The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-03-01

the general scheme of the Mormons to
get on tie blind side of the Indians"
"Where is Lee now confined y
"In the penitentiary, near Salt Lake
City"
1Why is he to be shot instead Of
hanged ?"
because with us the law allows a man
sentenced to death to elect whether u
shall be by hanging, shooting, or decsapl-
tation. Lee, when he was sentenced 10
be executed, January 26, elected TO die
by shooting. He was not executed then,
as it was claimed that some new evidence
had been discovered. have been away
several weeks now, and only know what
is going on at home by what | see in the
papers. If the court has adjourned with
out notice being given for motion to ap..
peal, don't see how the execution OF
the sentence can be again postponed"
"How old man is Lee now"
"I suppose he is about sixty three or
sixty four He is stout, stalwart, thick
necked fellow, but not Of an unprepos'
sessing appearance
Judge Mexican was asked what he be-
liewed to be the present status of Nor
monism.
"A great many people seem to think"
said he, "that the increased facilities OF
communication between theMormons and
the outside world would be very dam
aging to the Mormons. The prediction
has been proved to be inaccurate. 1t Is
true that this invasion has had its effect.
II has created class which manifests an
aversion for plurality ofwives; and there
are certainly good many gay young
women in Salt Lake City who would
spurn the idea of sharing the honors OF
wifehood with other women. But you
must bear in mind that this is restricted
to the city, and that of the population OF
the city again restricted to certain class
Now, Salt Lake City, although the prln-
cipal stronghold of the Mormon commu-
nity, represents but a small part of the
whole Mormon population. And, as said
before, this class which has begun to
manifest an aversion to polygamy is con,
fined to the gay young people OF the wei
to do families, constituting but a small
percentage of the whole number of in
habitants. Even these, as they grow Old
err consent to marriage with protesting
Mormons, and afterward to the introduc-
ton OF other sponses into household"
"Do YOU believe that the creed of the
Mormons is based upon what appears to
them to be true religious principlesT
"Perhaps | have said too much already.
I should dislike very much to get into a
controversy with them, but l will say
that it is my private opinion that the ma
iority ofthe men who go into Mormonlsm
do it for the purpose of gratifying thelf
passions" =.
"Among the Gentiles even ore wife is
often regarded as an expensive luxury
How is it that among the Mormons q
poor man is able to support several wlvesF
"Oh, that is easy to explain. A man
who Joins the Mormons generally makes
money by it. Let us suppose case. say
European peasant comes over here Win
his wife having been induced to join the
Mormons in Utah. He Immediately
takes possession of 100 acres Of good land
under the law of Congress. Now, this is
a great thing for man who has probably
never owned foot ofground before. The
land out there, you must remember, is
very good. The soil is rich aud deep
and the rainfall has increased, suppose
about 100 per ceut. in the last fifteen years
Still the land has to be irrigated to some
extent, Well, the man goes to work and
puts up little hut made of slabs or logs
and mud, then he gets a COW, raises
crops, and pnlls through the first year
He may have brought over a peasant girl
to work for him at, say So or So week
He sees that he can just as we'll marry
the girl and save the wages he would
otherwise have to pay her. He gets a
baby as soon as he can, and the next year
he puts this new wife of his, with her
baby, upon another 100 acres of land.
Perhaps he has been smart enough to
build his hut Just On the boundary of the
farms, so that by putting up an extension
the new family can live in the same
house and get on another farm. Then as
he extends his domain, he will mary more
wives, and each of his additional children
he puts upon another 160 acres, Now
YOU know, after the settler has occupied
a farm for five years, built upon and
worked it, he gets full title to the pro-
perty from the Federal Government
Each of his wives. after he has lived on
another 100 acres for the same time, can
swear out clear title as head ofa fami-
ly.' This has always been done, and is
done still. And thus the head of the
concern, who came into the country a
poor peasant, often becomes regular pat
room, living in ease in the centre OF his
domain, while his wives and their child
rem 90 on increasing their numbers and
his wealth. Now you know just how it
is DONE"