The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-12-15
Mr.. Roberts Argues at len til Be-
fore the House Investi-
eating Committee.
UTAH DELEGATION IS DENOUNCED.
Says Member Schroeder, of the Utah
Gentle Delegation is a Common
Swindler Unworthy Of Belief.
Roberts Pleads Not Guilty to the
Charge That He Is n POIygamist
and Demurrs From the
Com:nittec's Jurisdiction,

washington, Dec. lU.-l ne consider
alton of the case of Mr. Roberts, of
Utah, was resumed at 10 o'clock Sat
urday morning by the house investi-
eating committee, Mr.. Roberts being
present to plead to certain specific
interrogations which had been
framed. The proceedings continued
to be behind closed doors. Mr.. Rob-
erts was first asked If he conceded
the existence of the court record
wherein he pleaded guilty in 1899 un-
der the Edmunds-Tucker law. This he
conceded. He was next asked wheth-
er about 1870 or since 1890 he had
married plural wives, and had lived
with them since that time as wives.
To the whole of this charge Rob-
erts pleaded not guilty, and then de-
INJURED to the jurisdiction of the
committee for the following reasons:
First--On the ground of violation
of constitutional rights, in that it at
tempted to try him for crime with
| out presentment of Indictment by
grand jury, and without trial before a
jury and due process of law.
Second-That it was an attempt to
deprive him of vested property that
he held in the emoluments of an Office
for the full term.
Third-That the only evidence that
could rightfully be considered in the
committee was court record estab-
fishing the guilt, confessed or prov
en-, of the epresentative-elect, and
that the committee has no right to
consider any other evidence.
Fourth-That the crime alleged
namely that of unlawful cohabitation
even if proven would not constitute
a sufficient crime to bar member or
deprive him of his seat, because in
nocence of polygamy or unlawful CO.
habitation is no where enumerated
in the constitution as qualification
Tor once of member of congress, nor
! IS IS it named in any United States law
applicable to Utah or any other state.
Mr.. Roberts argued ON these
points for nearly two hours, referring
to law books and answering queries.
1t was a legal controversy through
out, the facts not being gone into
at length. Mr.. Roberts concluded by
asking that his prima facie right to a
seat be at once considered as the
present status denied to a sovereign
state representation in the house at
a time when injurious legislation af.
fecting that state might take place.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Roberts
E statement the committee held an ex
ecutiye session, and then ADJOURNED
until 2 p, m, The chairman announced
< that subsequent meetings would bC
e open and publicity also would be Civ
! en- to the official stenographer's re
i ports of the morning session.
> At the afternoon session Mr.. Rob
erts created a sensation by denounc
4 ing A. L. Schroeder, one of the gentil
o delegation from Utah. Mr.. Schroede
l. was about to address the committee
h when Roberts, waving his hand in pro
II test, said: 81 object. l object t
z, this witness if he comes here as an at
o torney. 1 object to him if he come
as n witness, on the ground that h
g is unworthy of confidence, and be
+ cause he is a common swindler An
d l propose TO establish by the record
h of the supreme court of Utah that h
'e is utterly unworthy of belief"
After some explanations NJ
Schroeder was permitted to proceed
He declared that it could be estal
lished that Roberts now is maintain
Or ing the status of a polygamist; thf
children had been born recently [
his polygamous wives, among thel
H. being twins born to Celia Diblle Rol
le erts on August II, 1897. 1t could ais
te be shown, he said, that he had bee
Id holding out DIR. Maggie Shipp 'Rol
~ erts as a wife, while he had living
OF lawful wife in the person of Loui:
Oh Smith Roberts. These statement
~ Mr.. Schroeder said, could be esta
no lished bv witnesses in Utah.