The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1900-01-20
Roberts Convicted.
EcalmIttee Reports That ne hAa,
Three Good Wires and Twins
That's Too Many.

Il Z
That's Too Many.
The special committee Of the house
Of Representatives TO investigate The
case Of Brigham Il. Roberts Of Utah
Wednesday, the 18th, reached q final
conclusion. On the polygamons status
OF MIR. Roberts, the committee was
Unanimous and agreed upon D formal
statement OF facts. On the question
Of procedure to be adopted, the com.
mittee was divided. The majority
consistent OF all the members except
Littledeld OF Maine and DeArmond OF
Missouri, favored exclusion at the out
set. Little6eld and DeArmond will
make aainority report favsss.ble to
seating Roberts on his prinaa .fdcie
rights, and then expelling him. The
statement OF facts found by the COM
mittce is as follows:
We find that b. Ii. Roberts was
elected As a representative to the Eff
| ty-sixth congress from the State OF
Utah, and was at the date Of. Ills cleo,
ton above the age of 25 years; that he
had been for more than seven years O
naturallzed citizen of the u United States
and an inhabitant of the State Of Utah
I'VE futher find that about 1873 he
married Louisa Saith, his first and
lawful wife with whom he has ever
since been living as such and who,
since their marriage has borne him
six children.
| "AbouC 1885 he married as his plural
wife Celia Dibble, with whom he has
ever since liFed,as ouch and who since
such marriage has borne him children
of which the last were twins, born Au-
gust II, 1897.
"That since his said marriage to Co.
liza Dibb!e he contracted another plural
marriage with Margaret Q. 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. 1t does
not appear that ne held her out as his
wife before January /, 1895, or that be.
fore that date, she held him out as her
husband, or that before that date they
were reputed to be husband and wife,
THAT these facts were generally
known in Utah and publicly charged
against him during his campaign fol
election and were not. denied by him
That the testimony bearing on these
facts was taken in the presence of Mr.
Roberts and that he fully cross-exam.
ined the witnesses but declined tc
place himself on the witness stand.".
The eliminating session of the com
mittee today followed many prolonged
executive sessions which left no doubt
as to the attitude Of the several mem
bers with the exception Of Mr.. Mierl
of Indiana who had been out of thu
city. He returned today and it was de
termined to bring the matter TO an is
sue. Accordingly when the committee
met Mr. Mcpherson of Iowa offered {
resolution for the exclusionof Roberts
Mr.. DeArmond Immediately pro
posed a substite recognizing the con-
stitutional rights of Roberts to taxi
his seat, on his credentials, and provid
ing for his expulsion. ,t.i....
There. was no discussion beyond in
formal remarks A vote was saken OF
Mr.. De Almonds substitute, MIR. Lit
tletield joining him in the affirmative
and the others voting in opposition
The vote was then, taken on McPher
SONS motion to exclude, resulting al
follwws:
Yeas-TaYler, Freer, Morris and Nc
Pherson, Republicans; Lanham am
Miers, democrats
Naps-Littlefield, republican; De Ar
mond, democrat. ,.
Chairman Tayler was authorized t.
prepare the majority report. 1t will b
ready in few days and The prospect
are the subject will be brought befor
the house early next week. Mr.. De AT
mond will submit the view of the mi
nority. lie will include an exhaustiv
review Of the law, covering 70 type
written pages prepared by Mr.. Little
; field. The main point of this is tina
; the house cannot add to the require
; ments provided by the, constitution
providing for the admission to tn
house and the only constitutional rem
edy is to admit and then expel on tn
finding Of facts.