The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1900-01-12
ROBERTS DEFENSE.
UTAH coNoREssMAN's PLEA
BEFORE COMMITTEE.
Constituents Competent Judges Of Moral
status ofa Representatives. Claims Ev-
idence Does Not sustain Charges.


Washington, Jan. Mr.. Roberts Of |
Utah began his plea on his own behalf |
yesterday, speaking in all about Eve
hours. The committee adjourned be. |
fore he had concluded
AZ the opening Of the session letter
was received from John @. Carlisle.
arguing against the citizenship Of Mr.. /
Roberts, and stating Il was his belief
that SIR. Roberts would not be allowed
TO vote In any state In the union On the
showing made. Mr.. Roberts said.
"Thc questions 10 be considered are
the prima facie and final rightof H. II.
Ropcrts, reprcsentative-elect from
Utah, to n seat In tie house Of repre-.
sentatives, to which he was elected in
the month Of November, 1898. by the
people Of Utah; the electorate OF said
state gave him plurality Of vote OF
zoos. II IA a case In which there IL no
contest aud where IL appears, so far as
the proceedings before the committee
are concerned, the representativc-clect
possesses all Of the qualifications pre-.
scrihed by the constitution OF the
United States aud where there Is no
statute NO far NJ made TO appear before
the committee either 10 the state OF
Utah or the United States applicable 70
the case which disqualines the repre-
tAtive.eleet from the Office OF con.
grensmaa In the lower house OF the
American congress
at IL left 10 those constituents to
determine said he. what shall be the
moral status Of the man they wish TO
send TO congress as their representa-.
tive, and not 70 the house Of congress 4"
Mr. Roberts took up the evidence Of
the witnesses who appeared against
him and questioned some OF their state.
msntA
at has not even been established"
said he. that r. H. Roberts was ever
married To Margaret C. shlpp Roberts.
, Il has been shown that he was seen
: near the house aud once Ia the house
But there was no testimony OF mar
y rage, nothing as 10 their maintaining
martial relations. nothing az TO their
' having been seen at the theatre or at
the church, or otherwise assoeiRting az
man and wife"
= A 10 the testimony that he had at.
" tended the funeral OF q child OF Celia
% Dibble Roberts. that was, Mr.. Roberts
y said. not remarkable. There wa,
nothing extraordinary Ia his attending
funeral and the differences drawn
!. could not be viewed ~ proof As u
any dirsc, martial relations with ceiia
20 Dibblo Roberts, he sAid. thsrs was no
ID alrset testimony.
D. In the main the evidence was a. "a
'e general repute, he commended. which
IN was short Of that conclusive proof re-
10 CURED. lie challenged tho charge that
e. he had contracted three polygamouI
d marriages.
r Mr.. TAyler Aaid he had never heard
err Of such n charge, IA three polygamou,
err marriages would mean -four marriages.
at ia all
~ challenge this" said Mr. Roberts
~ pecAuht ~ N one OF INC cnurEca OF
n which excitement has been worked
I'd up"
d. Mr., Roberts vehemently exclaimed
o, against those who had "hounded" him
They were not the bankers. merchants
lawyers and other substantial citizen
Of Utah but they were In the mali
10 eastern missionaries who had gone :,
a Utah To oppose Mormonism.
az Al one point Representative Nc
In Pherson OF the committee asked.
IA "Under your faith, was tho tal,inI
70. Of plural wives merely allowable o
10 was II required?"
-, at was mandatory" replied MI
Roberts, "according TO tho view o
NV leading Mormon authorities.
lel Mr.. Roberts continued until $3.50 y
la m, when he asked that the hearing x
Al. over, having spoken almost live hours
General Wood Releases Prisoncrs.
iel Havana, Jan. 7,--GenerAl Wood ha
ed Issued an important order giving free
nj dom 10 forty men In the province O
III Santa Clara Some OF them had bcel
detained without trial and others ver