Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-12-13
POLYGAMIsTS IN COURT.

Since the enactment of the Ed
munds anti-polygamy law there
have been tried and convicted un-
der that law about 525 persons in
Utah and 80 in Idaho. The num-
Der of those convicted in Utah in the
last fiscal year was 1896. The courts
are stillat work. The grand jury that
was discharged at Provo on the Goth
ult. found 234 indictments, and al
most all of the indicted persons were
held for violation of the laws relat-
ing to polygamy.
Twenty-Five of the accused were
brought before the First District
Court in Provo on the 10Th ult. to
be sentenced. The reports pub,
lished in the Salt Lake Herald,
morning paper, throw some light
upon the present attitude of poly
gamists toward the law. HANS
NIELSEN was the first on the Ii t.
He had two wives, and had married
the second in 1864. He declared
that he had not been living with
three months in the penitentiary,
a fine of 500, and the costs. The
next convict was RANDOLPH IL.
STEWART, described us "the man
with three wives and twenty-seven
children" and he was sent to the
penitentiary for seven months.
ERIC Ericsson told the court that
after careful consideration he had
determined to obey the law in the
future. "Yon may go home," said
the Judge, WILLIAM BRAlTH-
WAITE said that since his arrest he
had lived with his first wife, and
that he did not intend to live again
with his second. In this case SELL
tence was suspended. 1t was
shown that JENs HANSEN had
taken three wives-the third twelve
years ago. The sentence was three
months, $50, and the costs. ELI A.
DAY had married "his last wife"
four years and half ago. He
knew mt the time, he said, that he
was violating the law, and up TO
July Goth 1883, he had lived with
two wives. He was sent to the
penitentiary for three months and
fined $3.50.
JOHN t. DoRUs, SO years old,
said that he had married his last
wife in 1874, and since the enact
ment of the law had lived only with
his first, although he had OCCASION
ally visited "the other family"
-Four months, $50, and costs. OLoF
LARSEN admitted that when he
married his last wife, In 1884, he
knew that he was breaking the law,
But he "did not think the law
would carry throughh A sentence
of five months and costs convinced
him that he had made mistake.
WILLIAM CHRISTENSEN, who mar
ried his last wife in 1881, would not
promise 10 give up all wives but
the first. He was fined 500 and
sent TO prison for three months.
The next culprit was "A Mormon
Bishop named JoHN SPENCER, who
had been living as n missionary
among the Indians. He declared
that he had not taught the doctrine
ofpolygamy, The court sent him
Ia the penitentiary for four months.
PETER 5. ANDERSON promised TO
obey the law, and his sentence was
suspended. RICHARD JENKINS
would have no such promise, aud |
his punishment was four months /
Imprisonment fine of $50, and |
costs. ALnER JoNEs had prepared |
statement which he read from |
manuscript. lie assured the court /.
that "his sincerity in the belief of
polygNmy was heartfelt. "There- |
upon lac WAS required to stay In the |
penitentiary four months and TO |
pay hne of $500, NEIs CHRIS |
TENsEN explained that he had been |
living with his third wife for eleven |
years, and supposed he had been |