Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-09-16
HEROISM.

Yesterday there was witnessed IN the
Court Room one of those sights OF hero
ism which are so familiar to all members
of this community. We refer to the cases
OF Elizabeth Ann Starkey and Eliza White
in which they both preferred to go to the
Penitentiary to answering certain ques-
tons propounded to them by the Grand
Jury, and which Chief Justice Zane
decided were entirely proper and
pertinent. One cannot but admire
the pluck OF these two women,
and likewise one cannot but hold in
contempt the men on whose account they
suffer Imprisonment for contempt. 1t
may be said by some that the women are
suffering for the sake OF principle and
conscience, beautiful and touching ex
cuse, and one which appeals to the nobler
instincts OF mankind, but one which, un-
fortunately, is not the true one. These
two women are suffering imprisonment
Tor contempt OF court that two men,
Charles L. White and John W Smell,
may not suffer the penalty OF the law for
violating the United States laws against
polygamy and unlawful cohabtation.
Some will say that White and Smell
must be presumed to be innocent until
proven guilty; and such is the pre-
sumption OF the law Basing all
argument concerning the cases OF the
two women for contempt upon the pre-
sumption of innocence as regards White
and Smell, why did not these two men
come forward and state what their rela-
tlons to the women, ii any they had,
were? II they had no relations with
them, then why did they not step forward
to protect two helpless and innocent
women from immurement in prison?
The common instincts OF humanity would
have suggested such a course to the most
brutal Of men. But these two men sat
demurely and meekly by and allowed two
women to go to prison that their own
precious persons might go free. The law
presumes these men innocent, but does
any man or woman in the community
doubt their guilt? Very much is said in
this Territory about how dearly these hus-
bands who have two or three wives
love them, and how they seek to cherish
and protect them. Yes, such is the case
and these men Of many wives, judging
from the records OF the courts always
throw themselves into the breach to pro-
tect their wives, but they always throw
themselves into the breach after their
wives have been thrown in and they
themselves could not escape. II is we'll
to pirate of the manliness of such men and
to dwell upon their devotion to their
wives, and their tender regard for them
under all circumstances. But if any shall
mock at the devotion and heroism OF such
men, let such Knockers remember that
these women who 60 to prison to protect
their husbands cannot be made perfect
and receive that exaltation and reward
in the next world which they so much
desire unless they become the wives OF
men whom God has chosen to establish
His kingdom on the earth, and they
endure faithful even unto the end. Such
Knockers should remember that when
such men allow their wives to go to
prison, they do so that they may prove
to the world that they are the true up
holders OF the Constitution in this coun-
try, and if it were not for such men, the
Union would be rent asunder. Beauti-
ful heroism, still more beautiful reason
ing AS one sees such exhibitions of
cowardice on the part of men in the
name Of religion, and wonders ii it is al
ways to be thus, he cannot but exclaim,
GLOW long, o, Lord !"