Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-27
CHARGE OF PoLYeAMY
Made Against Senator elect Reed
Smoot by Utah Ministers.

| Washington, Feb. Ex-senator Bur-
rows, chairman of the Senate commit
| tee on privileges and elections, pre-
sentcd to the Senate, today, protest
| signed by Rev. J. j.. Leilich, relative
to the case of Senator-elect Reed
Smoot of Utah, uring that Mr.. Smoot
shall not be permitted to take his seat
in the Senate Mr.. Leilich is in charge
of Methodist missions in Utah and re-
sides in Salt Lake City. He is in
Washington as the representative of
the Ministers Alliance OF Salt Lake,
Utah. His statement is sworn to.
Mr. Leiiich declares that Smoot is
a polyganist and now has plural
wife, although he deems it inexpedient
! to give the maiden names of the lady
at this time. His charge on this point
IS as follows: t-9
THAT the said Reed Smoot is ploy-
gamist and that since the admission OF
Utah into the union of states, he, all
though then and there having legal
wife, married plural wife in the state
of Utah in violation of the laws and
compacts herein before described and
since such plural or polygamous mar
riagc the said Reed Smoot has lived
and cohabited with both his legal wife
and his plural wife in the state of
Utah and elsewhere, as occasion Of
| fered, and that the only record of such
| plural marriage is the secret record
| made and kept by the authorities of
| the church of Jesus Christ of the Lat
| ter Day Saints, which secret record is
| in the exclusive custody and control of
| the first presidency and the quorum of
| the u apostles of the said church, of
| which the said Reed Smoot is one, and
is beyond the control or power of the
Protestants. Your Protestant respect
| fully asks that the Senate of the Unit
ed States or its appropriate committee,
compel the first presidency and the
quorum of the IL apostles and the said
Reed Smoot to produce such secret
records for the consideration of the
| Senate.
| Your Protestant says that he is adj
vised by counsel that it is inexpedient
at this time to give further particulars
concerning such plural marriages and
| it's results or the place in which it
| was solemnized or the maiden name Of
the plural wife"
| Mr. Leilich also asserts that Pres
ident Joseph F. Smith, the president
of the Mormon church. is living in open
polygamy and has had child born to
| him by his plural wife, as late as
1895" And also that President Loren
20 Snow lived and died in the practice
of rolvgamy and polygamous cohabita-
ton, and that his plural wife, Minnie
Jensen Snow. bore him child as late
as the winter of 1867
Salt Lake. Utah, Feb. 26.-.The
Ministerial Alliance is not back of the
| charges of polygamy brought against
Mr.. Smoot by DIR. Leilich," said Rev.
| VIM. III. Pagen of the First Presbyte-
| rian church. today. THE charges are
| brought Independently by Dr. Leilich.
| I was informed. last night, that such
! charges would be brought against
Smoot. Although this accusation does
not form part of the formal protest
| brought by the Ministerial Alliance,
| yet that body will stand back of DR..
| Leiiich.''
| The polygamy charge against Sena-
| tor-elect Smoot caused the utmost sur
| prise in Salt Lake, among Mormons
| and Genti1es alike