Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-11-06
THE MORMON CHURCH DEFEATED.
The Trial at Salt Lake City and Its Far-Reach-
Ing Effects.


The Trial at Salt Lake City and Its Far Reach
ing Effects.
The Rudger-C lawson polygamy trial
which ended at Salt Lake City recently
with verdict of guilty of unlawful
marriage and criminal cohabita ton,
will stand as historic in the annals of
the Utah courts. The fearless and
searching rulings of Judge Zane and
his determined action when confronted
by refractory jury will be applauded
by the nation, as it marks nothing less
| than the dawning of new day in the
land of the Mormons. The trial of this
case was the second within a month.
There was good deal of excitement at
the first trial. the crowd in the court
house being especially demonstrative
upon the day that President Taylor and
Mr.. Cannon developed their monu-
mental ignorance as to where Mormon
marriages were usually performed and
| where the church records were kept.
| The Judge had to rebuke Taylor's APP
! plauding partisans several times as his
rapid professions of ignorance followed
one after another. Cannon and Henry
Dinwoodey, the defendants father-in-
law, were equally ignorant of how mar
riagcs were performed and of the cir
cumstances of Clawson's second mar
riage. To quote the grotesque exagger-
alton of a local reporter on the ''tall
swearing .sif Dinwoodey took the
cake and President Clawson the pie,
then surely John Taylor took the whole
bakery
At the end of the first trial, about a
week ago.the jury,to the great astonish-
ment of the gentiles after the convinc-
ing testimony. failed to agree, and
Judge Zane Immediately ordered new
trial. The only important episode upon
the second trial was the discovery of
Lydia Spencer, the second wife, and
her refusal to testify. The Judge at
once committed her for contempt. but
Saturday morning she concluded to
testify. She was asked but three ques-
tons, and answered, admitting her mar
riage to Clawson as his second wife, and
| giving the place and date of the mar
riage. The jury brought in verdict
of guilty the same day. Sentence was
deferred to November 3, Clawson being
allowed his liberty on bail.
|
son of the noted Bishop Hiram Clawson,
and his high family connection, to-
gether with the fact that the Mormon
church accepted the trial as test case
on polygamy, threw the whole city of
Mormondom into fever of excitement
The moment that the Clawson indict-
ment was found, Lydia Spencer disap-
peared. The mothers of Clawson and
his first wife also became $50 absent
that the sharpest detective could not
| find them. The male members of the
family, however, went bravely through
the ordeal of their marvellous denials,
so that it is evident that the church is
not quite sure of the loyalty and dis
honesty of the women slaves of bru-
tai marriage system. On the first trial
it was proven that Clawson had re-
peatedly admitted his second marriage,
that they joined local club the same
night under the names of Rudger and
| Spencer, that Spencer was frequently at
her lodgings, and that she finally went
to live with him and his first wife. The
question of venue was an embarrassing
one, since, if they had been married
outside of the county, the Judge would
not have had jurisdiction. In this lay
the importance cf President TAYLOR
evidence. He admitted that the En-
downment house and the temple were
the places where marriages were usu-
ally solemnized, but he claimed that
this was not the inyariabe rule. He
was placed in an awkward position,
however, when he failed to give the
names of any couples married else
where. There is no doubt but that the
first jury were frightened by the threat
ening bearing of Judge Bennett, coun-
sci for the defendant. The prosecution
had learned wisdom by experience
in polygamy cases, and had put
in a second count charging
criminal cohabitation. Brigham Young
once secured verdict for his church in
an indictment case where simple illegal
marriage was charged. Judge Bennett
betrayed his annoyance in his address
to the jury at the second count in the
Indictment, when he said, sIf you con-
vict of unlawful cohabitation on such
evidence, then | say, beware" This
sounded a little like the golden days OF
the Danites. 1t had its effect and the
jury disagreed. But Judge Zane's
prompt ordering of new trial, and the
discovery and Imprisonment of Lydia
Spencer, have done their work, and the
disciples of polygamy get the most tell
ing blow to their system probably ever
| inflicted