The New York herald., 1877-09-17
THE MORMON KINGDOM.
History Of Elias Smith, the Recusant
Mormon Judge.
FACILITY FOR OBTAINING DIVORCES.
A Startling Exposure of the
System Expected.
TIE LATEST REVELATION.
Fun Text Of the Epistle by the
.s Twelve Apostles.
FACILITY FOR OBTAINING DIVORCES.
THE LATEST REVELATION.
A TAME BIT OF cHARLATANIsM.


Elias Smith, the Probate Judge at Salt Lake City,
refuses to allow the Grand Jury now in session
to peep into his records Chief Justice shaecr
the Federal Court has started with the determi-
nation that tho Grand Jury shall those records
NJ once, otherwise the repelious Mormon have
to pay dearly for withholding them. 1t Is presume ed
that the Chiof Justice had tho authority to instruct
the Grand Jury to the Of the Probate
Court. and as Judge Smith Is unquostionaby the best
representative OF Mormon Jurisprudence in that
rtory, and should know the result Of such conduct II
natural TO infer that there very pungen
for his treating the order Of the higher Court with
contempt. Tho Mormon Judge cannot put forth tho
plea Of ignorance, for he is not an ignorant man
From all reports that TO Us from Utah we expect
oil the Mormon court records. # brought to light,
would exhibit fearful amount OF crookcdness.
OF .'DRoruER ELlAs."
"Brother Elias as he is fainiiiarly styled in Salt
Lake, by Gentiles we'll Mormons, is ono Of the
most noted Of Utah, ami is In reality the legal
adviser OF the Mormon Prophet His father and the
father of tho founder Of Mormonsm were brothers,
consequently the Prophet Joe was his cousin. lie
comes OF that stock and is torrbly "gritty" and
ne Is likely to make stir in tho world a briof
skotch OF his life will be found interesting
He born in Royaxon, Windsor county, vt
yeventythrce years ago, and when five years OF age
hsather cmgratcd to stockholm, St Lawrence county
IN this State. He grew up in the wilderness and had
little opportunity Of acquiring an education tho
school bench but he naturally studious and o
rlose observer Of men and things soon developed
Intelligence that placed him high above other men,
bers OF that particular branch of the Smith family.
He was slow to accept "Cousin Joseph" a prophet
seer and revcator, and Kept aloof from him for a
49,.
follow his leadership which in 1885, ho became
devoted disciple and moved soon after from thus
State TO the Mormon rendezvous, in Kirkland, Ohio.
In 1888 he 'gathered TO the 'Zion, In Missouri and
TIL be, with the other Mormons, expelled from
that State In tho following year. he among the
there Lee Iowa. Du' aaS sUIn aey TSM W
years peaceful In that Territory he dropped back
again 70 the everlasting turmoil Of Nauvoo There ho
became the business manager OF the Mormon papers
the Times and Seasons and the Nduu0O Nei1hbor. He
was near to his cousin, the Prophet all through his
troubles; and whom he and his brother killed
Elias followed the leadership oi Brigham Young,
hnd left Nauyoo in 1s46 for the Rocky Mountains, but
Immediately elected him Probate Judge OF Salt
LAX. lake county and he has held that position
appointed one OF a code commission Of
ihrcc high priests to make selection OF laws best
Mormon people, and they assuredly did compile some
Thing that was very Mormon!sh Besides being the
Probate Judge he was iour years Postmaster OF Salt
Lake CITY, retaining that position till the arrival OF tho
Unned States army in 1883, when he replaced by
Gentle. For some years he was business manager
ing the Post OIice he became tho managing editor Of
the Nescs from 1859 up 1868; but he
has confined himself wholly TO his judicial duties
BRAVE AS A LION AND STUBBORN AS MULE
II Chief Justice Shaefer Is In the right and Judge
and surrender But until he docs see II in tna. tight
he Is not likely TO- yield before either threats I'M
rrisonment He Is a very quiet man and very gentle
IN his mannors but he Is brave lion and stubborn
MS mule, and would sooner take martyrdom than
yield point Of his rights. He was the only Mormon
In the profession Of the law who would yield 10
Brigham Young and obey his counses in matters be.
lore the Court When that autocrat insisted
upon having everything his way, and
lar to instruct the Judge on the bench
what his action ana decision should be In cases III
which he was Interested Eiias would con rort him
with citations of law, 10 the great disgust aud annoy
RnOe OF tho Prophet. He willing enough oblge
brigham, and where he could stretch point he
but whom decision had 10 be recorded tho Probate
Judge looked after his own reputation and tho Prophet
Up to u very recent date the probate Courts In
Utah held coordinate powers with the United States
before this now rebci Judge very important
notabe suits have been heard The greater portion OF
the Gentle lawyers preferred his Court to the Gentle
courts. Ho was very courteous TO the Bar and when
there was litigation between Mormon and Gcntile
the latter was sure TO get the iu benefit OF doubt
from both judge and jury, for the Mormon faith being
Against all commercial transactions and social rela
tons WITH Gentiles ''if the brethren would disobcy
counsel anu get into trouble" they enjove tho dis
com6ture OF tho itgant brother, and they thought
he deserved to lose they made 1t so. With
such judicial record favorable to bis personal
character the position he occupies to-day Is all the
more Interesting and what adds zes to the matter is
the fact that there is very prominent aposatc'' at
the head oil tho deputatIon appointed by the Grand
Jury to investigate the records Of the Probate Court
That 'apostate' was once u leading Mormon and thor
oughly acquainted with rytng done In the Terri
tory Tor twenty -nve years. and SO he knows exactly
what 10 look for, and that IL probably the
principal reason for the Mormons opposition 10 giving
up the records TO the examination oil the Grand Jury.
THE DIVORCE BUsINEss ExPEDITrOUs SECRET.
The instructions Of Chief Justice Shae1cr to tho
Grand Jury givon with special reference
Of divorce OF recent date. The laws OF Utah
ing on the subject OF marital relations were framed
with the Wow OF facilitating separations whcro be-
lieving brother had eit an unbeieving wife sin tho
States;" hence IL only necessary tor applicant
to avow that he 'intcnded to become citizen OF
Utah" 10 entito him to all the advantages Of those
peculiar laws For somc time back lawyer residing
Corinne, Gentle city at the north end OF the lake.
about eighty miles from Salt Lake City, has been doing
tremendous business In the divorce line for rich
In the States advertising in the papers East and West
that residence Utah necessary,
nor no publication was required before
ater the divorce was obtained. The fellow OF
who trusted him with his anaira reputable
lawyer living In Salt Lake City, who was at one time
Brigham Youngs GENTLE attornoy-George q. Bates,
OF Mich gan-thought he would do little at this bus
moved his expulsion from the Bar, and this Is the
origin OF Judge Shaeer's instructions to tho Grand
Jury. Tho whole disgraccful business will now be
probed let IT hurt who may, and the announcement
In yesterdays HERALD that tho work OF investigation
had begun would make many ''gentleman" on the
Atlantic as well the Pacific quake and trcmblo
Tor the wrongs done dcioncecss women Ia tho
OF Utah.
THE MORMON EP1STLE.