The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-04-22

hdrr1e0 caran N1uTlu MOuslcy anu Anho
 Amanda MousIey, the Same Day and
 Hour-'FoOk Six Other Wives After,
 the Last in 1SS6--Says He Now Has to
 Treat Them CoIdIy Owing to the Man-
 ifesto of 1890.
 Washington, April 21.-The feature of to-day's hearing in the Shoot case be- fore the senate committee on privileges and elections was the testimony of Angus M. Cannon, aged seventy, for twenty-five years president of the larg- est Mormon stake in the world. The testimony was of personal character, dealing with the conviction of the wit ness on charges of polygamous cohabi- tation. and was dragged from him un- der protest that he be protected from any peril or liability to prosecution for what he revealed. When assured that his plural marriages under the statute os limitation could not be used as ev idence against him he answered most of the questions asked. The same frankness was not apparent, however. when the witness was pressed to reveal the nature of the oath he had taken in the Endowment house. Like other wit nesses he declared that the sacredness O. that oath prevented him from pro- claiming it to the world. His testi- mony was no less sensational than that given by President Smith early in the tions of a. personal character, but every admission was made reluctantly, and replies to questions in regard to his numerous marriaes were as near mono- syllabilic as it was possible to make them.
 The sensation of the hearing occurred when MT Taylor examined MT. Can non in regard to his various marriages. Mr. Taylor asked the witness when he first married and he answered lon July 8. 1S4S.'
 ITO whom?"
 Sarah Maria Mousley."
 Who next?'
 Mr. Cannon stood up and his voice shook with great emotion as he said 1T beg an opportunity to explain. and t oask question of the chairman be- fore I proceed. Nineteen years ago I was brought into great trouble. was +aI o,o t<.r han acknowledged the mothers of my chill dren as my families. was given the opportunity of deserting my families or going to prison-and I went to prison.
 T was sent to prison for eight months and served six months when the su- preme court took up my case and was released. While [ was in prison I said to my associates who called to see me: You could not come here in honor: I could not stay out in honor.'
 For long time have lived within so in the face of obligations to my fam flies. I have not paraded my families, but in honest pride I have nourished then
 'sThe press of the country has chari- catured President Smith for the testi- mony he gave in regard to plural fam flies, and if am asked to make similar exhibitions of my family appeal for protection from any consequences that may he the result of the testimony. I will answer all questions in regard to mysels or the church if am assured that ! will not be placed in peril by reason Of the testimony"
 ''To whom were you next married?' he was asked.
 "An Amanda Mousley."
 When were you married to herr" asked Mir. Tayler.
 "At the same hour that I was mar ried to Sarah Maria Mousley."
 By the same ceremony"
 "Yes.'
 ITO whom were you next married?"
 MT. Cannon again inquired of the chairman is he must answer, and MT. Burrows replied: That is for you to answer or to decline to answer. Other witnesses have answered similar ques- tions. I think the question is proper one.''
 Mir. Cannon then answered: s'Mrs Clara c. Mason, in 1S75," also saying he was married to Martha Hughes in 1884. Maria Bannion in 1886, Johanna c. Donelson in 1886, and that he had not been married since that time. All his wives are living. The witness re- membered a prosecution against him in 1886 for cohabitation with Hattie Hughes Cannon and said he remember ed the prosecution, but not which wife he was charged with cohabiting with. He said he was arrested but had not testified in any hearing. He said all his wives lived in Salt Lake county, but in seoarate houses; that he had fam flies by five Of his wives.
 Do you live with all your wives now?" MT. Tayler asked.
 v am sorry to say I don't"
 Why? Because you are now in Washington and cannot be living with them?"
 NO: because oe an agreement made by the church which compels me to be as modest as can"
 Chairman Burrows asked in regard to this agreement, and the witness said he referred to the manifesto of 1890 declar- ing against a continuation. of polygam- ous cohabitation
 ''What has been the effect of the manifesto upon you?"
 Tt has made me more modest and have been only as attentive as felt common humanity required me to be-"
 "What do you mean by that?"