The San Francisco call., 1904-12-17
SMOOT WEARS
MORMON CARB
Witness States That as a
Member in Good Standing
He Must Obey Dictates
'INDELICATE" OATHS
Woman Asks Not to Be Com
pelied to Repeat Them
Before Board of Inquiry

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-The first
witness in the Senator Smoot inquiry
to-day was Mrs. Annie Elliott of Price,
Utah. She is an elderly lady, who
went from Denmark to Utah in 1872.
and left the Mormon church in 1896.
She was asked concerning the obliga-
tions taken in the temple and was re-
quested to repeat as much of the cere-
monies as she could remember
In voice shaken with emotion, Mrs.
Elliott said that the obligations were
so indelicate she could not bear to re-
peat them. Chairman Burrows told
her TO take her own time and not to
be embarrassed The witness said
the first oath administered to those
who participated was that if they did
not want TO go any further and take
the oaths they should turn back and
go out.
BY slow degrees Mrs. Elliott repeat
ed the oaths of vengeance and the
various penalties ascribed for reveal
ing any part of the ceremonies. Dur
ing her testimony concerning the pen
alties of mutilation of the body, the
witness trembled continuously and ap-
peared to proceed with difficulty. After
saying that each person taking the
endowments agrees to have his or her
be impossible for her to go further
At the request of Tayler. Mrs. Ell
lott described the garments worn by
Mormons who have taken the endow-
ments. Senator Overman asked If ev-
cry Norman in good standing is COM
PEELED TO wear the garments and the
witness said that all such Mormons
wear the garments as underclothing
Looking at Senator Smoot, Senator
Overman asked the witness If she were
sure every Mormon in good standing
in the committee room had the gar
ments on.
Yes, sir, they have" The reply pro-
Voked laughter and the witness re-
peated; Il know they all have them
on"
Senator Foraker asked the witness
II she had ever heard of the endow-
ment house penalties being enforced
against any one. She said she had not.
Tayler asked if she expected to suf
FER by reason of giving testimony here.
MRS. Elliott said she expected that her
business would suffer
CHURCH IN POLITICS.
Charles II. Jackson of Boise
Idaho, chairman of the Democratic
State Committee, testified at length
concerning the growing power of the
Mormon church and It's interference
with State affairs. which, he said.-was
made the paramount issue by Demo-
Gratis and Independents in the last
campaign in Idaho. He said that
apostles of the church from Utah go
INTO Idaho and direct the people how
20 vote.
He told Of the visit OF Apostle John
Henry Smith for the purpose of direct
ing legislation and said that the in
fuence of the church accomplished
no z orqa. Of L
RMS measure places a State bounty Of
l cent pound on all sugar manufac-
tured within the State in 1903 and a
half-cent a pound on all sugar manu-
factured in 1894 1t is estimated that
the bounty in 1903 amounted to SIG. 900
and in 1904 10 $150.000. There are four
refneries in the State, and President
Joseph Smith Of the Mormon church
Is president OF three of them. The
fourth factory was constructed recent
ly and is controlled by Gentiles.
IN CONTROL OF IDAHO.
Speaking of the influence of the
church on the political affairs of the
State, Jackson took as an Illustration
the defeat of Governor Morrison for a
second nomination. He declared that
Governor Morrisou's administration
had been satisfactory to his Republi-
can constituents, but that he ran.foul
of the Mormon church and therefore
was denied second term. In this con-
necticn Jackson said with emphasis:
1t is impossible for any man or any
party to stand against the Mormon
church in Idaho"
In describing the present condition
of the State, jackson said six of the
twenty-one counties are known as SOL
idly Mormon and that in all of the
southern counties the Mormons are in
control. and in that way, ne said, the
church practically is in charge of the
Legislature, political conventions and
all gatherings at which the delegates