Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-13
THE MORMON TRIALS.
Speeches OF Leading POlygamists In De-
Tense OF Their Crimes.

progress IN the DlsIflcI OouIt Hole are
carrying Consideration to the hearts OF
the polygamists. Almost every case re-
suits in a conviction or recantatlon.
Both are becoming too numerous to please
the digntaries Of the church, VINO are
finding their authority slipping away IN
the profound alarm that prevails Bishop
Sharp's promise to live within the law,
and 10 Induce other people 10 do so, was
such a thunder clap that few other
prominent Mormons felt that it was neces-
sary for them to come out strong, AND
they have taken their punishment with
wry face, but with pretense Of glorying
in 1t.
Edward Pran was one Of these martyrs.
On HIS trial il was proved that for thirty
or forty years he had been in the habit OF
living with woman as his wife for
time. and then deserted her for a younger
and better looking one. He has had sew
eral wives, and they all have numerous
children. His last wife was Jansje
Peters. a comedy young woman from Hol-
land, who appeared in court with an in
FAINT in ner arms. She said she married
Brain unknown TO her parents about two
years ago, but that she refused to live
with him until he got her a house, which
he had asserted he was too poor to do. He
finally built place for her, and made his
home with her during the greater part of
the time. taking his meals somewhere
else, however. The court asked her where
he took his meals, and she replied:
81 guess ne got them with his old lady
that is what ne called her. l think that
is Mrs. Mary Brain"
The jury found Brain guilty withOutde
lay, and when the court asked him if he
had anything to say, he said:
Forty one years ago | embraced what
Trra NJ oula al ilf arria /
believed it then and / believe 1t to-day TO
be a revelation from God. | have seen the
power OF God manifested in various ways
since / have been in this church and king
dom. / am an instrument In the hands OF
the Lord. / have seen the blind made to
see, the lame made to walk, and the deaf
made to hear. | know that thus is the
church and kingdom OF God that God has
raised up in these last days. / know 1t
for myself. Although the Edmunds law
is passed to convict our people, | have
read in the constitution of the United
States that there shall be no law passed
against religion. | stand here the servant
of God, and know for myself that God re-
vealed that revelation to me Individually"
Judge Zane, addressing the prisoner,
said among other things:
The statement that you have made
does not seem to mitigate your crime. A
man who marries and lives with women
until their children grow up, and then
takes younger women and throws the 9TH
ers off with his children and lives with
the younger women, shows a disposition
to degrade women, a disposition that is
unworthy of a man that has a conscience
and moral sense in him. In the degra-
datiOn Of women we are all degraded.
When you degrade aud disgrace the
mother Of your children you disgrace all
of is; you drag all of us down. Your
conduct in all of its phases would seem
dsgraceful and unlawful, and the court
imposes upon you the full penalty Of the
law, which is six months Imprisonment
and $500 fine. l will remark that / am
tired OF these long hYpocritical Giants, and
| hope defendants when they come in
hereafter will be little more brief"
Hiram B. Clawson, a big wig in the
church, pleaded guilty for the sake of set
ting an example, and said in his speech to
the crowd:
For thirty years and over have lived
in my present marriage relations. When
| entered those marriage relations ! be-
lieved | was doing just exactly what l
ought to do. | believed was doing some
thing in this life that in the life hereafter
would be for my benefit. l have endeaV-
ored up to the present time to lead a life
that would justify that belief. When |
married these my wives they were young
and | was young. They believed the same
thing that ! did. Now they are along in
years. Streaks of gray begin to show in
grown up and have children.
Now at this time when they
are aged and l am aged, it is
impossible for me to say that will cast
them oil. / believe as | have believed,
and If all these years are to count for
nothing, and | am to cast them OFF, it is
better for me to 90 to prison, if that be
the will of your Honor. If make promises
to obey the law in the future | am ostra-
cized. L am looked down upon, am dis
hOnored in this community among my
brethren--those that | respect and honor,
and among all honorable men. cannot
bear the scorn and Indignation which my
wives, my children, aud my friends would
cast upon me. For me there are only two
courses. One is prison and honor, the
other is liberty and dishOnor."
Judge Zane looked at the prisoner
moment, and then, in the course OF his re-
marks, said
"a mans beliefs do not Justify a wilful
violation Of law. There seems TO be an
opinion in your secl that polygamy was
lawful before the passage OF the Edmunds
law, but there never has been a time In
the United States anywhere when poly
gamy was lawful. man may believe
and worship as be peRses. That part OF
religion which the law protects is inter-
nal. 1t consists of faith, feeling, and
worship. When a man forms such exter-
nal relations as you have formed under
the cloak of religion, then the law acts
upon IT.. 1t does not allow the Institu-
tons on which society rests 10 be attacked
by religion any more than by any other
means. So that is no defence. II poly
gamy is to be maintained, then the insti-
tuition of marriage is TO be broken down
and destroyed. The civilized world be-
lieves that this is the most important pill
lar in the great fabric that protects hui
manity and all that is good and
virtuOus in il; and no sect nor
creed will be allowed in the
United States 10 overthrow il. You and
your followers had Just as we'll submit TO
the laws or your country. You profess
to be a citizen Of the United States, and
yet you will not promise 10 obey the laws.
Thousands OF as brave men as over lived
nave died In defense OF those laws, and il
III becomes you to stand up IN this court
or anywhere and treat those laws with
contempt. | regret that you have not the
courage and the manhood tn stand up m
defiance OF n sect and say that YOU will
obey the laws OF your country. My duty
Will not allow me % indulge IN any per-
sonal feelings, but the discretion which
possess must be so used AZ 20 strike down
these crimes. When men VIII not agree
10 obey the law IL becomes my duty 10 in-
NieL the pNtFamn upunlfX upou thqm -