Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-09-06
A ScandaIOus Cyclone Strikes the Big
Tabernacle and Stirs Up the
Saints.
Bishop John Q. Cannon COnfesses His
Crime and is Fired by His
Uncle Angus.
He Becomes the Prey Of His Passions
and is Nipped in the Bud of
Prosperous Career.


Gle, and as the news spread about the
city the shock went with it, until the
scandal was the topic on every hand
"For ways that are dark and tricks that
are vain" the brethren have long beer
noted, but those who felt that they were
prepared for anything from this source,
could not but have been surprised by the
words uttered from the pulpit by Bishop
John q. Cannon.
The meeting had been opened as usual,
and the congregation had settled down to
listen to a long harangue from Elder
Nicholson, when some who were present
noticed the entrance of the man whose
speech was so soon to rouse the people
as they had never been reused before.
Bishop Cannon took his seat behind the
pulpit, and was noticed to whisper some
thing to the presiding brother. In an
instant Elder Nicholson was interrupted
and asked to sit down, and amid breath
less silence
BISHOP CANNON AROSE.
He started out in a very low tone, but as
he proceeded his voice grew stronger
and was soon audible over the entire
building. He begged the pardon of the
brethren and sisters for appearing before
them at such time and asked their kind
indulgence while he spoke few words
to them. He said he had been guilty of
crime OF which he had since heartily
repented; he had been guilty of a crime
which IN his church was considered next
to the crime of murder; he had been
guilty of adultery. He said that he had
betrayed the trust which the people had
placed in him, and he was therefore I'M
worthy to hold his bishopric. He PRAYED
that God might forgive him and that God
might give the people the charity to for
give him too.
AT the conclusion of his speech he sat
down, and as general hum passed over
the congregation they hardly noticed the
entrance OF Angus NJ. Cannon, who
bobbed up serenely from the under
ground, said his little piece and disap-
peared as suddenly back into oblivion.
BROTHER ANGUS
Reminded the congregation, first of all.
that he (Angus) had not been seen by the
people for over year, having been in
exile for conscience sake on account OF
the bitter prosecutions of the people. He
said 1T was his disagreeable duty to call
upon the people to vote for the excom-
of John q. Cannon, who had
just confessed to the crime of adultery.
Angus, or Anguish, as he is more aptly |
called by some OF his people, spoke of |
how much worse it was to do this duty |
than to serve six months in the Pen. He
spoke OF his personal feelings in having
to ask the people to cut off his nephew
whom he had loved so dearly, and spoke
at some length of the depth to which
Young Cannon had descended in betrav-
ng the great and glorious trust that had
1een placed in him.
lie then made motion that "Bishop
John Q. Cannon be cut off from the
Jhurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
saints Tor immoral and unchristian-like
The vote was unanimous.
md according to the Mormon belief. the
soul OF their once beloved brother was
hus condemned to the bottomless depths
If an eternal hell.
ELDER JOHN NICHOLSON,
Who had been interrupted in the middle
u his discourse, again arose, and devoted
he remainder of his time to the con-
emnatlon of tie erring Bishop. At the
onclusion OF his speech, Bishop Cannon
'assed for the last time from the pulpit
4 the great Tab" and was far awav
'etore the congregation had been dis
missed.
John q. Cannon, who was thus severed
rom the glorles OF an eternal life, is
Dung man hardly 80 years of age. He Il
son OF George Q. Cannon, the apos-
bic head OF the Mormon Church. He
as, through the influence of his father. c
cen pushed ahead in church affairs 9
nth he held, at the time OF his fall, one r
the most important positions in the
kingdom" He was acting as councillor
Bishop Breston, the presiding bishon
the church. He is young man who
as made great professions to his people. Il
ld In whom the Saints had the utmost n
'ntdence and felt the greatest respect
ne mas never taken any active part in S
'lltlcs, but within the past few months t;
lie rumor has been widely circulated %
at his proud and ambitious father had
L his mind upon placing this promising
n IN the Mormon seat in the House of 81
representatives. of the United States. a
Socially the man has been held in hiob
TEEN by his Mormon friends, and in the NJ
of his crime he drags down &C
tn him pure, loving wife and two or
rec innocent children. 1t was at one W
ne rumored that he had gone into OF
lygamy, and it was for the publication
this rumor that he administered a
we're chastisement to the reporter of a
rtain morning sheet.
1he hrst question which arises when al
er man gets into. trouble is, "who's III
woman?" and this is the question eS
nch is now troubling the public. Some &c
tlat the crime was committed during On
visit to California, others that it was I'll
tore that time, and still others that if br
IS since his return. There has as vet lol
Ell nothing but the vaguest suspicion. lie
lnded upon mere circumstantial evil
nee which would lead in any way TO stf
solution OF the leading question. and pa
caring to venture even a guess upon
important question of woman's pur-
, nothing more will be said upon the
olect until the facts are further deyel-
ed.
As stated above, according to the ha
'rmon creed, Cannon loses, by his raj
me, not only his standing upon earth, an
all chances OF ever attaining heaven tn:
business prospects are ruined. his u.s.
lal standing is gone, his religions or,
pes are wrecked, and with this ali he tn,
? him he might well pray as he did of
terday, "Oh Lord, lay not this charge Gel
nv soul " %