The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-01-04
NOVEL QUESTION
FOR THE COURT
Was Mrs. Hilton Sealed for
Time or Eternity?
WIDOW OF ID. IL. WELLS
GIVES TESTIMONY
Questioned Concerning the Nor
mon Marriage Ceremony

Whether the Mormon celestial mar
riage- ceremony known as sealing for
eternity" constitutes a terrestrial mar
rage under the law and gives the
woman a dover interest in the estate
of the man to whom she is sealed, is
a question that the district court may
be called upon to determine in the case
Of Mrs Hilton against the heirs of the
late Dr. Park This was developed
while the deposition Of Mrs. Hannah G.
Wells was being taken yesterday.
The point was suggested by a ques-
ton as to whether the marriage cere-
monies for the living and dead did not
both contain the language for time
and eternity" or whether there was a
ceremony for time and another for
eternity The answer to the question
seemed to be considered of great i'm
portance by the attorneys for the de-
Tense, and q discrepancy between the
reports of it by the official and two
other stenOEraphers resulted in the
pOstpOnement Of the matter until today
at p. m. to get another official stem
Ographer.
The taking of Mrs. Wells dispositions
commenced before Attorney II. A
y
at O'Clock, in the presence of the rep
reSentatiVeS of all those interested in
the natter. Attorney y. Y. Jones. for
the plaintiff took the witness for di-
rect examination and spent d good
portion Of the time attempting to show
that she was prejudiced against the
plaintiff. She said that she was Al
years old and had been here since 1913
The attorney questioned her as TO
whether she had said that she would
not testify unless compelled, whether
she had been interviewed on the sub
ject of the marriage. and whether she
had advised Mrs. Hilton to withdraw
her case, but the witness said that she
could not remember Of having done 50.
She said she knew DR.. Park in his life
time, but not intimately, and had
known Mrs. Hilton as Miss Armitage,
since the early seventies. Her hus-
band, Daniel II. Wells, was a member
of the first presidency and performed
the marriage ceremony between DR..
Park and Miss ATmitage at the home
Of her sister. Mrs. Emily Young, but
she did not remember the date of the
event, except that it was in the seven
ties. Miss Armitage was supposed to
be on her death bed when the ceremony
was performed.
Ceremony of Sealing.
The witness volunteered the state
ment that she thought the ceremony
was a sealing. because the girl was
supposed to be ON her death bed. To
this Attorney Jones objected as being
simply a voluntary opinion. In reply
( 10 question as TO whether she could
speak authOTitatively as to the mar
riage ceremonies of the Mormon church
she said that she didn't think she could.
/ but said that as she understood it there
/ was q ceremony for time and another
/ for eternity She said that as she I'M
derstood it the sealing ceremony did
not seal for time and eternity, but
/ there was a sealing for eternity and
another ceremony for time. In reply
I to "A question as to whether the mar
riage ceremony and sealing were not
one and the same thing, the witness
/ replied that they were not
Attorney Jones then asked the ques-
/ ton DO not the marriage ceremonies
/ both for the living and the dead en-
ploy the language, for time and fcS
4 eJeruity?' -
4 don't think so" replied the wit
; ness. y am not going TO say for GER
! tain, but / think there is ceremony
/ for time and che for eternity. That is
my understanding
/ I suppose volunteered the witness
Z Mrs. Hilton was married for eternity.
/ because she was supposed TO be on her
/ death bed" To this latter statement
Attorney Jones objected. but the OBJ
1 lection was OverTuled and the witness
4 was allowed to make il.
/ In the reading OF the question asked
] by Attorney Jones relative to the time