The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-01-18
TO EXCLUDE MIR. ROBERTS
HOUSE CoMMIJTEE OF INQUIRY
 MAKES LTS REPORT.
Unanimous as to the Alleged Poiyga- mfsps Unfitness to Remain in Con- gress-A Majority for Refusing to Per- init Him to be Sworn in-A Minority Report on the Latter Point.


 Washington, Jan. 17.-The special committee of the house Of representa- lives to investigate the case of Brigham H. Roberts of Utah to-day reached a final conclusion. On the polygamouS status of MT. Roberts the committee was unanimous, and agreed upon for- nal statement of facts. On the Gues- tion of procedure to be adopted the committee was divided. The majority, consisting of all the members except Littlefield, rep, of Maine, and De Ar mond, rep, of Missouri, favored ex- clusion at the outset. Messrs. Little- field and De Armond will make mil nority report favorable to seating Rob- erts on his prima facie rights, and then expelling him.
 The statement of facts found by the committee ia as follows:
 We find that B. H. Roberts was elected aka representative to the Fifty sixth congress from the state of Utah, and was at the date of his election above the age of twenty-five years; that he had been for more than seven years a naturalized citizen of the Unit ed States, and was an inhabitant of the state of Utah.
 We further find that about 1878 he married Louisa Smith, his first and lawful wife, with whom he has ever since lived as such and who, since their marriage, has borne him six children; that about 1885 he married as his plural wife Celia Dibble, with whom he has ever since lived as such. and who, since such marriage, has borne him six children, of whom the last were twins, born August Il, 1897 that some years after his said marriage to Celia Dibble he contracted another plural marriage with Margaret c. Shipp, with whom he has ever since lived in the habit and repute of marriage. Your committee is unable to fix the exact date of this marriage It does not appear that he held her out as his wife before January, 1897, or that before that date she held him out as her husband, or that before that date they were reputed to be hus- band and wife.
 We find that these facts were gen. erally known in Utah, publicly charged against him during his campaign for election, and were not denied by him; that the testimony bearing on these facts was taken in the presence of MT. Roberts, and that he fully cross exam ined the witnesses, but declined to place himself on the witness stand.'
 When the committee met to-day MT. McPhersor, rep. of Iowa, offered resolution for the exclusion of Roberts. MT. De Armond immediately proposed a substitute, recognizing the constitu- tiona1 rights of Roberts to take his seat on his credentials and providing for his expulsion. There was no discussion beyond informal remarks. and the vote was first taken on MT. De Almonds substitute, MT. Littlefleld joining him in the affirmative and the others voting in opposition. The vote was then taken on MT. McPherson's motion to exclude, resulting as follows:
 Yeas-Tayler of Ohio, Frear, Morris and McPherson, reps; Lanham and Miers, dems.
 Nays-Littlefield, rep; De Armond, dem.
 The report will be submitted to the house early next week.