The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-22
CANNON HAS
 MANY WIVES Noted Mormon Before
 Committee. IS QUESTIONED CLOSELY Evidence Given With Great
 Reluctance. Declines to Give the Secrets of the Endowment House, Though
 Pressed to Do so by
 the Senators.

Washington, April H.-The feature of today's hearing in the Shoot case before the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections was the testimony of Angus NJ Cannon,, for twenty-five years president of the largest Mormon stake in the world. The testimony was of personal char acter, dealing with the conviction of the witness on the charge of polygamous cohabitation. and was dragged from him q, under 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 of limitations could not be used as evidence against him. he an- swered most of the questions asked The same frankness was not apparent. how ever. when the witness was pressed to re- veal the nature of the oath he had taken In the endowment house. Like other witt nesses, he declared that the s4credness of that oath prevented him from proclaim ing 1t to the world. Admissions Reluctant.
 Ills testimony was no less sensational than that given by President Smith early in the investigation. He answered all questions of a personal character but every admission was made reluctantly, and replies to questions in regard to his numerous marriages were as near mony- syllable as 1t was possible to make them. Mir Cannon said he has lived in Salt Lake since 1S49 but had been blessed in the Mormon church whNl he was years old. He is 70 years old and now holds a post of patriarch in the Mormon church, having been designated for that position by President Joseph F. Smith about two weeks ago. Patriarch the witness. said. ranks next to the twelve apostles in dignity. MT. Cannon said that for twenty-eight years he had been president of the Salt Lake stake of Zion. The sensation of the hearing came when MT. Taylor examined Cannon in regard to his various marriages. MT. Taylor asked the witness when he was first mar ried and he answered
 .'On July IS. iS5S."
 ITO whom?" Sarah Maria Mouselri." "Who nnx 7n
 Asks For Light.
 Mr. Cannon stood up and his voice shook with emotion as he said:
 1T beg an opportunity to explain and to ask a question of the chair before proceed. Nine years ago I was brought into great trouble. I was prosecuted and sent to prison because II acknowl- edged the mothers of my children as my
 
 deserting my families or going to prison. I went to prison.
 "I was sent to prison for eight months and served six months. when tine Supreme Court took up my case and l was re- leased. While l was in prison. I said to my associates who called to see me; you could not come here in honor; could not stay in honor.
 For a long time I have lived within kIA I.u F,- l. af1, 5o so in the face of the obligations to my families. I have not paraded my fami- lies, but in honest pride I have never shunned them.
 "The press of the country has criti- cised President Smith for the testimony he gave in regard to the plural families and if I am asked to make similar exhibi- tions of my families, I appeal for pro tection for any consequences that may be the result of the testimony. I will answer all questions in regard to myself or church, if I am assured that I will not be placed in peril by reason of that testimony"
 Mir. Cannon sat down quivering with i'll suppressed emotion and Mir. Warrington said
 Mir Cannon. have you any counsel?"
 Cannon Without Counsel.
 No sir
 MT. Worthington submitted to the chairman that he should be informed as to his rights and as to his liability should he answer questions which might incriminate him.
 MT, Burrows thought the witness was protected by the revised statutes. but Mir. Worthington said the statutes did not prevent persons who desired to pros- ecute them from taking the records and learning where was to be found the nec- essary evidence for conviction.
 MT. Burrows said the witness was at liberty to decline to answer any aues- tions he chose, but Mir. Worthington in sisted that the refusal must be based on the ground that the witness feared to incriminate himself.
 MT. Taylor observed that he did not desire answers to any questions which related to marriages that were not fully exempted from prosecution under inc statute of limitation. and on that state ment the chairman directed that the question concerning the second maria ge of MT. Cannon should he answerei. The official reporter then read the question: ITO whom were you next married?" "Anna Amanda Mouseli."
 When we're you married to her?" ask ed MT. Taylor.
 Married Twice at Once.
 "At the same hour that 1 was married to Sarah Marie Mousell."
 By the same ceremonyT'
 "Yes."
 ''To whom were you next married?" MT Cannon again inquired of the chairman if he must make answer and Mir Burrows replied:
 That is for you to answer or to de- cline to answer Other witnesses have answered similar questions. I think the question is a proper one"
 Mir. Cannon answered:
 Mrs. Clara c. Mason. in 1875 also saying he was married to Martha Hugh-s In 1884 Maria Bannion in 1886. Johanna C. Donnellson in 1886, and that he had not been married since that. All his
 ss are living.
 witness was asked if he remem-
 q a prosecution against him in 1Sss
 cohabitation with Hattie Hughes
 non. and he answered that he re-
 lbered the prosecution, but did not