The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-04

The special committee OF the House OF
Representatives. appointed to investigate
the charges against Representative-eIect
Roberts, met this morning. At ,0:55
o'clock Mr.. Roberts accompanied by his
secretary, bearing an armfu Of law books
entered the committee room. He was
greeted cordially by several members OF
the committee. The usual number Of peo-
pie attracted by the novelty Of the case
we're present
II was after II o'clock when Chairman
Tayler called the committee to order The
only absent member was Mr. I.andis.
Chairman Tay'er stated that the commit
tee had received a statement from wit
ness in Utah, bearing on the case. Mr.
Roberts objected 10 the admission Of the
statement and the chairman said il could
go over and be considered in executive
session. The case. said the chairman.
could be considered as closed unless it
should develop IN the course Of arguments
that additional evidence was needed.
Mr.. Roberts said be desired TO submit
some documents touching the credibiIitv
OF the witnesses examined by the com
miJtee. In response TO a question by Cha-r-
man Tayler Mr.. Roberts said the docu-
ments were not in the nature Of testimony
Chairman TayleT said the committee did
not care TO hear the documents read. Mr
Roberts then read from the salt Lake
HERALD OF November - 1899. a card sign
ed by Former Judge Brandon. denying that
he had given any information against Mr.
Roberts Mr. Roberts said he submitted
the card for the purpose OF showing the
UslWOTthlnegs OF the witness
Mr, Roberts said he also desired TO sub
NIT aihdavits touching the assaults com
mitted by Ray +. Brandon for the purpose
Of showing that young Brandon was not
a credible witness. The afidavits were
admitted.
Attorney Schroeder stated that he com
mittee might want 70 hear something on
the question Of Mr. Roberts naturalization.
lie had expected counsel engaged to prose
cute this case 20 be here this morning.
i viii not bring the matter up now,
however" sad Mr Schroeder.
Il want 60 say said Mr. Roberts. that
] desire that the question OF my naturaiiza-
ton Dee looked into"
IL was finally agreed that the question CT
naturalization be admitted, aud Nj.
Schroeder said he would furnish the COM
mittee with q certified copy Of the court
record later.
Chairman TayIer said L was understood
that Mr.. Carlisle, who had been retained
by the Social Purity League, was TO make
an argument before the committee. but
Mr., Carlisle had telepboned that he was
suffering with a cold and could not be here.
Mr.. Schroeder stated that Mr.. Carlisle
would submit a statement in writing or
would be apt 20 appear later. Il was Il
nally sgreed t@ proceed and Mr. Schroeder
R nuerrr arrH N..aFaH or
questions invited. be said. Roberts citi-
Zenship ne would pass over AZ this time
The next question WaS q constitutional
one. The third question that arose was,
did the House have power 10 declare quali-
hcatons other than those prescribed by
the Constitution. Again. had Utah broken
her compact with the United Statss3
Taking up his argument as outlined Mr.
Schroeder said he would pass over the
question Of naturalization and devote him
self to what constitutes. citizenship. The
point he wanted 10 make was that unoeg
the law now in force i'm Utah man guilty
Of polygamy could not b. a citizen Of the
United States. He quoted a number Of de-
cisiOns defining citizenship. he cCuteuded
that a man might be a citizen OF State
but not a citizen of the United States. He
then went on TO argue what constituted
citizenship OF the United states and TO
point out how such citizenship could be
impaired.
Mr LittIefeld wanted 70 what constitut-
ed the attributes Of citizenship in the
United States. Mr.. Schroeder said he did
not know that he could name all the at
tributes but the right to hold Office was
one
He claimed that Roberts citizenship had
been impaired that ne had been disfran-
chised and the question was. was not Rob
erts citizenship still impaired.
Mr.. Schroeder directed most of his arSu-
ment TO prove that Roberts citizenship
was impaired because he was still living
in polygamy. and. therefore ne was not
eligible to hold a seat in Congress He
Contended hat Congress had power TO de-
termine qualifications other than those