Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-09-14
A GOOD BEGINNING.
william Felstead Pleads Guilty and
Gets Three Years, Six Months
and a $500 Fine.
"Blessed Are the Merciful For They
Shall Obtain Mercy"
Brother Felstead Makes Speech
Miscellaneous Civil Cases.

charged with polygamy and unlawful
cohabitation, was taken up in the Dis
trict Court this morning and the de-
PENDANT, who pleaded guilty at the last
term of the court, stood up for sentence.
He was asked whether or not he had
anything to say when he answered that
he had not, only he would say Blessed
are they that are merciful, for they shall
obtain mercy" and he then asked the
Court to be lenient as possible.
In answer to the Judges questions he
said he had three wives, one OF whom is
in Detroit, and he said he intends to give
her divorce. He married his last wife
about three years ago. He knew that
there was a law against polygamy at the
time, but he had made covenants with
his Father in heaven to keep His com
mandments. He said that ha had in
jured no one to his knowledge, deirauded
no one, and had never been guilty OF
thieving, robbing or stealing.
The Judge explained that man has
no right to enter into u covenant to
violate the laws Of his country, which are
paramount to all others. These laws
against polygamy and unlawful cohabita
ton are such in substance as exist in
every civilized country. The Court eX-
planned how such men as the defendant
were enemies to their country.
Festead then began to tell how willing
he would be to take up arms for the
United States, but he was interrupted by
the Court with an explanation to the
effect that he had an opportunity now of
obeying the laws OF his country, and that
he could shoulder the musket should the
country ever become involved in war.
At this juncture Prosecuting Attorney
Dickson arose and said: "If your Honor
please, in this case there is matter that
think very proper that should call the
attention OF the court to before the judg-
ment is pronounced The defendant has
wife living in Detroit, Michigan, to
whom he was married in 1852. He left
her and came here in 1879 or 1880. In
the spring of 1883 he married his second
wife, and in October, 1888, he married
his third wife. His lawful wife in Michi-
gan has been corresponding with him up
to the time of his arrest, and was alto
gether ignorant of the fact that he had any
other wife than she. One letter that one of
his wives put into the hands of the
officers; letter written in May last, on
the anniversary OF his marriage or OF the
defendants birthday, in which she
speaks OF enclosing some present to him
in remembrance of the anniversary, is a
very loving and wifely letter, and on
June 23d, 1886, the Marshal in the mean
time having telegraphed to the Marshal
OF Detroit 10 get the full name OF the
lawful wife, and the Marshal there
having made inquiries of her as to her
full name and the date and place OF her
marriage, her suspicious were aroused,
and she wrote to the Marshal of this Ter
ritory, inquiring as to whether or not her
husband had taken unto himself other
wives. His course ever since he came
here has been nne of fraud and deceit to-
wards his first wife. 1t is proper that he
should be called to the attention of the
court"
The Court then asked defendant
whether or not he intended to obey the
laws in the future, when he Immediately
started to explain that he had not in
formed his first wife OF his other mar
raiges because she opposed polygamy
He said that his wife had refused to
come to Utah with him and that he had
therefore left the property with her
so that she and her children were
well provided for. He said: 81 didn't
want to disturb her mind; it wasn't
simply that | wanted to leave her, or
that did leave her, in an unhandsome
way, in any shape or form. had al,
ways loved my wife, and do now, and
love my children, love them and they
love me. Defendant said in answer to
the questions by the Court, that he had
seven children by his first wife, and none
by either his second or third.
The Court-Your conceptions OF your
duties to your wife and to the laws OF
your country seem to be rather blunt
perverted and incorrect. ask you now,
in order to give you the benefit OF it, if
you desire to state whether you are will
ing to promise to obey the laws hereafter?
Defendant-So far as it does not come
in contact with my conscience. | don't
think that any law has the right to bind
a mans conscience-to say what he shall
do and what he shall serve. The United
States -
The Court-You think, then, your con-
science may impel you to marry another
some time, do you?
Defendant-Oh, don't know, sir; |
don't know what | shall do. | can't say
what should do. l don't suppose man
Of my age will bother himself any more
lb out such things as those.
The Court-Well, you have bothered
it seems, very recently, with
two additional women, when you had a
wife and seven children living
Felstead then stated that he lived alone
or three years in hopes that his wife
would come to him, but she wouldn't
ZONE.
To this the Court replied: "Well, it |
5 better man should be alone than to |
nave two or three wives on his hands, !
md violate the laws OF his country; | |
ion't see anything to palliate your
Ease whatever. 1t seems that you will |
ully violated the law, knowing that there !
vas a law against it, after you had taken !
he oath OF allegiance-wilfully violated /
he laws OF the country, practiced fraud |
Upon your first wife by marrying two !
)ther women without even notifying her |
hat you had done it. Under these cir /,
| see nothing TO excuse you
whatever.
You will be sentenced on the first !
cunt in the indictment to imprisonment !
n the Penitentiary for term OF three I.
years, and to pay flne-what means |
nave you?
Defendant have no means at all. | |
nave been working all through life, /
poor man.
The Court-Pay fine OF $3.50 and the |
,osts of the prosecution. On the second |
count, unlawful cohabtation, you are
to the Penitentiary of this |
Territory for the term Of six months and |
o pay a fine OF $3.50 and the costs of /.
which are, of course, the |
costs of the case. The second /
erm will commence at the expiration of