The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-03-10
SMITH ENDS TESTIMONY.
Head of Mormon Church Seems to
Have "Queered" Smoot--A Poly.
aamous Wife on the Stand.

A washington dispatch says: Dis
cussing MS wives and children at the
smoot hearing Saturday, President
Smith, of the Mormon church, said:
We had a revelation on our statute
books In regard to the plural mar
riagas, and it was necessary to obey
that in order to obtain certain bless
ings that could not be received without
obeying it. Whether We should obey
the law OF the land or whether we con-
tinue to practice the law of the church
was a serious question:
Smith showed more feeling than ne
had any previous time exhibited as ne
leaned forward. and said:
"But it is to the laws Of Utah that
I AM answerable; it is the law OF my
state that has the right to punish me.
The courts Of Utah are Of competent
jurisdiction. Congress has no business
to interfere with private affairs.
If the courts of my state do not see
At to call me to account for my con-
duct cannot help it. Congress has
no right to 'interfere-day OF night to
pry into my marriage relations and
call me to account"
Woman Witness on Stand.
After having Joseph S. Smith, presi-
dent of the Mormon church, on the
stand for nearly five hours Monday De-
for the senate committee on privileges
and elections, which is investigating
the right of Reed Smoot to sit as
senator, both the prosecution and the
defense announced that they were
through with him, and another witness
was called. This was Mrs. Clara Ma
bel Kennedy, who told some secrets OF
the Mormon church, which, if not bro
ken down, will prove as important as
the statements of President Smith that
he and other officials have been per-
sistsntly. cohabitating with plural
wives in violation Of the law. Mrs.
Kennedy said she was married by
Brigham Young, an apostle OF tie
church, to James Francis johnson,
polygamist, since the manifesto OF 1880
and that she has had two children by
that husband. The marriage was per-
formed in Mexico, according to the wit
ness, at the home Of high Official OF
the church
Mrs. Kennedy said she was born in
Albany, N. Y, ,27 years ago, and went
with her parents to Utah, when she
was 2 years old. Her parents were
Mormons and she was brought up in
that faith and had been taught the pro-
priety of the plural marriage and,
in fact, never had known any different
life until after her marriage. The fam
lily moved to Diaz, Mexico, when she
was about four years old, where she
lived until she was II years old, when
she was married to James Francis
Johnson, who already had one wife.
Mrs. Kennedy said she met the first
wife and they chad slight inter
view" about going into the family as
second wife. The first wife gave her
consent to the arrangement.
Mrs. Kennedy said she lived with
Mr.. Johnson about five years, part OF
the time in the same house with the
first wife, and part Of the time away
from Mr.. and Mrs. johnson. She sepa-
arated from Mr.. Johnson at the end
Of five years, and about year after
that married Mr.. Kennedy. Her pres
ent husband is an Episcopalian, but
she remains in the Mormon church.
The revelations of Smith before the
senate committee in the Reed Smoot
inquiry, have caused one senator after
another to desert Smoot in his right
to retain his seat in the senate. and it
is the general belief at the capitol that
the Mormon senator will be thrown
out before congress adjourns.
The Mormon question has been re-
garded up to the appearance Of Joseph
Smith before the senate, as purely a
question Of politics. The question has
now grown out Of the realm of politics
and many senators regard it as one of
the great problems which must be set
tied by congress before the safety OF
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