The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-13
SM00T TRIAL Is
THE SENSATION
Committee Room Packed With
Curious Crowds.
iUCH CRAVING OF NECKS
RESIDENT SMITH MADE A
GOOD WITNESS.
lspeeial correspondence.l

Especial Correspondence
washington, March 9.--Interest in the
-tnoot hearing exceeds that shown in
ther the house or the senate. The
caring is open to the public. bGt as it
conducted in % small committee
pom, scarcely more than thirty By
xty feet IN dimensions. the attend
snQe is necessarily limited 70 the ueJn-
ers OF the committee. The Witnesses
nd counsel, newspaper reporters end
score or so OF the public or Of curious
MEMBERS Of the senate and house. who
queeze in and catch what they can of
le interesting proceedings. The mem
ers Of the elections and privileges
ommittee, thirteen in number. eight
epublican and FIVE Democrats, sit
round the head and sides Of n long
able. Chairman Burrows .'reSiding
nd occupying the head place. Towards
ne other end IF the table on ou2 SIDE
it, Senator Smoot with hts counsel.
iessrs. Worthington OF this city ana
an Cott Of Salt Lake City. Grouped
ack of Senator SmoOt are -he Wit
essas, the Mormon apostles and elders.
talled from Utah to :es.ifF assinst
heir own faith ana their own manner
% life. Across The table sit The counsel
I those who have protested against
SHOOTS retention in the -snate. For
ner Senator John 6. Carlisle was
famed as one or the counsel for the
prosecution. but he has not attended
my OF the hearings excepting On The
pening day.
Taylsr the Inquisitor.
+ The case against Smoot RAJ, been con-
iucted solely by Attorney Robert w.
srayler. formerly & member Of congress
Prom Ohio. and who conduated ne FIGHT
against Brigham II. Roberts which
prevented Roberts from occupying the
Feat in congress to which he has been
elected by the people of Utah. At Mr..
aTayler's elbow sit Mr.. +. 3. Critchlow
\ nd Robert NJ. owen Of salt Lake City.
both fully cOnversant with Mormon
practices. and both ready Throughout
he examination to prompt Mr. Tayler
when his own knowledge OF the Situa-
lion is deficient. Back of Taylar and
his prompters usually cit a half dozen
81 women who are officers in the va
tious women's organizations which
have been and are making such a per
sstcnt fight against SmOOt and Nor
monism, and which is having its cul-
mination in the present hearings. At
The extreme end of the long table and
facing Chairman Burrows. President
Joseph +. Smith has occupied the wit
hess chair for the past week. Crowds
~ curious people many OF them
women, have flocked 70 the Capitol
Every day to get a glimpse Of the pres
ident Of the Mormon church. and they
peer at him curiously through open
commitetc room doorways and wait i'm
the corridors 10 see him as he leaves
hnd enters the committee room.
Smith Good Witness.
President Smith has proven an adj
witness He has been subject
cd to accommodates by some of
lr' sharpest legal minds IN the United
States senate. Senators HCar. Bailey,
Foraker. Dubois anG Bcveridge. who
have each taken turrc in probing him
iu the search for the secrets Of the
Mormon church. With few exceptions
President Smith has m5int5 1eC calm
rompcsure, never allowing himself 20
be carried of his fee by his keen IN
uuisitors. He talks in a deliberate
name weighing evsr5.
word and giving il proper consideration
before speaking. He is ScruDulously pa-
lite and shows much respect towards
he senator's who catechise him This
is especially noticeable in the answers
be makes 20 Senator Hoar. and il Is
evident from the consideration shown
him IN many OF Senator Hears ques-
tons that the feeling IS reciprocated.
smith apparently appreciates that he
IS fa an exceedingly trying position.
ana that 81 is he and his church that
he senate committee is trying. and
hat SmOOt is bat an incident in The
proceedings. Occasionally lie has be-
.rayed intense feeling. and this has
happened invariably when CritchIow
nd Owen have suggested fr1lee4 ff,-, . ~
Tayler.