Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-09
ADMIT GUILT.
Smoot Hearing Witnesses Say
They Are Po|ygamists.
Sensational Testimony Given BY
President Of Twelve Apostles.
prooress Before Committee on Privi-
Ieses and Elections.

committee on privileges and elections,
today. in the investigation of the pro-
tests against Senator Reed Smoot of
1-tah. brought out 4 variety of testi-
,ror, of which the most sensational
WAS that given by Francis NJ. Lyman,
president of the Twelve Apostles of the
Mormon church and the man chosen
N he successor of President Smith
His admissions were similar to those
rrryiously made by Mr.. Smith per-
aiming to the church government. IT."
is more free Of speech than the prcsi-
do..t Of the church. and his testimony.
though not materially differing, caused
eegcr;t Of the apostles present to
shake their heads at the witness for
the purpose OF compelling more dis
crc;ion in answering questions. Mr..
LYMAN is anguiarly built. his face is
covered with "A growth of bushy rel.
vIsknrs and his speech is blunt. Four
witnesses were on the stand, today.
They wcrn Mrs. Kennedy, her mother,
Mrs. Matthews. Charles Merrill. the
son Of Apostle Merrill. and Mr.. Lyman.
Washington. March s.-Mrs. Clara
dav in the Senator Reed Smoot case
before the Senate committee on priv
iloges and elections. Mr.. WorthinSton.
for the defence, continued crOss-cXa!l-
nation Of the witness and inquired as
10 IN. reasons for her marriage being
CnIsumluatcd at Juarez, Mex, instead
Of ut the Mormon settlement at DiaZ.
where she lived. She said she knew Of
Il :, r,.,.Y inn rfl-
gardng an attempt to have the ccre-
momy performed elsewhere. She SAID
she did rot tell any one that the man
TO whom she was to be married had an
other wife and SO far as she knew those
reforming the ceremony did not know
the marriage was to be Il plural one.
Later, Nj. Worthington asked Mrs.
Kennedy il she did not know that APP
rlica:iOn had been made TO Apostle
Tcasdalc and that he bad refused to
conduct or authorize the plural mar
rage.
what did he say?" asked Mr.. Worth
ington.
lie said it could not be done, as all
thai had been done away with said
Mrs Kennedy.
Mr. Wor.hinCton called attention to
tire Inconsistency of the statements and
asked why she had said she did not
Erow a request had been made to an
other to perform the ceremony.
! u don't know how I happened to say
that" continued the witness.
s4ss Continuing, she said. with some emo
! cit wassnot pleasant for me to think
eg.il, 4. al, nj I tried 10
J them-aside. I tried to forget all that
could about IT,
= In response to-further questions from
Mr.. TAYLOR. the witness said her moth
er told her OF. the request of Apostle
Z. Tclsdalc and ,thatNshe had no other
! knowledge of the. attempt to get him to
perform the ceremony.
& charles f. Merrill. a son of Apostle
Merrill. was then called to the stand
lie said hegwas the son, of his fathers
third plural Wife and is himself, a po-
lyGamist. In answer 20 questions con-
corning his own marriages, Mr.. Merrii
said he was married first in 1887. to 4:
wife that died III 1882 and that he mar
ried ais illegal wife" Chloe Hendricks
il 1891 and had five children bv her
"
ceremony being performed ir the u"
gan Temple by n. G. Edwards"u. III
has had four childrensby that wife. tn
oldest OF whom Is nine years ana tn
youngest two and n half years. Thei
mpthcr's name was Anna n. Stoddard
The marriage to my leg:.l wife il
Iss1,' said Mr.. Merrill. was solemn
ircd by my father"
"Wcrc you living. with Anna l.
StoIdard when you married the woman
20" call your legal VIE" WAS asked.
II WAS. although she had no house
Sic stayed at the home of her fathc
and iicr mother and | lived NTH m.
mother" answered the witness.
IN answer TO questions by Chairman
Burrows Mr.. Merrill said he now ka
two wives and is cohabitating Will
both. Senator Foraker asked the wit
n'ss: rs not the woman YOU marrie'
in 1855 your legal wife,"
no, sir
Mr. Merrill cxriIined that when Il
married in 1855 lie had Il wife livinl
and that hc understood that under tn
laws That marriage was not legal am
that therefore, his marriage in 1891
after the death. of his first wife in 1SS!
made his last marriage Il legal one.
Senator oycrman asked for descrip
i'a OF the marriage ceremony in 1855
nd the witness declared that he coul
not remember how it was performed
tN'"nt that he went to the temple /
I."e..u and it WAS performed there.
lu response to 4 question by Senate
l'ahoiS. Mr.. Merrill said there was II
marriage certificate issued, no recor
~ any documents of any Kind so IA
as he knew. lie said there was no mu
sic. no prayer and no questions that h
could remember.
There Was nothing hut the marrias
'or'"ouy." he said. with emphasis.
We'll. tell US about that" sever;
rrUhers of the committee demanded.
Il can't repeat it said the witness
DO You mean to say that YOU do M
Know the ordinary marriage IcPremon
in yonr church," asked Senator Hoa
severely
Francis N. Lyman. president of Il
Twelve apostles of the Mormon churc
VAS called. His admissions were sin
Ear to those previously made by NJ
Smith pertaining to the church govern