The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-11-01
JOHN Connolly.
A Letter From the Defendant
in the Late Trial.
GRAND JURY NOTES DENIED.
Mr.. ConneIIy's Version of the Matter,
and His Views on Judge and
Prosecution.
Editors Herald:

/ Editors Herald:
Being the defendant in the Connolly
case, I feel that some explanation
should be given to the public regarding
certain statements said to be made by
witnesses summoned by the prosecu-
ton before the Grand Jary. Ny wife
Anna is made to say at the latter end OF
/ jury report, 4 was married in April,
1882" which she denies emphatically as
totally false. She says she never did
make any such statement or anything
that could be construed into anything
/ like the above.
The facts are, she was asked when she
was married. She refused to answer
the question. She was asked if she was
married before April, 1881. She said, -
was married before that time" The
Grand Jurors asked other questions
also which she refused, and some she
answered.
1t is a fact well known at the time Of
her being sent TO the Penitentiary that
the refusal 10 state the time she was
!
contempt. Ii she did answer, as the re-
port saws she did, why bring her in for
contempt? 1t was known by everyone
that frequented my place of business
that was her husband, therefore, ac-
cording to the report, conviction would
be easy, and the sending of my wife
Anna, in her delicate condition,
was brutality unprecedented
Facts speak for themselves. Those re-
ports, | think l can state fairly, were
written to men blinded by prejudice,
and anything that would tend to my
conviction was, i believe inserted therein.
l was and am a Latter-day Saints, be-
lieved to have two wives, they, therefore
l believe, thought they were doing a
service to the element that we have
here, that is filed with gall and bitter
ness to everything Mormon, by doing
anything that wonld tend to my con-
viction. 1t was we'll known at the time
| appeared as witness in the Miles case,
! that great deal of bitterness was given
expression to regardiT 6 myself, and was
warned by several persons TO keep my
affairs to myself, as the officials were on
! the watch TO indict me. Fortunately for
me l took their advice.
Regarding the course pursued by
/ District Attorney Dickson in my case,
although admitted by the Court TO be
unusual, l have no fault to find, as
think he worked unusually hard to
make a conviction, but any extreme
method taken by Mr.. Dickson was the
fault of the Court, in allowing such
/ course to be pursued. l believe a man
/ is innocent till proven guilty, and it is
! the place of the judge to throw every
safeguard around the accused during
| his trial but what are the facts? Every
! reasonable objection made by my at
| torney was Overruled in every instance,
and Judge Zane in his charge to
| the Jury to Justify his bias, alleged
perjury against the witnesses. The
| course of his honor reminds me of
an amusing incident in the impannel-
| ling OF the jury in my case. One of the
/ Jurors was asked if he had any bias
/ against persons charged with polygamy;
he said he had. He said he had lived
in Utah some length of time, and bad
heard a great deal OF polygamy, and
when a man was charged with the
offense he would bring him in guilty,
therefore he felt he was incompetent in
Justice to the defendant to be a juror in
his case. That juror was honest, but
can Judge Zane say honestly, as the
Juror said, that he had no bias III cases
of polygamy, and would give the
accused an impartial trial? l don't
think he can. In charging the witnesses
with perjury. he went entirely outside
the evidence in the case. Mr.. Dickson
worked hard to break down the teSti-
mony of his own witnesses, something
that / believe is not allowed in any
other court, but has been in my case. I
Mrs. Gallifant. mother of my wife, was
badgered in every conceivable form by
the prosecution. Annie Gallifant was
examined crOsS-examined and re-crOSS- !
examined, and every time such eXami- !
nation was continued stronger evidence /
was produced to show conclusively that I
the marriage was celebrated in the I
wear stated by the witnesses; does Mr.. /
Dickson mean to say the defendant /
knew the line the prosecution meant 70 (
take? If that was so who has given the I
facts away that were in his possession? /
Mr. Dickson knows differently, and so (.
does his honor, Judge Zane.
After knowledge and careful ex-
animation of the testimony, l have
failed TO see wherein his honor had any
right to insult and abuse the witnesses
with so serious a charge as he has done
in this instance. 1t proves cOnclusively
that so far.as Mormon Is concerned.
he need not expect justice in court
presided over by a judge with feelings
so strong as has been expressed by his
honor in my case against witnesses
that will tell the truth, in cases where
persons are charged with pOlygamy.
His honOr's motives, | think ! know,
are for outside effect. / think his efforts
will not avail.
Respectfully yours.
Tou.- GoH-VrTTv