Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-02-26
FROM WASHINGTON.
~ tbe Alexandria Gazette.

2
the form of sworn statement signeu W
! l.. Leilich, associate representative Oh
the citizens and electors OF Utah. Inc
docnment which consists of IL counts,
was drawn up by General w. w. Dud-
lev. of this city. This Congress can take
no action upon it, nor can MIR. Smoot be
prevented from taking the oath when
the next Senate meets, but by filing the
document now, it constitutes charge
against his eligibility to hold his seat
which will have to be investigated at the
next session. 1t is evident that Mr..
Shoots opponents propose to press
the matter. The charges state speci-
6cally that Creed Smoot is a
polyganist, and that since the adj
mission of Utah into the union of States
he, although then and there having
legal wife, married plural wife in the
State of Utah, and since such plural or
polygamous marriage 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
offered" The only record of the plural
marriage, the petition says, is ga secret
record in the exclusive custody and con-
troll of the First Presidency and the
quorum of the IL apostles of the said
Church, of which the said Reed Smoot
is one," and the Senate committee is
urged to compel the church to produce
this secret record for the consideration OF
the Senate. Senator-elect Smoot, when
shown a copy of this document, declared
emphatically: cit is an infamous lie.
| have but one wife. / never contracted
plural marriage, and Idefy these people
to name or Ir Jduce the polygamous wife
they accuse me Of possessing or OF any
other womon with whom / have ever
cohabited, except my legal wife"
The reelection of Mrs. Cornelia Cole
Fairbanks, wife of Senator Fairbanks,
of Indiana, at this mornings session of
the ID. A. r., was marked by the first
unpleasant incident Of the congress,
When a motion was put instructing the
secretary to cast the entire vote OF the
congress for Mrs. Fairbanks, there was one
dissenting voice of mo-" the sound
coming from the direction of the New
York delegation. Immediatelya chorus
of Kisses greeted this unpopular mega
tive. and Mrs. Donald Mclean, of New
York, who had just seconded Mrs. Fair
banks nomination in a brilliant speech,
made request that the dissenting vote
be withdrawn. By common consent
this was taken for granted, and Mrs.
Fairbanks was declared unanimously
elected. Mrs Mclean, who last year
was Mrs. Fairbanks most vigorous COM
petitor for the honor, complimented the
work of her old opponent highly and
besought her unanimous reelection.
There was no other candidate. The
amount contributed to the Continental
Hall fund yesterday by the delegates was
announced this morning to be more than
so, 900.
Testimony was taken informally this
morning regarding outrages in the
Philippines, at the Office of Senator Car
mack, the minority leader of the Senate
Philippine committee. The witnesses
present had been refused hearing by
strict party vote of the full committee.
The democratic Senators therefore
decided to hear the testimony them
selves. Albert L. Cross, of Bur-
hngton, VT, submitted an affidavit
stating that he and another man had
administered the water cure to
Father Augustine by direction of Cap
tain Brownell, and in his presence. The
object of the torture, he said, was to get
money supposed to belong to the insur-
gents government t. OConnor, Of
Pittsburg, told of the severity with which
the priest was handled on the gunboat
Paragua, and of his appeals for aid.
Lieutenant John T. Hall, of Oklahoma,
told of the killing of Filipino prisoners
by Major Matcalf, and Captain Bishop,
and of the burning of houses.
The democrats of the House in caucus
today pledged themselves to resist the
unseating of Congressman Butler from
Missouri as recommended by the ma
jority and to stand together in support
of the demand for the presence of a
quorum at all times for the transaction
of business, and recorded yea and nay
vote upon everything upon which the
House shall act up to the moment Of
final adjournment. Representative
Hay, of Virginia, presided and Mr.. Cow
herd, of Missouri, acted as Secretary.
The resolution denounced in plain terms
the attempt on the part of the republic
cans to unseat Butler and the seating of
Wagner, which they regarded as blind
partisanship in disregard of majority
of 6, 300 by which Butler was returned.
ave will kill all vicious legislation"
said Secretary Cowherd after the meet
ing. "Our action, / believe, will make
it impossible for the republicans to pass
anything accept the appropriation bills.
This will not have the effect of forcing
an extra session. But we will not al
low Butler to be unseated without max
ing the best fight we can make. "
The floor fight in the Butler case will be
in charge of Representatives DeArmond,
Richardson and Feely. The republicans
have held hurried conferences to devise
counter programme to that of the
democrats "The only thing to do"
said Mr.. Cannon, 'is to get the repub-
licans in and maintain a republican
quorum. We will do business ourselves,
if necessary. We have committe on
rules that will see to it that business is
not suspended"
A sensation was sprung today when it
was learned that the Pennsylvania Rail-
ronA hal ...rittor, 70 ,nanahers of the