The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1900-01-18
Is A p0LYGAMIST,
Roberts Investigating Committee
Unanimous in Its Finding
CT Facts.
Slight Difference Of Opinion Re.
garding Proper Mode Of
Procedure.
Majority Report Will Recon-.
mend That He Shall Not
BE Seated.

WASHINGTON, Jan. ls.-The special
committee Of the house OF representa-.
tivcs TO investigate tho case Of Brigham
n. Roberts Of Utah, has reached final
conclusion. On the polygamous status
OF Mr.. Roberts the committee was unan.
imous and agreed upon formal state.
ment OF facts. On the question Of pro-
cedurc to bc adopted the committee was
divided.
The majority, consisting Of all the
members except Littlcfield Of Maine and
Dc Almond Of Missouri. favored exclu.
SION at the outset. Messrs. Littlefield
and De Almond will make a minority
report favorable TO seating Roberts on
his prima facie rights and then expel.
ling him.
The Facts ~ Found
The statement Of facts found bv the
committee Is as follows:
We find that b. r. Roberts was
elected as representative 10 the Fifty
sixth congress from the State uf Utah.
and WAS a, the date Of his election above
th" axe Of % years; that he had been
FOR more than seven years naturalized
citizen o: the United States and was al
inhahitant of tn. State of Utah
Nv. further find that about 1878 h,
married Louisa Smith. his iirs, and law
ful wife, with whom he has ever lived
as such. and who has since borne hin,
six children
"Abou, 1856 H. married as his plural
wife. Celia Dibble. with whom h. ha.
ever lived as such. and who. since such
marriage has borne him six children. OF
which the las, were twins, born Aug
IL. 1897,
"Tha, some years after his marriag'
Ia Celia Dibble he contracted anothe,
plural marriage with Margaret c. Ship
with whom he has ever since lived il
the habit and repute of marriage
Your committee is unable Ia fix tn,
exact date of this marriage. 1t does no
appear that he held her out as his Wit,
before Jan. |. 1891, or that before tha
date she held him out AS her husband
or iha, bcfor. that date they were re
pu,,d 10 be husband and wife.
That these facts were general,
known III Utah. publicly charged agains
him during his campaign for election
and were not denied by him.
That the testimony bearing on thoS
facts was taken in the presence of Mr
Roberts and tina, he fully cross-eNnm
ined the witnesses. but declined To plac
himself on the witness stand.
The eliminating session of the com
mitt.e followed many prolonged cxecu
tive sessions. which left no doubt rs {
the attitude of the several members
with the exception of Mr.. Miers of In
diania, who had been out of the city
| II, has now .eturncd. and ii was deter
| mined 10 bring the matter TO dircC
issue Accordingly when the commit
tee met Mr.. Mcpherson Of Iowa offere
a resolution for the exclusion of Roberts
Ipc Aru,ond Proposes . substitute.
Mr.. De Almond immediately propose
a substitute, recognizing the con>titu
| fional rights Of Roberts 10 take his SCI;
on his credentials. and pro viding for hi
expulsion.
There was no discussion beyond IL
formal remarks and the vote was fir
| taken on Mr. DE Almonds substitute
, Mr.. Littletield joining him in the affirm
| ntiyc and the others voting III oppos
! tion The vote was then taken OH MI
| Ncphcrson's s motion to exclude, rcsul
ing as follows:
Ycas-Taylor tOD. Frcar, Morris an
Mcpherson, Republicans; lAnhan an
| Miers. Democrats.
Nays-Lttlefield Republican: ID
| Armond, Democrat.
Chairman Taylcr was authorized
prcp,rc the majority report. 1t will
rcady in a few days and the prospec
are that the subject will be brought b
fore the house early next week. NJ
u, Almond will submit the views =
tho minority. He will include the G.
hnustivc review of the law, coverin
about 20 typcwrittcn pages, prepared b
Mr I.ittlcficld. The main point OF tn
i that the house cannot add to the r
ouircmcnts provided by the constitutio
Tor admission to the house and that Il
only constitutional remedy is to adm
and thcn expcl on the finding Of fact
Agree !. Vote on Thursday.
WASHINGTON, Jan. lS.-The senat
hns agreed 10 vote OH the financial bi
| ~, L.h IL No hour yys