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 1t.
Three Sisters Claim One-Legged Davis
for Husband, and He Stays
With Them.
Pitiable Scene i'm the COURTROOM, With
SObbing Wives and Crying Babes.

Lie 1Illru DlStrlCt COurG opened up a
10 o'clock with the usual large crowd o
witnesses and spectators in attendance.
ISAAC GRoo,
Indicted by the recent Grand Jury, was
the first U. c. called on to plead to the
charge of living in the unlawful marriage
relation with Sarah Gilbert, Eliza Whit.
ney and Mary Jane Whitney Groo as his
wives. After listening to the reading OF
the indictment the defendant was asked
to make his plea, and responded equity. -
The Court asked him if he had any state
ment he would like TO make, and Mr..
Groo answered. ~ have nothing care to
say"
Court-"Are you not willing to say
that you will obey the laws of your coun-
try in the future ?''
81 have nothing that 1 care to say,
your Honor"
The Court said that in view of deter
mination to show no willingness to con-
form to the laws of the country a 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
months until the fine 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 the
second to stand up and take the usual
dose of three by six.
Court-Mr. Best, you are aware that
you have been indicted and found guilty
of unlawful cohabitation under the laws
of the land. Do you wish to make any
expression of your intentions to obey the
laws in the future?
Best will make no promises.
Court-You are citizen of this Gov
eminent, understand wish to saw to
you that the position you take is re-
malkable one. The Government protects
you here, and it will do so in any place,
and yet you are not willing to say that YOU
will obey the laws and not advise others
to break them. You will be punished by
for six months and paw a
fine OF $500 and costs, and when the six
months have expired you will be held in
The defendant was escorted from the
room.
The Court here announced that all wit
nesses in the Miner case were excused
until O'Clock tomorrow morning.
Plat, Wells, Poulton, Pike, Snelgrove,
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, as to
their belief in the practice of unlawful CO.
habitation. Ten of them left the box
with Adolph Anderson and John N. Pike.
Mr.. Pike, the silent Juror.
still declined to answer" as to his belief
and was excused. Mr.. Anderson was
sworn.
The Court issued
AN OPEN vENIRE
And the officers took to the streets and
in twenty minutes with a
banker, merchant, mining man and
others. Romney, Burbridge, Holt, Price.
Hardy, Armstrong, Sleeves, Burbridge.
Lyme, Craner, and Wilkins were called |
rom the regular panel.
Mr.. Narian said: Gentlemen. those of |
you who believe it right for a man to live
With two or more women as his wives in
he marriage relation and who decline to
answer 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 d. N. Swan were called, which
the panel. A twenty minutes
ecess was taken to await the return Of
he venire
All witnesses in all cases save those
gainst Seal, Cooley, Davis and Smith.
'ere excused
DAVID E. DAVIS, OF TooELE.
Mary E. Simpson: That is nv full
anne; know Annie w. Davis: know
efendant; Annie w. Davis is defend
nt's first wife; | am married to defend
MT; Annie was his wife when married
i'm know Sarah Jane Davis: she is his
lie and my sister; I live at Tooele
arah Jane Davis and 1 live in the same
ouse MIR. Davis has lived with me and
~ sister Sarah as his wives under the
quite OF marriage during the period of
me set forth In the Indictment.
Narian-'That is sufficient
The defense submitting the case with =,
1T question, the Court said: Gentlemen !
the Jury, the Indictment is this case !
larges the defendant with unlawfuIly
..habltatlng with these women as his
ives. The defendant plead not guilty.
you decide from the weight of the evil :
.nce that the defendant is guilty, Won
Ill say SO in your verdict, and saw that r
e, the jurors, find the defendant guilty
charged in the Indictment, if YOU SO
eide. 0N 'o
The jury were inclined to render yer-
ct Immediately, without leaving the box,
Id returned a verdict of guilty after y
lnute's deliberation.
MIR. Kirkpatrick addressed the Court v
ia said that Mr.. Davis desired to re- IL
I've sentence at 8 o'clock this afternoon
llch was agreed to. -.
The jury was discharged, and the case % -
the people against IL
CHARLES SEAL
n unlawful cohabitation was called for L.
airing. -'-
L; A. Scoville, w. C. Lyme, Burbidpe NJ
lillian Sleeves, T. C. Armstrong. O Fl p;
lrdy, George f. Price, Leroy Holt. D. pr
Swan, Craner and Orson Romney. tr
re called from the regular panel ST.
nne, Armstrong, Sleeves, Swan and
ovllle were the only ones passed and
orn ''-i>- M
ANOTHER vENIRE WAS ISSUED
this Juncture to save time. The
mes OF McEwan, Johnson, Rodeback. 10
zgerald and wilkins were called. and 81
using to take the pledge to support the Oh
'ernment they were let down and out. =,
TIT. Wells and Snellgrove were called. IN
ahmed and excused for lack of qualifi- III
The open venire being returned, the fol
was completed with the following III
mes: Adolph Anderson, T. C. Arm.
ong, William Sleeves. w. C. LYME. TO-
mel n: Swan, L. Scoville, S. C. PAN
,e, William McCray, John Forman.
aries Wilkes, j. S. Scott and w. T. DO
Nc 5os,. sol