Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-07-29
THE MORMON WOMEN.
Female Advocates OF Polygany in
Neutrality-suspicious. Who Are
n,,nnsir,ur rrbss,,n

Neutrality-suspicious. Who Are
Opposing Them.
The hearing before the house judiciary com
rnittee relating to the Mormon question has
now gone on Tor several days, writes CORE
spondent Of The New York World. II attracts
who are not idle A number Of young ladies
have dropped in from time to time, although
the freedom with which the counsel for the
prosecution and the defense discuss the rela-
tions of the sexes should embarrass them.
They have not appeared, however, to be any
more put out over the free discussion OF or
dinarily forbidden topics than II the subjects
were Of the most approved propriety. The peo-
pie in the room who attract the most attention
are the three Mormon women. They have
been brought on here for the purpose OF help
ing the Mormon side. They are here to give
testimony that there are women who believe In
polygamy. The most intellectual looking Of
these women ii Mrs. Wells. She Is the ed
itress Of Tbs Wonian's Exponent, paper print
ed in Salt Lake. She is the only ono OF the
other wives. Mr.. Wells has three or
four wives, do not remember the exact
number. She Is lean, spare woman,
slightly above the medium height. Her
face is sallow and sharp-featured. She has
clear, dark eyes, q straight nose and thin
Tipped, posltiye-lined mouth. She looks to be
In the neighborhood OF IS years of age. She
has the appearance Of a strong minded woman.
She might be the head Of o large school, q doc
tress, or woman's rights advocate. She does
notIhave the domestic look in the slightest de-
gree. She wore yesterday . high black hat
trimmed with light brown. This hat was
slouched down over her eyes. About her neck
she had twisted a long orange-colored stream
er OF some soft material which gave her sal
low complexion genuine lemon tint. This
streamer fell down upon black wrap which
she kept tightly gathered about her. From
underneath this wrap there hung heavy blue
black velvet skirt. Mrs. DR.. Ferguson has the
look Of q spiritual medium or fortune-teller.
Her complexion is high-colored; her eyes are
gray, clear, and cunning; her nose is irregular
often dlstcnded In q disagreeably unctuous
smile Her hair 10 iron-gray; 1t was carelessly
piled up yesterday under a black bonnet,
upon the crest Of which rested q cluster OF
pink spring flowers She wore upon the breast
Of her black silk dress q cluster Of roses. Her
wrap was Of black silk.
The third woman, Mrs Richards, the wife
OF 4. =. Richards prominent Mormon, Is the
youngest OF the TIRES She 10 tall, and has o
clumsy, heavy figure She was yesterday
there was a full garden of bright spring flow.
ers. Her hair is brown, her eyes are q dull
browpish gray, while her complexion is . dark
saliow. She Is very plain and looks the least
intelligent Of the three. Apparently here were
the three types of Mormon women-the one SO
band In the states; the second of the fortune
telling variety, who If they wed at all always
wed nth cranhs or fanatics, and the third q
unintellfgent being, who could be Influenced
or led by those with whom she might happen
to be associated.
Miss Kate Field, who sits an interested listen
er, furnishing much Of the material to Mr..
Baskin, who has made the argument against
the Mormons, is very alert, active minded
looking woman, with straight regular features
beginning to turn gray. When she speaks
or smiles she shows set Of very handsome
white teeth-tho bandsomest feature of her
face. She was dressed during the srgu.
ment yesterday in snug-ftting spring
down closely upon her head. Back Of her sat
her protege, Mrs. Miles. Mrs Miles is the
woman who left Mormonsm, into which she
was led through deception, and Is now giving
evidence against It. She Is an Englishwoman,
about 80 years of age, and, as she has been re,
devote her time and attention to helping Miss
Fields fight tho Mormons. Mira Miles looks
something like a Japanese. Her eyes are
slightly oblique. Her nose is dropping hook
mouth is thin. Her face Is oval, and her in
tensely black hair is brushed up high from
her forhead, which further suggests the Japan
csc type. She wore yesterday . huge yellow
straw poke bonnet, with regular conserva-
tory Of blossoms in its top loft. Her dress
was a pale lilac, trimmed with bands OF dark
blue, purple, and steel beadwork. Her face
was flushed when the counsel was alludiug to
her experiences in the endowment house
Her hands shook with excitement, but it was
evident that In this excitement she found
pleasure.
The trouble, as 1t appears to the casual OBJ
server with the people who are fighting the
Mormons before the judiciary committee is
that the opposition Is rs fanatieal in appear
ance as the defense Mr.. Baskin, who made
the argument against the Mormons, is him
self religious fanatic His talk was not that
He would not admit that there was a single
good thing about the Mormons. To listen to
him one would be led to believe that every
Mormon 10 by instinct and training q murder
er. This is an absurd declaration against a
great body Of people, whatever may be their
religious beliefs. 1t is Of course possible, and
perhaps probable, that there are leaders in the
Mormon church who would not hesitate at any
crime to sustain their church. But it Is not
reasonable or probable that the great mass OF
the Mormon people are cruel or criminal In
their dispositions. The principal criticism
which can be directed against the people who
have been fighting the Mormons is that many
Of them have interested motives. No one
would care to defend the Mormons or their in
sttuuons but their power will never be
broken by other fanatics or by people who are
merely trying to get hold of their property.
Their Institutions will go down as a matter Of
course before the commonsense and lawabid-
ing elements Of advancing and surrounding
civilization.