The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-12-20

washington, December 1l.-MOre I'M
portant testimony was brought out to-
day in the investigation of protests
against Senator Reed Smoot than at
any time in the present session of Con-
gress. The witnesses were Charles III.
Jackson, chairman of the Democratic
state committee of Idaho; John Nichol-
son, chief recorder in the Mormon tenn
pie at Salt Lake City; Charles w. Pen
rose, editor of the Desert News, and an
apostle of the Mormon church.; William
Bulge, president of the Bear Lake
Stake in Idaho, and Apostle John Hen
ry smith, of Salt Lake.
Mr. Penrose was elected an apostle
last July, and the attornies for Senator
Smoot admitted that the Senator was
present and participated in the election
of Penrose. Mr. Penrose testified that
he is a polygamist, and was known to
have been such at the time he was made
an apostle.
AS an illustration of the local church
issue in the last election, Mr.. Jackson
said the vote for Gooding, Republican
candidate for Governor, ran behind the
vote for Roosevelt in gentle counties
and ahead of Roosevelt in the Mormon
counties; while the vote for Heitfeld,
Democratic candidate for Governor, ran
anead OF Parker in the gentle counties
and behind Parker in the Mormon coun-
ties.
On cross examination, Mr.. Jackson
said that Apostles Matthias Cowley and
John Henry Smith were among those
who went into Idaho and told the people
that there had been a revelation that
they should vote the Republican ticket.
Questioned by Attorney VanCott, rep
resenting senator Smoot, the witness
said he never had heard the apostles
declare that there had been such reve-
lations
Mr.. VanCott brought oOt the fact
that there were about 10000 Mormon
votes, out of a total of $4,000 votes in
the state. He asked the witness If 1T
was not true that although the gentiles
were in a large majority. and that the
Democrats put an anti-Mormon plank
in their platform and the Republicans
refused to put in such a plank. the Re
publicans carried the state by very
large majority.
THAT is a bald fact" responded the
witness, but, he added that the infer
ence drawn by the attorney from the
question was not justified.
Mr.. jackson contended that there
were "Jack-Mormons," or gentiles who
are Mormon in political affairs, who
are able to control elections.
Much time was spent trying to get
from Recorder Nicholson information
as to the whereabouts of the temple
marriage records, particularly the book
where sealings We're recorded. Witness
would not admit he knew where TO filId
the latter.
He said he would not give up the book
even if he were arrested and put in jail.
Mr.. Penrose said he was a polyga-
mist, with two plural wives living. He
has children by his first plural wife,
but none born since the manifesto.
Did you receive special amnesty at
the hands of President Cleveland In
which one of the conditions was that
you should thereafter obey the laws re-
lating to living in polygamy?" asked
Mr.. Tayler.
'Yes SIR
nesty?''
mo sir
Chairman Burrows said he wanted to
have Il made clear whether Apostle
Smoot was present at the conference
which elected Mr.. Penrose an apostle.
Not receiving a direct answer, MI.
Worthington, counsel for Senator
Smoot, said they would admit that Mr..
Smoot had been present.
William Budge testified that he has
three wives, and that he has had three
children born since the manifesto OF
1889. All of his wives live in Paris and
he testified that he does not live with
one to the exclusion of the others. Most
of the children are grown and live IN
Idaho OF these children he testified
that one son is judge Of the District