The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-03
MORMON WITNESS
CONFESSES GUILE
Young Cannon Says He Per.
iured Himself In Accusing
President Smith.

WASHINGTON, D. c.. May Am
gus M. Cannon Jr., son of Angus M.
Cannon, former president of the Salt
Lake stake of Mormons in Utah, trav-
eled from Salt Lake to Utah to inform
the senate committee that he had per-
jured himself in informing prominent
gentiles in Utah that President Joseph
+. Smith, Of the Mormon church, had
performed plural marriage ceremonies.
Cannon Jr was a witness in the
Smoot investigation today. He said
that he had told false stories in re-
gard to President Smith marrying his
cousin, Abram H. Cannon, to Lillian
Hamlin, a fourth wife. His only ex-
cuse was that he had been drinking
and conceived the idea that to tell
such story would be a good joke on
the gentiles referred to, "as anything
against the Mormons tickled them all
Over.''
Members of the senate committee
on privileges and elections received a
communication several days ago from
E. B. Critchlow, of Salt Lake, to the
effect that Cannon would go on the
stand and testify that Abram H. Can
non and Lillian Hamlin were married
on the high seas between Los Angeles
and the Cataline islands, and that
President Joseph F. Smith, of the Nor
mon church, performed the ceremony.
Critchlow stated that Angus NJ. Can
non Jr. had said he was present and
witnessed the ceremony. Consequent
ly arrangements We're made for the
meeting today.
Cannon's Various Wives.
The witness was questioned by Mr..
Taylor, counsel for the prosecution, in
regard to the incident. The witness
said that he knew Abram H. Cannon
intimately, as they had been asso-
ciated together in business. He said
that Abram had three wives at the
time of his death in the fall of 1896,
but that there was another wife he
knew about. He gave the names of
the three wives as Sarah NJ. Jenkins,
Wilhelmina M. Cannon, sister of the
witness, and Mary E. Croxall. Abram
II. Cannon had children by all Of them.
did you know Abram to associate
with a woman called Lillian Hamlin ?''
asked Mr.. Tayler.
Il knew he took her riding. He used
my buggy"
Did you know he was engaged to
her?"
He did not say anything about that.
He said she had been engaged to his
I. brother David, who died on a mission
to Germany. 1 never heard him say
that he was engaged to her.
did you tell E. L. Wilson, of Salt
Lake. that you saw Abram H. Can
non and Lillian Hamlin married?"
Il think did tell him.
well known in Salt Lake, is cashier OF
the Commercial National bank and g
gentleman of high standing.
Wedding on a Boat.
1t was drawn from the witness that
he had told Wilson within the last two
weeks that in 1896 in Los Angeles ten
or tweleve people chartered a vessel
for the Catalina islands, and that in
the party in addition to himself were
Joseph f. Smith and one of his wives;
Abram H. Cannon and his wife, Will
helmina, sister to the witness, a man
named Langford and Lillian Hamlin
After the boat had gone some dis
tance from Los Angeles members OF
the party with two or three excep-
tions. retired to the cabin and there
SoSSpu f OInlln married cannon dQC
Lillian Hamlin.
The witness said that after his sis
ter, Cannon's second wife, heard what
was going on, she got angry and left
the cabin"
The witness under direct examina-
tion said that later in the day on which
he had told the story to Wilson he me-
Mr.. Critchlow and Mr.. Wilson. and hs
repeated substantially the same story
When asked how he happened to tel