Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-01-19
Roberts Investigating Committee
Unanimous in Its Finding
of Facts.
Slight Difference Of Opinion Re-
g;arding Proper Mode Of
Procedure.
Majority Report Will Recon-.
mend That He Shall Not
Be Seated.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1S.-The special
committee of the house of representa-
tives to investigate the case of Brigham
H. Roberts of Utah, has reached Il final
conclusion. On the polygamous status
of Mr.. Roberts the committee was rnan
imous and agreed upon a formal state.
ment Of facts. On the question Of pro.
ccdure to be adopted the committee was
divided.
The majority, consisting of all the
members except Littletield of Maine and
Dc Almond Of Missouri, favored cxclu.
sion at the outset. Mcssrs. Littletield
and De Almond will make a minority
report favorable to seating Roberts on
his prina facie rights and then expcl.
ling him.
The Facts as Found.
The statement Of facts found by the
committee is as follows:
"Wc find that B. H. Roberts was
elected as representative to the Fifty
sixth congress from the State of Utah,
and was ut the date Of his election above
the age OF 25 years; that he had been
for more than seven years nuturalized
citizen of the United States and was all
inhab;tant Of the State Of Utah.
eve further find that about 1878 he
married Louisa Smith, his first and law.
ful wife, with whom he has ever lived
as such, and who has since borne him
six children.
"About 1855 he married as his plural
wife, Celia Dibblc, with whom he has
ever lived as such, and who, since such
marriage, has borne him six children, of
which the last We're twins, born Aug.
II, 1897.
''That some years after his marriage
to Celia Dibble he contracted another
plural marriage with Margaret G. Shipp
with whom he has ever since lived III
the habit and repute Of marriage.
"Your committee is unable to fix the
exact date Of this marriage. 1t does moi
appear that he held her out as his wife
before Jan. l, 1897, OF that before that
date she held him out as her husband,
or that before that date they were re.
puted to be husband and wife.
"That these facts We're generally
known i'll Utah, publicly charged against
him during his campaign for election
and were not denied by him.
''That the testimony bearing on those
facts was taken III the presence of MI.
Roberts and that he fully cross -ext,nl-
ined the witnesses, but declined to place
himself on the witness stand.''
The eliminating session of the COM
mittec followed many prolonged cxecu-
tive sessions, which left no doubt as to
the attitude Of the several members,
with the exception of Mr.. Miers of In
DIANA, who had been out of the city.
He has now returned, and it was deter.
mined to bring the matter to a direct
issue. Accordingly when the commit
tee met Mr.. Mcpherson of Iowa offered
q resolution for the exclusion of Roberts.
De Almond Proposes Substitute.
Mr.. De Almond Immediately proposed
a substitute, recognizing the constitu.
tional rights Of Roberts to take his seat
on his credentials, and pro viding for his
expulsion.
There was no discussion beyond in.
formal remarks and the vote was first
taken Oh MI. Dc Almonds substitute,
Mr.. Littlefield joining him in the affirm
ative and the others voting in opposi.
ton. The vote was then taken on Mr..
McPherson's motion to exclude, result.
ing as follows:
Yeas-Taylor (O.), Frear, Morris and
Mcpherson, Republicans; Lanhan and
Miers, Democrats.
Littlefield, Republican; De
Almond, Democrat.
Chairman Tayler was authorized to
prepare the majority report. It will be
ready in a few days and the prospects
arc that the subject will be brought be.
fore tho house e,uly next week. Mr..
De Almond will submit the views Of
the minority. He will include the ex.
haustive review Of the law, covering
about 70 typewriter pages, prepared by
Mr.. Littlefield. The main point of this
is that the house cannot add to the re-
quirements provided by the constitution
for admission to the house and that the
only constitutional remedy is to admit
and then expel on the finding Of facts
Robbers Secured Six Thousand.
PHIIIPPI W. Va Tan 1S-R0hIar,