The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-01-06
MR. ROBERTS SPEAKS
IN HIS own BEHHLF
Utah Congressman Addresses the House LnVeSti-
eating Committee For Five Hours
Is PerSiStenty interrupted by Chairman TayerHe Ex-
plains Who the Crusaders Are.

facts, while not under oath and not
subject to the rule of perjury.
Mr.. DeArmond answered that the
hearing had wide latitude and he was
sure the committee could discriminate
between 51r Roberts arguments and
his statements Of facts.
I am not in such a state of mental
disturbance" remarked Mr. De-
Almond, "as to be able to forcee
what Mr. Roberts is going TO say.
Interruption Uncaned For.
He added that he did not see that the
interruption of the chairman was at
all called for, in view of the latitude
heretofore allowed
The incident took an amusing turn
when Mr.. Roberts, being allowed TO
proceed, said he was through on that
subject and there was a hearty laugh
all around He went on, however,
Analysing the evidence of other wit
nesseg and in general questioning the
directness and COnClusiVeness Of the
testimony.
1T has not even been established, -
said he, that B. II. Roberts was ever
married to Margaret c. Ship Roberts.
It has been shown that he was seen
near the house and once in the house.
But there was no testimony Of mar
riage, nothing as to their maintaining
marital relations, nothing as TO their
/ having been seen at theatre or at the
! church or otherwise assOciatlng as man
and wife"
How do you account for your pic
tuTe being found in her house? asked
Mr.. Tayler
L don't know how to account for
! it," answered Roberts.
Attendance at a Funeral.
As to the testimony that he had at
tended the funeral of a child Of Celia
: Dibble Roberts, that was, Mr. Roberts
/ said, not remarkab bic. There was moth
/ ing extraordinary in his attending a
funeral and the differences drawn
/ could not be viewed as proof. AS to
any direct marital relations with Celia
4 Dibble Roberts, he said, there was no
] direct testimony.
In the main the evidence was as to
/ general repute, he commended, which
4 was short of that conclusive proof re-
quired. He challenged the charge that
/ he had contracted three pOlygamOus
/ marriages.
/ Mr.. Tayler said he had never heard
/ Of such a charge, as three pOlygamOus
marriages would mean four marriages
/ in all.
( I challenge this" said Mr. Rob
/ erts. because it is one Of the charges
/ on which excitement has been worked
/ up"
MIR Roberts was still arguing when.
/ at 1890 o'clock a recess was taken IN
/ til , p. m.
Tayler interiors Again
I Mr.. Roberts continued his argument
after the recess. When he sought to
read published comment tending to
show the motive Of the crusade ana
/ cause against him Chairman Tayler
stopped him. The committee had moth
ing to do with any crusade, Mr.. Tayler
said, but was trying to ascertain one
/ fact. namely, whether Mr. Roberts is a
! pOlygamist The chairman said Mr..
I Roberts line Of procedure was ir-
regular. There was some difference of
opinion in the committee as to the
course to pursue.
Let us settle it here and now" said
Mr.. Littleheld. AS far as I am con-
/ cerned I am ready TO hear anything he
wants to say"
/ Mr. Tayler said he wished to enter
( his protest against bringing questions
I of fact into the argument as both i'm
/ proper and ridiculous
Tells Who Crusaders Are.
/ Mr. Roberts vehemently exclaimed
1 against those who had bounded" him.
/ They were not the bankers. merchants,
lawyers and other substantial citizens
/ of Utah rat they were in the main
/ eastern missionaries who had gone to
I Utah to oppose MOrmonism.
/ At one point Representative Nc
/ Pherson of the committee asked
Under your faith. was the taking
/ of plural wives merely allowable or
! was it required?'
q In Tor anil cd w
/ Roberts, according to the view of
; leading Mormon authorities"
J Mr.. Roberts continued until 4:3i ..
M, when ne asked that the hearing go
/ over, having spoken almost five hours.
/ The committee thereupon adjourned
until 10 d. m. tomorrow when Mr.
+ Roberts viii conclude.