Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-11-30
FIRST DISTRICT COURT.
A Grist of COhabs. ut Ogden-Gen-
eraI junction JOttIngs.

terest was expected to come up. And
such was the case There was an un-
common sprinklng of ladies in the audi
torum, upon which fell hush Of expect
anCy as soon as the reading Of the min
utes OF Saturday was completed.
John Stoddard was called to receive
sentence for unlawful cohabitation to
which he had pleaded guilty the week
previous. He did not at first answer,
any more than did Thos. w. Helm or ii.
b. Civilians who are in a similar pre-
dicament, viz: to be arraigned under
charges OF U. G.
George Chandler stood up before His
Honor, upon the old charge, but his SEN
tence was postponed for day.
Robert T. Ellis also failed to respond
to the call for his arraignment.
AT last Mr.. Stoddard appeared to take
his dose of medicine for his ailment, NC,
committed land admitted) by him in
1884 He struck heroic attitude and
| firm pose, making little speech trying
to impress upon His Honor the facts of
the case. He was 80 years of age, had
been in this country thirty-six years.
Married first when he was 10 years old !;
this relationship resulted in seven
children. Did not know the laws of the
land when he came here, and even after
ward did not pay attention to them.
| When % years old he married another
woman, who bore eleven children, a third
when he was So, seven children being the
offspring OF that union; and lastly he,
| fifteen years ago, married fourth, the
mother of three children. The first is
dead The three living he cannot feel
like discarding, divorcing, or abandoning.
Had not known OF the law of 1862. His
youngest child is eighteen months old.
What he had done he had done with
pure motive and in good faith. He
would nor promise to obey the law. His
Honor, in pronouncing sentence, was
firm, although not harsh, in maintaining
the superiority OF the laws OF the country
The law had not stepped in between the
prisoner and his relations he had broken
the law and advised others to break it ;
wherefore the sentence was six months
imprisonment and $500 and costs.
+. A. Brown, for unlawful cohabtation
came up. After the usual interrogatories
jury was secured, and the indictment
read to them, which contains four counts
by segregation OF the period from May
to June 8, 1886. The witnesses in the
case were sworn, and the testimony was
| opened alter Il SnOTU recess.
Mrs. RosWytha Giesy was the first wit
ness for the prosecution. Lived near to
defendants residence. Had been at
Martha's residence, and seen man
there, ga fleshy gentleman" but could
not tell for certain whether it was defend.
ant or Augustus Garfield.
Mrs. Martha ii. Brown had gone
through marriage ceremony with de-
| Ha in,
since May 18th. The rest OF her testi-
mony was OF nature to cause Mr.. Dick
son to drop the examination, and the
Court instructed the jury to give an oral
verdict on their seats, which they did by
unanimous "Not guilty"
The Court adjourned, Mr.. Brown Ie-
ceiving the congratulations OF his friends,
not all of whom were his co-religionists.
At the opening OF the afternoon session,
one Pentz, ais Charles w. Bronson, a
notorious old car sneak thief, was up for
sentence on conviction for larceny.
The Judge gave him sound and severe
moral lecture and sentenced him to the
penitentiary for the term OF eight years.
James Toombs, OF Willard, and Abra-
ham Somerthwate, OF this city, were
naturalized after a rigid examination by
the Court. But there was trouble when
James Morton, a wooden worker, applied
for the great boon of American citizen
ship and was stopped in climbing the
golden stairs by the Prosecuting Attor-
ney putting in stunning objection
charging the applicant with having some
time ago asked a young girl to become
his second wife. The Judge suspended
his decision until he had investigated the
matter Brother Morton won't pull the
wool over the eyes OF Justice.
VIM. NJ. Bowman was excused from
service on the jury for the term.
Then came the case OF the United States
VS.. John Bergen, charged with polygamy
After the usual series OF questions the
jury was impaneled. Richards and Raw
Inns appear for the defendant, the prose.
cution being conducted by United States
District Attorney Dickson, assisted by
Ogden Hiles. The prosecution excused
VIM. Studer, the defense, Mr.. O'Connol
and George Burrows. Before the Jury
was sworn, Mr.. Rawlins moved to have
the indictment quashed on the ground
that it was defective. Motion overruled
The panel OF the jury was completed and
testimony taken. The first witness was
Mary Benson, an admitted wife OF de-
tendant, having married him in 1874
Her evidence was suggestive of the tooth.
pulling processes OF the last century. She
admitted having gone with Matilda Ber-
gen and defendant to Logan, in April
last and slept there in one room to-
gether, although not in the same
bed, but did not know the names
of the host or hostess where they
stayed. In the Temple they were
together all the time, all three.
Similar facts were educed. The reputa-
ton in the family was also that Ann Bur
CESS was wife OF Bergen Rawlins
made valiant fight for the defense, but
met in Dickson a foeman worthy of his
steel. The whole hinged on the question
OF Bergen's having had an actual mar
rlage with legal wife, the defense try
ing to make out that one woman was
such, the prosecution maintaining an
other ones status in that dignity.
Augusta Bergen testified that she was
married to defendant in 1873, and they
mutually recognized each other as hus-
band and wife Similar features had
come up in the previous trial of Bergen
tOr unlawful Cohabitation, the witness
being claimed by the defense to be the
lawful wife, as which she was incompe-
tent to testify in this case. IOh, what a
confusing Concatenation and inextrcable
perpleXity OF matrimonial mazes ! The
deiense's objections to the testimony
were overruled.
Adjourned till 40 Il. m tomorrow.
OGDEN Cry, Utah, Nov. 20, 1886.
Sundays U. & n. train from the north
was delayed three hours at Pocatello,