Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-14
TESTIMONY IN ROBERTS CASE
Several Women Present to Hear Charles
Austin Owen Testify.
INFORMATION OF GENERAL CHARACTER
Witness Has No Personal Knowledge
OF status of Roberts and His
Plural wiNcs-Committcc
Admits Testimony.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-The committee
of the house Of representatives which is in
vestigating the case of Mr.. Roberts began
the examination of witnesses at 1880 today.
large number of spectators were present,
including several women.
! Roberts occupied seat at the foot OF the
committee table, while Ranking him was the
delegation of gentiles-Rev. DR.. 1liff MIR.
Schroeder and others-berc to direct the case
against the Utah member-elect. ...
When Chairman Tayler called the com
mittee to order and asked what witnesses
would be heard Roberts arose and asked to
be informed as to his status before the COM
mittee. He made a short statement in line
with his brief, which has already been pub
lished
Tayler responded that all of Roberts
rights had been fully looked after and pro-
tected and there was no proper question
which had not been raised. Tayler then
asked Schroeder what witnesses he would
call
Does this man appear as Attorney" asked
Roberts.
"fIe will examine Witnesses exclaimed
Tayler
Then | wish to introduce the court record
relating to him." said Roberts.
Tayler said this had already been passed
on and Schroeder had been recognized
Charles Austin owen was called. He gave
his residence as Salt Lake City. In re-
sponse to questions by Schroeder he said he
knew the general reputation in Salt Lake
City of the status of 'Dr. Maggie c. Shipp-
Roberts" The witness said that the gen
eral reputation of the status of Roberts and
Dr. Maggie C. Shipp- Roberts was that they
maintained the relation of husband and wife.
While the question was being put as to Mrs
Maggie Roberts, Roberts interrupted with
the objection:
What this lady may have done is imma-
terial in the absence of any showing that 1t
was at the direction of B. H. Roberts"
Schroeder said later testimony would bring
out the materaity of the questions and
Tayer ruled that the competency OF the
questions could be judged by the subsequent
testimony.
Il want to know" asked Roberts, eff the
general reputation you have been testifying
to obtains since March 4, 1892
1T does" .. '", ..-
"Aud what is that reputation?'
THAT Maggie C. Shipp- Roberts is the
plural or polygamous wife OF Brigham H 4.
Roberts" ...
"on what acts is this general reputation
based?'
mo specific acts, but generally accepted
reputation" responded Owen.
There was also considerable testimony on |
court prosecutions throughout the state, on
which the witness had information. AS this |
evidence closed Roberts asked to have all
the testimony struck from the record as the |
witness was unable to testify to his own |
knowledge.
The chairman permitted the testimony to
stand
VI" Editor McEwen on stand.
Mr., McEwen of the Philadelphia North
American was examined as to recent in
terview with Roberts, signed by him (Mc-
Ewen). In this Roberts spoke CT his
wives referring to them as good and
true women" toward whom obligations had
been incurred prior to the enactment of the
law
IVES not this conversation in reference to
general conditions?" asked Roberts.
"Oh, no. Mr.. Roberts," answered the wit
ness, directly addressing his interrogation,
"you spoke of general conditions and used
your own case to illustrate"
Captain Elias H. Parsons of the quarter
masters department, U. S. v, testified to
an incident occurring in 1896 while he was
in Salt Lake City. About s a. IN. some one
asked him to call up on his telephone DR..
Maggie Shipp- Roberts. On going to the tel
ephone and calling up the house a mans
voice answered.
who is this?" Captain Parsons asked
over the telephone.
"B. H. Roberts," was the reply, Captain
Parsons testified.
On cross examination Roberts asked: do
you know B. H. Roberts volce?"
81 do not"
Ibid the answer over the telephone say
Brigham H. Roberts?' A"
mo, simply B. II. Roberts -
"Is there not a Bolivar Roberts in Salt
Lake City?"
"Yes, but l would know Bolivar Roberts
voice at any time and it was not his"
Roberts said he would later ask to have
this testimony stricken out as irrelevant
and not on personal knowledge.
Rev. DR.. Ilif, a Methodist missionary OF
Utah, testified that the general reputation
as to the status of Celia Dibble- Roberts was
that she was the plural wife of Brigham II.
Roberts
On cross examination Roberts sought TO
show that DR.. Iliff was hostile to the Nor
mons, the witness stating that his hostility
was to the polygamous feature OF Mormon
ism
Dr.. Ilif went into the historical features
of the contest against polygamy, the Utah
convention, the attitude of
Governor Wells and the Wells Roberts
discussion on polygamy.
DR.. Iliff denied that there had been an in
tentional withholding OF prosecution in
Utah in order TO get up propaganda in the
east and thus increase the contributions for
work.
Rev. G. w. Martin, Presbyterian minis |
Ter OF Manti, Utah testified as TO the reputa
lion Of the polygamous status OF Celia Dib-
Dle- Roberts and Margaret C. Shipp- Roberts
toward Brigham H. Roberts. He saw state
nents TO this effect in the Salt Lake City
papers and heard OF no denials The polyg-
imous status Of Mr., Roberts was matter
Il common repute. 1t was also reputed that 1
wins had been born to Celia Dlbble- Roberts. c
Schroeder stated that this was all the evil
fence at hand until witnesses arrived from I
Utah.
Roberts stated that former United States G
Senator Brown, a non Mormon and mem
Ter Of the republican organization OF Utah. z
vas in town and could furnish information Y
IN general conditions in Utah, also D. C. b
dunbar, clerk of the court at Salt Lake City, I
md Mr.. Glass OF that city.
Chairman Tayler said the inquiry would Y
,e confined to matters affecting Roberts e