and had not
been divorced; second, that he had been married
IN Klrtand, ONO. in 1884. and that the said Ohio
wife was still living Brigham does not deny the
adultery, but he AYERS tnat It was under the
name Of celestial marriage kind Of mutual
arrangement according to faith.
The following is the DEFENDANTS answer in full -
DEFENDANTS ANSWER.
the Dsf, y oos coan1 nTa 81 s Ann q a s
Youns sa,'of g. her next fend Georss aaSwe Di.na
Now COMES the said defendant. Brigham Young and
for to me ene S oi s % be q S d y Ao o
I6s al the county OF Satake Territory at any
snef % S aes That me
% s f & ss
on snd belief alleges hat before that tme-to wit on
rIory-tte said Palntiff was married to one James I.
& Of rIG u B M he % pn asf .s n S On ss
ss % s .,d . AI I p.s ps sna M Il hs
is nov advised and believes having been dlvosced from
the s soa or the S dsg At Of
ceremony reefsed 70 ne was informed ana
the
And tn. deenaans uhes aes.. that
& Of y mi 81 the % an
Unmarried man, was duly and ,sSwally .S married to
nd aaq 81 G o .d Mas
soiemnize marriages.
consSn%stsd and mat the said Mary Ann Angel who
K SUE and @ spS s 81 hs
~ OF which saia facts the said compainan, on the et
fuL Know ledge and information.
But defendant says that he sna the said complainant
were on the 9th day Of April, isss members Of the
Of sad creS that members
thereof might rightiuly enter into plural or celestial
And defsndsnt admits that on the eth day Of April
with and the said doctrine, custom
% g
plural celestial rrisge; the said rst wife Of this
sls:%s .sas ma sa: 1af
or at any mat Other s' he sad SsS e.
pIaind ntermerried any other or different sense or
sadsnt further .sass that said ecmplsinsn. was
at n Of aa apa IN and q. Ms
Aforesaid she could not have and need expect the
ordinary relation 6stwess husband ana vile - -
asa arraSs wsh at any oSe ss @ ie
comrnenced practissd toward the said ps I'm
ness or cruel or nhaman tTesmen ending in an sOso
this deiendant alleges that he has always ana At s
times treated the said plaintiff with due kindness aud
Defendant denies that during the 1889 or at any
PRESSED wishes Or to Tm
longing 70 Defendant situated tour miles from SAT- Lake
denies h.. an the time Ss q any
me nis service. order obtain the necessary mean
Az oBjscIroSAsL. sorzxs n-IAw.
r %s.gnsa "a s
her rre from having Of forbade her
he M s e said
became inhrm ana unable TO render assistance to sal
ne place Or or 20 tn the psin,f
wR Se Dn reaea he treated plain
tin with studied neglect or contempt or any neglect
that h. e eT cause e ss
f wSad ard % ns ne he
n's w ias 70
whle plaintiff resided defendants farm She re
stricted 10 the coafseH and meagre to coars
and meage iss Or that irsn necessity she had to dres
" mArner wholly unsuitable at all unsuitable 4
her 81 uon and position IN life" But the contrary
defendant alleges that during ali OF said time SAID
plantfn was provided by this with plenty
food and clothing and Keep the said plaintiff
and her family as well provided for and as elegantly
dressed a. was usual or CONSTANT with the simple man
s: :na ns n s % ns S @ ss.s time
the said plaintn In salt Lake City and sne resided
In said city 10 deiendants house from that until or
or about the 18TH day Of july A. D. 1873 at which
mentioned time defendant that the said plantit
voluntarily and without his knowledge or conse nj an
without any cause for tear violence hostility or vu
defendant did leave, desert abs
don deisndaot's house and premises sioce which TIM
plaintiff haa not solicited aid assistance de
tendant nor has he given her
Defendant denes that plaintiff was constrained by he
dssttuton feeble he Alth fears OF violence tn
hostility vindicve disposition OF defendant 70 vacat
said house but alleges thet while she resided there
provided her with ample means to live upon, apd tbs
he never ny word 0therwise, gave the plaintiff an
rsAaoa that he would treat her with violence