The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-31
MORMONS LEAVING
ELDERS GETTING OUT OF THE
SOUTH.
OFF FOR FOREIGN SOIL,
ELDER CLAGG LEAVES A SUNDAY
SCHOOL IN SAVANNAH.

Says the Elders Came Into the south
to Right the Wrongs Done and Not
to Secure ProseIytes-NO More Ed
ers for savannah, but sixteen Con-
verts Are acknowledgements Said to
Have ZOO Members of the Faith.
Elder CIagg Goes to Atlanta
where Hart County Mob VIII BE
Tried-He Charges That Ministers
Usually Lead such MObs-TeIls of
Such an Experience I'm Virginia.
Savannah will be without a Mormon
elder after to-day. Elder /. w. Clagg
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Lat
ter Day Saints will leave for Atlanta
tomorrow, and it is not at all likely
that any more elders will appear in Sa-
vannah for some time TO come.
Elder Clagg says that he leaves a
Sunday-school of sixteen Mormons,
but that it is not likely that any other
elders will come here in the near flu
ture. 1t had been his intention to
remain in the city until Christmas,
but when permission to sell Mormon
literature without a license was re-
fused by City Council he had to give
up the ghost.
The elder who has been in Savannah
several months says that he made a
house toulouse. canvass and distributed
the literature of his faith. Mr.. Clagg
says that the elders are being with
drawn from the South and sent to for
eign countries. There we're forty-four
elders in Georgia last year, against
sixteen at this time, and 600 in the
South, against 172 now. Mr.. "Clagg
says that the purpose of the elders in
visiting the South was to right the
wrongs done the faith, and not to Sc
cure proselytes. Still it is claimed that
as a result of the presence of the ED
ers in this state in the neighborhood of
/ 100 persons, have been baptized in the
faith.
Elder Clagg says that he is going to
Atlanta and will be present at the trial
| Of the members of a mob who whipped
| II. B. Stewart, president of the Geor-
! gia conference, and Elder Zublal in
| Hart county, recently. The elder
states that it will be the first time in
| the history of the church that mem
| bers of a mob have been brought to
| trial for having used the lash on
preachers of the Mormon doctrine. 1t
is not because the elders have not re-
ceived some very warm receptions, but
| bee ause never before have any of those
no were guilty of the crime been ar
rested. Mr.. Clagg says that he has
received notice from Atlanta that the
! Governor did as he promised he would,
and that several of those engaged in
| the assault on the two Mormons will
| go to trial in Atlanta, where the prose-
cutors say they will be able to get JUS
| tice.
Strange as it may SEEM" said Ell
| der Clagg to a representative of the
| Morning News, Gin nine cases out. of
| ten the mobs are led by ministers. We
| have no trouble in cities, and it is only
| in out-of-the-way country places,
where the ignorant live, that we are
molested. There the people are easily
| led against US by any minister who
| chances to take into his head that we
are a menace to the public morals. The
mob in Hart county, | am informed by
my brother elder, was led by a minis
| ter.
while l have never been whipped
myself, had a close call in a Virginia
| hamlet about two years ago, and the
| muzzle of a six-shooter was dangerous
| ly near my face. On that occasion a
minister took part in the proceeding.
| A gentleman of the cloth and town
magistrate called upon me, and with
the revolver under my nose persuaded
me to leave the neighborhood. That
was the only occasion upon which l
was ever interfered with. l am pleas
ed with the showing we have made in
Savannah, somewhat under difficulties.
1t is in the country, and not in the
city, where we have the trouble, how
| ever A"