The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-21
A HORRIBLE STATE OF SOCIETY.
A Story of Baseness. Cruelty and Suffering
"A Stroll Through Mormon Town.
Lehi, utah. Letter in Atlanta CONSTITUTION.

deserted him for another man some time ago,
but who is reputed still to have No. 3 in another
town, out of sight of United States marshals.
No. he doesn't look like the ideal polygamist
wide-awake, pleasant-spoken man, who would
be thoroughly ashamed of his course in any
other environment His partner. an enterpris-
Ing, gentlemanly young fellow, is the son OF
polygamist, by the fourth or fifth wife, and is
doomed to bear brand through life from TO
fault of his own. Passing down the street, this
next store is owned by another polyga-
mist who however, has but one Wire at
present His next neighbor is a woman,
who, while No 2 to a farmer, In town
became enamored with another man, and Sc
cured a divorce, that she might join her
affinity" but, in the meantime, the latter
gave her the slip and departed with another
woman, so, that, for the present. the dropping
zine has no oak to which to cling. Goingby the
adjoining adobe dwelling, where a gentle sup
plies youthful saints" with whisky on the
sly-it being noticeable and lamentable fact
that the rising generation In Zion" are prone to
be more fond Of the spirit which flows from the
keg than OF that which is said to descend
through the laying on of the hands OF the
''elders of Israel"--we come next to the house
of the former bishop, man who passed from
this earth to his reward, not long ago, full o.
years and if the testimony of apcstate Nor
mons is to be received, full of crimes likewise
Certain it is that he was father of forty
one children and had six women as
his wives including mother and her
daughter! Certain it is that nothing but run
away match in the night deferred him from lay
ing unholy hands on second daughter of the
same woman. One block off to the right, down
this next street. and past the houses of two
more polygamists, is the wretched howell OF
Mountain Meadow murderer. while at like dis
tance to the left lives a polygamist who is said
on good authority. to have been a partner In the
same horrible crime. A block further on we
reach our little mansion, whose hospitality is
cordially extended to you, and who's, history
after you have settled yourself comfortably
within, offers items of interest 1t was
b1ilt by a burly Dane famous for his enormous
appetite who, few years ago. emigrated to
Arizona, became bishop in the Latter Day
Kingdom and, as usual in such cases. took to
himself second woman. The benighted deni-
Gems of that territory, however, not being quite
educated up TO that sort of religion, have re-
Gently betrayed the malignity of their unre
generated hearts by convictng the bishop of
bigamy and sending him to the State prison at
Detroit, Michigan, there to learn An honest trade,
at the expense of the Commonwealth. The next
occupant OF the house was woman who, while
second wife to a polygamist in another town,
fell in love O. with married man here in Lehi,
and wanted to marry him. Mr. K, the object
OF her affections, was not DESTROYS of going into
xhe marrying business by the wholesale; but she
was not to be rebuffed. She induced the
1.-THE divorce system is more delnoralizing ''in
Zion" than in any portion of the East of
which have heard) and persuaded
him to use his influence with Brother"
X to induce the latter to accede to her wishes.
The intercession of the patriarch was successful
brother X made tie love -smitten SISTER" his
second wife ~ and she lived with him here for
several years, bearing him four children. In
course of time, however, the much married and
very religious sister again became restless.
bishop living to the south of here had but two
wives, and Mrs. (l) X pinned to become No. 3 to
this officer in 1.-THE Lords kingdom" and so,
once more, the divorce machine was set in mo-
zion and she departed to her bridegroom. She
COW is quite equal, it would seem, to her
husband, he having three wives living and she
three husbands! This is no strange and ex-
ceptional case: it excites no commotion in
Mormon society. ] nave heard of one woman
who has seven husbands living CHANGING
now across the street your eye is greeted
by the neat little cottage of neglected first wife
whose husband lives in the upper part of the
town with another woman, and has never crossed
her dcorsll since the house was built years ago.
He even boosted some time since that he had
never been closer to her dwelling than barely
within sight of its chimneys. just opposite to
this poor woman lives Mormon wife, who has
had the rare ability to hold her husband in check
when his mind was set on polygamy,. and the
singular good fortune to Keep a second woman
out of her home. For thirty years and moro
she has fought plural marriage even going so
other wife, she would kin him. This argument,
sustained by her flashing black eyes, prevailed,
and the lifelong battle was decided in her ia
vor Probably not half dozen women
N Utah have been thus successful in fighting the
s'relic Of barbarism." The great mass Of them
have succumbed to the pressure brought to bear
upon them. and saddened life, home filled
with dissenson and strife, and FASTENED grave
have commonly marked the fact that the man,
or the beast. has triumphed. Thus far my ex-
note hovo nv,rlto d IN lint FAM ~
houses which you have seen in your short walk
of three blocks from the station to this corner.
There are not few houses within sight during
that walk which also have their stories to tell.
DO | need to go further and speak of the status
of the town at large9 Do need to tell of brutal
tiles, disgraceful deception and lYingl OF
meh who have ordered their first wives
out of their homes in case the latter
would not submit to the presence of a
second womanl OF two sisters married to the
same man, of our bishop who, in obedience to
the mandate of the priesthood, enjoining polyga-
my upon him. secretly took his servant girl for
his second wife and for long after joined her in
denying the fact, even allowing her to pass for
common strumpet before he acknow lodged her?
These shameful things are common in this
precious Zion that you are doubtless more or
less familiar with them. One can scarcely pierce
the surface anywhere in Utah without finding in
the life below greater or less amount Of base
ness cruelty and suffering. The cry
which would naturally arise from thou
sands. of aching hearts is suppressed
by the strong hand Of ''the church"
Every smothered shrek which is heard must be
multiplied many times if one would get any cor
rect idea of the state of things in the inner life
Of this people. Advantage is taken Of woman's
strong religious nature, and she is kept quiet
under the curse which is blighting her life by
the threat that to rebel is to lose her chance of
salvation and to be doomed to Internal punish
ment Only occasionally it does fall however.
Us the following incident shows: A bishop went
Co tIabors with refractory wife who refused her
husband the privilege Of NO. q" She still
refused. The bishop persisted. At last, in
anger, she ordered him out of the house. whore
upon he turned sayagely upon her, saying: You
win go to hell and welter in the flames She
replied; Bishop, l don't know what will
como to me in the next world, but you
may be sure of one thing; III not have
my he'll IN this life" have been familiar with
Utah affairs now for several years, and have