The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-14
Committee Room Crowded all During
Trial.
MANY LADIES WERE SPECTATORS
ined Many Witnesses When Tes-
tifying as to Relation Between
Him and His Wives

w dSIlillS tOl, lJtCtlhDSi lo.-l ne
of the house of representatives which is in
vestigating the case of Mr.. Roberts, of
Utah, at 1890 today began the public exami-
nation of witnesses.
A large number of spectators were on
hand, including several ladies. Mr.. Roberts
occupied a seat at the foot of the commit
tee table, while danking him was the dele
CATION of Gentiles, Rev. Mr. Tiff, Mr..
Schroeder and others, here to direct the
case against the Utah member-elect.
When Chairman Taylor, of Ohio, called
the committee to order ana asked what wit
nesses would be heard, Mr.. Roberts arose
and asked to be informed as to his status
before the committee. He made short
statement in line wita his brief, which has
already been published.
Mr.. Taylor responded that all of Mr.. Rob
erts' interests had been fully looked after
and protected, and there was no proper
question which had not been raised.
Mr. Taylor then asked Mr. Schroeder
what witness he would CALL
"Does this man appear as Attorney" ask
ed Roberts.
"He will examine WITNESSES" explained
Mr.. Taylor.
"Then I wish to introduce the court rec
ord relating to him." said Mr.. Rooerts.
schroeder Was Kecogn'zeh
Mr.. Taylor said this had already been
PASSED on Saturday, and Schroeder haa
been recognized.
Charles Austin owen was then called.
He gave his residence as Salt Lake CITY
In response to questions by Mr.. Schroeder
he said he knew the general reputation an
Salt Lake City of the status of DR. Mag
gle Shipp ROBERTS"
The witness said that a general relation
of the status of Roberts and Dr. Ma assle
Shipp Roberts was that they maintained
the relation of husband and wife.
While the questions were being put as TO
Mrs. Maggie Roberts, Mr.. Roberts oo1ected.
What this lady may have done Is I'M mn9-
terial in the absence of any showing that
1t was at the direction OF u. IL. RooerlS'
said Mr.. Roberts.
Mr.. Schroeder said later testimony would
bring out the materially of the questions,
and Mr. Taylor ruled that the competency
of the questions could be judged by tine
subsequent testimony.
Mr.. Roberts then cross-examlned the "it-
ress. =.
Mr. Roberts questions brought OUT that
the witness mad no personal knowledSe as
to MRS Maggie Roberts or Mr. Rooerts'
based on talks with them, but his lntorma-
tion, ne Salu, was oaSeN oH SS
common report.
~ want to know" asked MIR. Roberts,
.if the general reputation you have been
testifying to obtains since March 4, 1859!
ut does
"And what is that reputation?"
THAT Maggie Shipp Roberts is the plural
or polygamous wife of Brigham II. Rob
erts.''
ION what acts is this general reputation
based?" inquired Roberts.
mo specific acts, but generally accepted
reputation" responded Mr.. Owen.
Witness Had other Evidence
There was also considerable testimony on
court prosecution throughout the state on
which the witness had information. As this
evidence closed, Mr.. Roberts asked to nave
all his testimony struck from the record,
as the witness was unable to testify in his
own knowledge.
The chairman permitted the testimony to
stand.
Mr. McEwen, of the Philadelphia North
American, was examined as to a recent in
terview with Roberts signed by him (Mc-
Ewen). In this Roberts spoke of his
"wives," referring to them as good and
true women" toward whom obligations had
been incurred prior to the enactment of
the polygamy law.
"Was not this conversation in refernce to
general conditions?" asked Mr.. Roberts.
IL,
ness, directly addressing his interrogation.
"You spoke of general conditions and used
your own case to illustrate"
A Telephone Incident
Captain Elias H. Parsons of the quarter
masters department, United States volun-
teers, testified ito an incident occurring in
1896 while he was in Salt Lake City. About
a. M some one asked him to call up on
his telephone DR.. Maggie Ship Roberts. On
going to the telephone 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-examinatio ton Mr.. Roberts asked:
"Do you know B. H. Roberts voice?"
"I do not"
"Did the answer over the telephone say
Brigham II. Roberts?"
mo; simply B. H. Roberts"
"Is not there Bolivar Roberts in Salt
Lake City?"
Eyes: but I would know Bolivar Roberts
voice at any time, and it was not his"
Mr. Roberts said he would later ask to
have this testimony stricken out as lrreie-
want and not on personal knowledge.
Rev. DR.. Iliff, 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 Brig
ham H. Roberts. On cross-examinatlon Mr.
Roberts sought to show that DR.. Ilif was
hostile to the Mormons, the witness sating
that his hostility was to the polygamous
feature of Mormonism.
Dr. Iliff went into the historical feature
of the contest against polygamy, the Utah
constitutional convention, the attitudes of
Governor Welless and the Welle=-Tcharts
discussion on polygamy. DR.. Iliff denied
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