Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-04-27
SN050T CASE AGAIN.
efafty Msrmons Still Facing Inteffo.
sati5n Points
.SOMEsWARM TESTIMONY is GIVEN

SOMEsWARM TESTIMONY IS GIVEN
Brigham II, Roberts Examined AS to
the Relations Existing Betwse the
Church and Politics.
Washington, speclal.-With the re-
6peni1gs5ot the investigation in the
Reed dsmeot case, before the Senate
committee on privileges and elections,
the prosecution devoted considerable
time to drawing from Birmingham r..
Roberts the character of the oaths
which sare said to pe necessary for a
M6rmpl official to take i'll order to
have tle, Support af the Church for po-
iticaijpfice: Members Of the committee
Shovel an equal interest i'll the obliga-
lions which are said to he taken by
Mormpns who "go through the endow-
nent house" Along both lines much
eYidenee;Was brought out which is cx-
pected5 to have considerable bearing on
/ the ffness5of Mormon Church Off
cjal3tosholdsa seat in Congress.
It Mas shown by Mr.. Roberts tes-
ttmonH that without the consent OF
the Mormon church he failed of cleo
ti6h tbga@ seat>in Congress and later
with Church recc sntion Of his candi-
daty Kes was elected. Iii relation TO the
endowment house obligation Mr..
RobeiIsswas extremely reticent:
Mr.sRobarts said he has three wives.
cne married in 1877. the second in 1886
and ,tIe. third in 1889 He said he has
had :elil ldren by all Of ne wives and by
tAa5fSst plural wife siLcy his election
to Congress.
Senator Overman inquired OF Mr..
Roberts whether his first wife and his
second wife had consented to his third
wife.
o. Sir 9, said Mr.. Roberts. "They
dldsnot learn of the marriage for three
or four years"
afIoHs was that?" asked Senator Bey-
eridge9 you mean to say that the
tiarriageTkas not known to any one?'
ut HasS known to some Of my
friends, sbutnot to my wives" was the
aDsWer.
.4.ssqqIfiiy was this marriage concealed
from then?s asked Chairman Bur-
Bgaaussi did not want to embarrass
thetn S;
embarrsss them?"
I'VE khoW the marriage was IL
legal andAt might be embarrassing to
them fthey should for any reaAoil be
aailes5.s al to testify
Sisla asked j. M.r.- R 0bertl .EE::lh.y ]
shett thought it incumbent upon him to
take:p1ural wives.
3llFrom boyhood,"' replied the witness,
1sshad heen taught the rightfulness
Of plural marriages and believed this
practice to be the law of God. | knew
that this practice was contrary to the
mandates of Congress, but believed
that the law of God was the highest
rule and aelt impelled 10 obey
Chairman Burrows asked numte:
Of toIhted questions which brought
out the conversation from Mr. Roberts
that he still believes In and practices
roiygamy. He said that he believes the
Woodruff manifesto was d!v:ne!y IN
inspired and that now in practiciiis
polygamy he knows he is disobeyias
both the laws OF the land aud the laws
Of God. He was asked why he contin-
ned to disobey the laws of God If ne be-
lieyed them to be the highest laws
and with a resigned air, he sad: Wen.
the manifesto left ME in the midst OF
obligations to these views. ! am trying
TO do the best can to live within the
laws, but these obligations | cannot
shirk."
At the afternoon session Mr. Rob-
erts said no action had ever been taken
by the Church in respect to his living
with more than one wife. -,
Questions were asked respecting MrI
Roberts view regarding the lnanliesto
CT 1890 against plural marriages ana
living in polgygamy cohabltat:on, ana
the witness said lie regarded !fe mani
festo as an administrative act OF the
Church and OF binding force upon all
members. He admits that to dlscDey
any of those laws would subject the
member to liability to Church disci-
pline. The witness was asked then N
regard to polygamous cohabitation, and
said that he and many others weie llV-
ing in polygany at the time the ruNs
wss made against such cohabltatich
and that they considered themselves
under moral obligation to live with the
wives they had married
"Do you think you are morally hounu
tc cohabit with al! OF your wives:.
Chairman Burrows asked.
81 do"
"How many children have you?"
Thirteen living" =.
"How many not living?
"Two."
when was the last one borr?
"About two or three years ago.
Mr.. Vancott in cross-eXaminatlon
asked IN regard 10 the rule which per-
r,its officials of the Church to enter in-
to politics, and the witness said he
regarded it merely as leave OF an
sence from Church official duties Dur
ing icumbency of political OFFICES.
He sald he did not regard it as an
Endorsement by the Mormon Church. ~
was brought cut that in his first can. al
vass for office, when he had not the
consent or leave of absence, ne was
defeated. In his second canvass he a. on-
Ja.nad the "leave of absence and was
elected.
Senator Bailey asked number OF
questions regarding the witness views
Ct his obligations as citi2en anu
whether there could be religious on- D.,
lIgation which would justify him ii
denying his services to his state %
discharge duties which would devcIEe
upon him by the acceptance OF a rolit-
ical position. ou,xe =,
M. Roberts said the eS1ersenry
y Offipi9l S1Ou!u