The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-10
MR.. ROBERTS APPEARS
BEFORE THE COMMUTE
He Makes Objection to Lawyer Schroeder Taking
Part In the Investigation.
Enters Demurrer to the Proceedings congressman May
Come to Utah to Take Testimony.

| AT that hour the committee room was
crowded with members, representatives
of the press and delegates represent
| ing the Gentle element of Utah. Mr.
] Roberts sat at the end of a long table
with documents piled up before him.
HIS secretary was near at hand bring
ing him books and other data of refer
/, ence-.
Chairman Taylor announced that per-
| sons who had participated in framing
the charges were present and he asked
that they be heard. Mr.. A. T. Schroe-
der, one of the Gentle delegation from
! titan, then stepped forward, and was
about to proceed when Mr.. Roberts
rose hastily and raised his hand in pro-
test.
! II object" he said. "I object to this
| witness IL he comes here as an attor-
ney. | object TO him if he comes as a
witness, on the ground that he is I'M
worthy of confidence. 1 propose to es-
tablish by the records of the supreme
court of Utah that he is utterly I'M
worthy of belief
| Roberts said he would present the
Tenth Utah supreme court report in
support of his allegations.
Mr.. Tayler answered that Mr..
schroeder was not present as a wit
/ ness. nor as counsel, but merely to give
the committee such information as he
| could, and the committee would treat
. NhC Ahe1tici as IL SAW III.
Objection Was Not Pressed.
MIR. Schroeder remarked that he did
not understand that he was on trial.
Mr.. Roberts did not press his objection
further and Mr.. Schroeder proceeded.
Alr. Schroeder said that it could be
established that Mr.. Roberts had main
tanned, and is now maintaining, the
status OF polygamist; that in 1889 he
pleaded guilty of unlawful cohabitation
and has since that time continued in
! that relation
Specifically, Mr.. Schroeder said it
could be established that there had
been recently born children to his poly
gamous wives, among them being twins
born to Celia Dibble Roberts. the re-
! puted second wife of the congressman
! elect. These children were represented
! to be born he said, August II, 1897,
and until this morning he had under
stood they were acknowledged by Rob
| erts as his.
| 1t could also be shown that he had
! been holding out DR.. Maggie Ship Rob
erts as a wife, and is now maintaining
/ the status of a husband toward her;
that during all of these times he had
| living a lawful wife, Loui9a Smith Rob-
erts, who also has borne him children
Mr.. Schroeder said the witnesses
were in Utah, readily accessible if the
committee desired to summon them. He
suggested that Miss Adah Roberts, the
daughter of Mr.. Roberts, was now in
! the city, and might be available as a
| witness.
DR.. Tiff Was Silent.
Rev. DR.. Tiff of Utah was asked if
| he desired to add anything, but stated
that Mr.. Schroeder had covered the
general question sufficiently, and that
the detailed evidence would be ever
ready if the committee desired.
AT this point Representative McPher-
son of Iowa, a member of the commit
tee, stated that he thought there was
misunderstanding among members as
to the status of Mr.. Roberts. Some
thought he had made his statement in
order to frame an issue. Others thought
he had appeared as a witness and
should be subject to cross examination.
He said ne feared the committee was
gradually drifting to a point where it.
would have to go $500 miles to Utah
TO hear witnesses, or else bring wit
nesses $500 miles to Washington
Chairman Tayler stated Roberts had
not appeared as a witness and was not
under oath. Mr.. Roberts said this state
ment was for the purpose of joining is
sue. He rested and desired a ruling on
his demurrer. and time to present au-
thorities on this demurrer, for he said
he was not through with that. He
stated also that as a witness he would
hardly be expected to give evidence
against himself.
The public hearing then went over
until Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock, and
the committee held a private session.
May Come to Utah.
Mr. Tayler said after the executive
session that the committee was con-
sidering whether it should go to Utah
or have the witnesses come here, and
that no decision had been reached. Mr..
Schroeder, against whom Roberts made
his protests, said after the meeting:
Mr.. Roberts refers to a civil suit
brought to set aside an execution sale
made by the sheriff of Salt Lake coun-
ty 1 was the attorney of the judg-
ment creditors, and at the sheriff's sale
became the purchaser in my own name
with the consent of my clients. 1t is
long story, but suffice it to say that
Judge Bartch. now on the supreme
bench, who tried the case, in rendering
his oral decision, expressly exonerated
me from all imputation of actual fraud.
Mr.. Roberts goes long ways to
find means for distracting attention
from himself but the case is urgent
and perhaps l ought to consider him
justified in going to any extreme"
1t is understood the opposition to Rob-
e1ts has Suggested that the wives with
whom he is alleged TO have maintained
polygamous relations be summoned as
witnesses The first wife, it is said,
would be exempt from testifying
against her husband, as she has legal
status as a wife, but this exemption
would not extend beyond the first wife.
A sub committee consisting of Messrs.
Morris, Littlefield and MieTs has been
appointed to get up forms of subpoenas,
etc, in connection with the summoning
of witnesses.