The Washington times., 1904-03-12
COMMITTEE PROBE NOW
TURNS TO Mr.. SMOO7
CONTINUED from First Page.)

AAOnllnuel Aibl I dee-J
in Utah and in this city, and the polii-
cal rewards some of them got after
ward.
He then made inquiry into incidents in
connection with the Legislature elected
in the fall of 1885, and which began its
sessions of January, 1896. Witness was a
member Of that body.
Judge Sutherland, who had been the
attorney Of the Mormon Church, and
N-ho had never worked against its in
teresus. was the author OF a part OF the
/ sections OF the revised statutes Of Utah
referring TO polygamy and other mat
/ tiers.
Severe on Cannon.
/ Counsel asked many questions referring
to persons prominent in politics at the
time Utah was admitted to Statehood
/ one Of the men asked about was Angus
! NJ. Cannon, sr.
He was a Republican, was he notE
asked Mr.. Van Colt
u think at that time he was Demo-
crat." replied the witness, and specta-
tors smiled.
Witness was asked why he voted at
one time for a polygamist for Office, and
a year later voted against Cannon. His
answer was made very positively in
these words:
Anyone who knows the two men
would understand why a distinction
might be drawn against Angus NJ. Can
non for any public position"
Enactment of Laws.
The subject OF prosecutions between
llSS2 and 1887 for unlawful cohabitation
and polygamy was inquired into by
counsel. and the extent to which dis
tinctions We're drawn IN the public mind.
between the several offenses. Witness
told Of the provisions Of the law and the
pUnishments imposed.
The constitutional convention of 1895
was then gone into. on this same line
Of inquiry. The changes MADE IN the
law. 10 omit mention Of prosecution for
unlawful cOhabitation, were referred TO
and witness identified a legal volume
submitted by Attorney Van Colt.
The purpose Of introducing the vol
ume, Mr.. Van COtt said, was to show
that when the attention OF the consti-
tutional convention was called TO the
omission from the statute Of the sec
I ton 10 prohibit unlawful cohabltatlon
the answer was made that they "ex-
pressly refrained from enacting any law
on that subject"
But there is no denying the fact that
/ a law was passed 70 punish unlawful
cola bitationz' put in Attorney Tayler
well. not at this point" commented
Witness then Identified many names
mentioned to him as members of the
constitutional convention, and their
present duties. One OF those men
toned was United States Consul General
Long, at Cairo, Egypt
There IS nothing IN that book relat-
ieE e %r P%9lgsce@ 6t} Capitalization
Witness replied he thought there was.
certainly in his Interpretation Of the
letter and spirit Of the law. But I
know they were very tender on that
point he added
Legal Penalties.
witness thought the penalties imposed
by Congress should have been gradu-
/ ated. making the penalty for living #
p unlawful cohabitation greater than en-
j terlng into polygamy. as the former was
a sort Of continued transgression against
the law He declined TO be drawn by
Mr.. Van Colt into a formal deuunciatior
{ OF Congress FOR its action. saying II was
y impossible for people living away from
Utah 20 Judge Of these matters in tn
d, same way as citizens there do.
, Congress may have thought. sug
Z gested Senator Hopkins, that II plura
e marriages were stopped, unlawful co
8 habitation wS-ld cease
!, A discussion ensued. started by Sena'
o ter McComas, regarding the relevancl
% OF some Of the questions asked by Mr.
I Van Colt. and Chairman Burrows sug
2 gested that the questions be limited al
d much as possible
( Shoots Candidacy.
. Witness then replied to many ques
e lions as 20 the candidacy Of ApOsu
Z Smoot for the Senate Witness was ad
vocating Representative George Suther
lands claims for the place. but whe
the Smoot forces showed they had tn
vote witness. who was a delegate. NOV