Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-10-05
FOUR OF A KIND.
A Hard Hand TO Beat, but Judge Zane
Plays the Law for All There
Is in II.
Three Sisters Claim 0ne-Legged Davis
for Husband, and He Stays
With. Them.
Pitiable Scene in the COURTROOM, with
Soothing Wives and Crying Babes.

/
Indicted by the recent Grand Jury. wa
4 the first U. c. called on to plead to TIN
4, charge OF living in the unlawful marriag
, relation with Sarah Gilbert, Eliza Whit
: ney and Mary Jane Whitney Groo as hi
wives. After listening to the reading o
) the indictment the defendant was asked
to make hisplea and responded "Guilty. ,
The Court asked him il he had any state
mcnt he would like to make, and Mr.
Groo answered: az have nothing care tC
say"
Court-"Are you not willing to 81,
that you will obey the laws of your coun
try in the future %
81 have nothing that | care to saw.
your Honor" '
The Court said that in view of deter.
mlnation to show no willingness to con.
form to the laws of the country sen.
tence OF SIX months in the penitentiary.
with fine OF $500 and costs, would be
imposed, and the defendant will be held
imprisoned at the expiration of the six
hiohthS until the line and costs are paid.
ALFRED BEST.
Mr.. Best, who pleaded guilty last SAT-
urday to living unlawfully with three
women as his wives during the period of
time charged in the Indictment. was tbe
second to stand up and take the usual
dose of three by six.
Court-N1r. Best, You are aware that
you have been indicted and found guilty
OF unlawful cohabitation under the laws
oil the land. Do you wish to make any
expression OF your intentions to obey the
laws in the future?
BEST VIII make no promises.
Iourt-f on are a citizen of this Gov
ernment, understand / wish to saw to
you mat the position you take is n re-
lllai kaple one; The Government protects
you mere, and it Will do so in any place,
ana yet you are not willing TO say that you
to break them. You will be punished bv
imprisonment for six months and nav n
fine OF $500 and costs, and when the six
months have expired you will be held in
custody until the fine is paid,
The defendant was escorted from the
room. ''''
The Court here announced that all wit.
nesses in the Miner case We're excused
untii O'Clock tomorrow morning.
Piatt, Wells, Poulton, Pike, Snelgroye
anderson, johnson, Rodeback, McEwan.
Fitzgerald, Labrum, and Midgely were
called as Jurors from the regular panel
and sworn. Mr. Varian propounded the
test question to them collectively. os IN
Their belief in the practice of unlawful 90.
habitation. Ten of them left the hoy |
with Adolph Anderson and John N, Pike
Mr.. Pike, the silent irror
sui declined to answer" as to his beliei
and was excused. Mr.. Anderson was
sworn. ""'
The Court issued
AN OPEN vENIRE
And the officers took to the streets and
returned IN twenty minutes with n
bunker, merchant, mining man and
others. Romney, Burbridge, Holt, Price
Hardy, Armstrong, Sleeves, Burbridoe
Lyme, Craner, and Wilkins were calied
rom the regular panel
MIR. Varian said: Gentlemen. those of
you who believe it right for a man to live
WIN two or more women as his wives in
he marriage relation and who decline TO
!nswer on any grounds may be excused
They all stole away excepting Messrs
armstrong, Lyme and Sleeves, who were
worn and passed as Jurors. L. A. SEQ.
lille, and ID. N. Swan were called, which
the panel. A twenty minutes
ecess was taken to await the return of
he venire. Vi
All witnesses in all cases save those
Sainst Seal, Cooley, Davis and Smith.
'ere excused. '''''''
DAVID L. DAVIS, OF TooELE.
Mary 4. Simpson: That is nv full
anne know Annie w. Davis; know I
eiendant; Annie w. Davis is defend. 5
nus first wife, | am married to defend. I
Mt; Annie was his wife when married q
I'm know Sarah Jane Davis; she is his
lie and my sister; / live at Tooele
arah Jane Davis and live in the same =
ouse; Mr. Davis has lived with me and !
y sister Sarah as his wives under the
pute OF marriage during the period of
me set forth in the Indictment
Narlan-'That is sufficient
The defense submitting the case with. v
II question, the Court said: Gentlemen u
the Jury, the indictment is this case y
'arges the defendant with unlawfullv 1t
with these women as his
YES Inc defendant plead not guilty. q,
you decide from the weight of the evil ,
nee nee that the defendant is guilty, Won V
III say 80 IN your verdict, and say that II
,, the Jurors, find the defendant guilty
eide. you 81 -
The jury We're inclined to render a YER =
- Immediately, without leaving the box
d returned Il verdict of guilty after -
nute's deliberation. :.
Mr.. Kirkpatrick addressed the Cont W
d said that Mr.. Davis desired TO re. 10
I'VE sentence at 3 o'clock this afternoon
itch was agreed TO.
me Jury was discharged, and the case ~ ~
the people against ~
CHARLES SEAL
r unlawful cohabitation was called for L'
airing. o' wi
l. l.. A, seovillo, W. c. Lyme, Burbidpe, NJ
IMAM Sleeves, I. @. Armstrong, O. III pa
lray, George Il. Price, Leroy Holt, ID. pc
swan, Crancr and Orson Romney, trC
re called from the regular panel su
iiiiu' Armstrong, Sleeves, Swan and
1yllle were the only ones passed and
ANOTHER yESIRE WAS ISSUED
TINS Juncture to save time. The
mes Of McEwan, Johnson, Rodeback ior
zs.erald and wilkins were called. and BE
using to take the pledge to support the ch
'ernment they were let down and out d,
w.. wells and Snellgroye were called thu
.lhlhed and excused for lack of auaii6, ma
,he open venire being returned, the for
was completed with the following hit
mes; Adolph Anderson, Il. c. Arm, {
'ng, William Sleeves. w. C. Ivnn TO.
mel n. Swan, l.. scoyille, S. G. Pan!
e, William MeCray, John Forman I
bee. anu " l. poe
ne defendant waived his privilege and for
req himself us II witness. On bein" an,
[h ne testified that he was the de, tain tain