The times., 1899-10-31
THE WARRANTS NOT SERVED.
Arlington Citizens Do Not Fear Pros
ecution From the Mormons.


The warrants issued last week for the ar
rest Of the leaders Of the crowd which
broke up meeting conducted by Mormon
elders at Arlington, Alexandria county,
Va, last Thursday have not yet been
served. The men who are named In the
warrants are not able to account for this
fact, but believe that those who had the
warrants sworn out are collecting evidence
against the offenders and securing wit
nesses preparatory to prosecuting the cases.
Inc men who took the active part in fcrC-
ing the elders TO leave the county admit
that determined effort will be made TO
make their conviction certain. They claim,
however, that the persons who have chosen
to act as the defenders of the MoTmOns
have undertaken a more difficult task than
they have anticipated Members of the
crowd which assisted in driving the elders
from the place Of meeting and escorting
them to Washington, when seen yesterday
by Times reporter, said they were con-
ident they would be acquitted.
I'VE have the entire community at our
backs said one of the leaders who took
part in the proceedings Thursday night,
with the exception of a very few resi-
dents in and around Arlington. We have
been praised and congratulated for our ef-
forts, and have been assured repeatedly
that we Will have the support of the most
prominent citizens when the case is brought
into court The crowd which took things
into its own hands was representative Of
the best class Of people in Alexandria county
and OF the religious feeling and sentiment
Of the neighborhood We have been as
sured that money for our defence will be
forthcoming when the occasion demands"
The parties for whose arrest warrants
have been obtained have secured the SER
vices Of James E. Clements 10 represent
them at the trial before the justice of the
peace. The men said yesterday that if they
are found guilty by the magistrate the
case viii be appealed to the County Court.
If the matter IS carried this far, they say,
it viii not be allowed to stop there. Mr..
Clements viii be retained in the case, and
some of the best legal talent in Virginia
viii be secured to assist him.
The Seventh Day Adventists. in whose
church the Mormon meeting was being
held, are said to be responsible for the ac-
ton following the election of the elders.
The MoTmons are smart" said an Airing
ton citizen last night There is no doubt
about il, and this makes them all the more
dangerous. They do not intend to come
down into Alexandria county to testify
against US because they believe in return
ing good for evil l think il is because
they are afraid. l believe they would be
publicly whipped in the court room if they
dared to return after having been driven
from the county and ordered not TO come
back. II is believed in Arlington that the
Mormon Church is behind the prosecution
Of the men who broke up the meeting. II
is known that Mormon missionaries at
present are particularly active in certain
sections Of the county, and that they are
meeting with considerable success in max
ing converts They will discover that when
We added force to cur request for them to
leave we had this entire section of the
county on our side"
II is understood that eight warrants. in
addition to those already issued, have been
sworn out, and viii be served today