New-York tribune., 1882-04-23
AFFAIRS AT WASHINGTON.
MR.. CANNON AND THE BLOOB ATONEMENI'
AN EXPLICIT DENIAL OF THE .FFTDAvITs chAho-
ING HIM WITH INCrTING TO MURDER.
IBY TELEGRAPH To THK rRIBUsE.l

TRIBUNE correspondent TINS evening, MI N"""'''
of Utah, denied the truth OF the allegations CON
tained in the afidavits relating to himself wihcn
were published in to-days TRIBUNE. Among other
things he said
81 heard of these documents at the time
they were first prepared, and the first
afidavit saw through the kindness
of Mr. Barber. of Wisconsin, then mem
Der of the House. Does anybody suppose that II
these affidavits could have been depended on they
would not have been produced and used at that
timei Merriam was exceedingly bitter against me-
and would have done anything TO prevent me tax
ing nv seat in Congress, and thus of avoiding the
stigma or alleged stigma, which thus attached 10
that body.
"Now. as to the facts in the case" continued Mr'
Cannon, al never knew tins man Rain, but re-
member hearing of a man who was calleo
lew Abrahams' At the time when
IT is alleged was counsclling the assassination OF
Rabbit was in Salt Lake City. That much of the
story is true; but had returned there only two or
three months before after absence of some years
I was young man, only twenty-six years of age;
had inst married and was hard at work as q COM
posItor in prin ing Office to earn money for my
outfit 10 90 to California. was respectable, to be
sure but / certainly was not in position of great
influence or one where would take upon myself to
counsel assassination. In point OF fact, dld
no such thing. and thought of no such thing. In
May 1855, | left Salt Lake City and went to Cali
forna, where started paper and it was there
that read and republishcd more than year after
ward, an account of Rabbits death, in August
1856 seventeen months after the time whcn il is
asserted. | advised this man to kill him. Babbit
was killed on the plains east of Laramie on his way
to the States, and-as always understood and be-
lieved-by the Indians, who were very bad that
year. do not know that Babbt went to Wash
ington at all intended to in 1850, the year in
which IT is alleged tried to have him assassnatcd
Was Babbit an apostate MomonT asked the
correspondent.
a"No. I do not believe he was He had plural
wives think at the time of his death. His religion
sat lightly upon him. and he INDUCED in some prac-
tees which are discounenanccd among Mormons
He was a drinking man, for example but do not
think he was regarded as an apostate from the
Church"
"What is meant by the doctrine of Blood Atone
ment :" the correspondent asked.
"Well. as to that, let ire first explain that no
Mormon elder will baptize man who is q
murderer Mormons 40 not believe i'll the
doctrine that man can go from the scaiiold direct
to heaven. If were to commit a murder, or incte
another TO commit murder. should expect to go to
hell so long as | have known anything about the
doctrine and practice of MOrmOnism, neither has
ever permitted murder TO be done a punishment
for apostacy from the Church; and if such was over
the case, do not know it. But MOrmons do not
believe i'll hanging; they do believe IN the
shedding of blood when capitai punishment Is to
be inflicted on an offender In early days when
Brigham Young was Governor of Utah we enacted
a law which permits man condemned To death to
elect the manner of death. He may choose 10 dle
by the rope or by the bullet aud he usually selects
the latter. We believe tooiR the death penalty lof
the crime of adultery but of conrsc we have not
been able to carry tins belief into practice. Now
thus is al there is to Blood AtOnement, as under
stand ii and as ii is practlsed."
Mr. Cannon evidently felt very keeny the publ-
cation in to-day's TRIBUNE. and said that Mr.
Merriam had acted an unmanly part " III procur.
ing il, at this time when am down.
Mr. Cannon expects to remain i'll Washington until
the appointment of the Utah Commission shall be
made but he has no information as to when that
will be done or as to the composition OF the Com
mission. He thinks that the appointment OF eX-
Delegate Hooper as a member of the Commission
would be satisfactory to the non-Mormons OF Utah
on account of his wealth and standing and the fact
that he is mot enough or Mormon to
huItD Being asked in regard to the Con
in Utah Mr. Cannon said that he had received no
particular information AZ 10 It's dolngs. Jhe ldea
was to form State Constitution and present 1t to
Congress. He did not appear to expect that the
WORK of the Convention would result III anything
practical, but thought ii might do some good III
other respects
SENATOR MPHERSONS PROMPT DENIAL.
NO CONNECTION. PAST OR PRESENT WITH THE
PERUVIAN CoMPANY-A LIBEL SUIT THREAT
ESED.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRGBUSg
WASHINGTON. April GA Philadelphia dispatch
to a New-YOrk paper published this morning con-
tains an intervew with James b. Mantrop, pris-
oner in the Moyamensing Prison, who states among
other things that Senator Mcpherson, of New
oft al Iol l1crs
of the Peruvian Company, having purchased
one share of a twentieth, for which he paid 900
III cash.
Senator Mcpherson was inquired of this evening
as to the truth or falsty Of this story.
1T is a most outrageous falsehood," said the Sem
ator Indignantly. never heard anything Of the
Peruvian Company, beyond a casual allusion to it
in the newspapers, until the Foreign Affairs Com
mttee began It's investigation. | never knew that
it was a stock company, and l never was
approached by anyone to invest in
it. This convict says that | paid $4,000 for
stock have certainly got that $40, 900 yet; and
will spend every cent of it to punish the people
who have circulated this abominable lie.
GAS BOON as heard the story to-day went to the
office of r. T. Merrick esq., to engage him to prose
cute the ibellers. Alr. Ker, the Philadelphia at
torncy who is engaged in the Star
Route prosecutions, was at Mr.. Merrick's Of
fce and, at the suggestion of the latter,
| retained Mr.. Ker. don't know whether MantrOp
inspired to utter this libel by persons in New
Jersey who are hostile to me or not but the whole
business will be sifted to the bottom. am ignorant
of the laws of libel but mean to find out whethe
a newspaper can publish broadcast statement of
pentcntiary bird derOgatOry of mans character.
If there any means known to law 10 secure the
arrest and punishment of the correspondent who
wrote this story this means Will be exerted; and If
the scOundrel who told the lie is amenabe prose-
cuton he Will be prosecuted ! shall proceed against
everybody who had anything to do with the publ
cation of the libel"
Senator Mcpherson to-day wrote a letter 10 the
New ork Associated Press In which he says
Until the nvestiga into the affairs Of the so-called