The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-17
MORE MORMONS WANTED
BY SENATORS WHO ARE
PROBING SMOOT CHARGES
Members of the First Presidency
Summoned Before the Invest -
eating Committee.
ONE MAN HAS FIVE, WIVES
Apostle Teasdale Much Married,
Two of His Helpmates Being
Twin Sisters.
ONE. MAN HAS FIVE WIVES

Special TO the Indianapoli Journal.
WASHINGTON, March 16.-Flagrant vio-
Iations of law on the part of leading Off
Gals of the church and open disregard of
statutes on the subject of polygamy have
been developed in the hearings conducted
by the Senate committee on privileges and
elections in the case of Reed Smoot, of
Utah.
When the fight against Smoot was start
ed it was based on the assumption that he
was polygamist. 1t has been demonstrate
ed since that Smoot is not polygamist.
1t has been shown. however, that, as an
apostle of the church, Smoot has participant
ed in conferences with five members of the
first presidency who are confessed polyga-
mists. The against Smoot rests on the
theory that as an apostle of the church he
is under obligations which take precedence
over those TO which he subscribes sem
ator. In other words, that he is subject
to the dictation and discipline of the church
and that his first allegiance is to the
church.
The hearings before the Senate committee
have been suspended temporarily, pending
the arrival here of witnesses who have so
far failed to put in an appearance. Mem
bers of the first presidency and other prom
inent Mormons have been subpoenaed. They
have not yet responded to the summons OF
the Senate committee. Attorney Robert >.
Tayler, representing the petitioners, desires
to place Apostle Teasdale the stand.
That leading light of the Mormon Church
has five wives. Two of them are twins.
Their mother is a wife of Teasdale.
In this case ii was explained that the moth
or the wife by celestial marriage;
that she was sealed to the apostle for eter-
,0se. H. haT
daughters. On this point the petitioners de-
sire TO secure more light. In view or the
fact that Smoot Is member OF the hrst
presidency and has been in constant asso-
citation with members of the apostasy VINO
are open violators of the manifesto OF the
church and the laws of the State relative
TO polygamy, the petitioners intend to prove
that Smoot, having knowledge of such eva
sion of law, is not fit to occupy seat in
the United States Senate. This charge is
supplemental TO the one that his course In
the Senate would, in the nature of things,
be dictated by religious organization
+
No question considered in Congress has
attracted so much attention as the Smoot
case. Church organizations throughout the
United States are thoroughly aroused.
Thousands of petitions protesting against
Smoot have been received from every State
in the union. Whether it was so designed
or not, the inquiry into the relations of
Smoot with the church has developed IN
to a rigid investigation of the whole
system. That it is the intention of the
Senate committee to make the Investigation
thorough and comprehensive has been DEM
onstrated by the course followed up to
date. The indications are that no conclti-
sion will be reached at this session In
fact, there is strong probability that a
subcommittee will be sent to Utah for the
purpose OF gathering evidence which could
not be obtained at a committee hearing.
A fear was expressed some time ago that
partisanship might be developed In connec-
ton with the case. This 1t appears was UNI
founded. While Smoot is republican,
other leading members of the church are
Democrats, and all the evidence obtained
so far demonstrates that the willy leaders
of the Mormon faith play in both parties.
All the curious persons who can be ac-
commodated with space have attended the
Smoot hearings. From early morning until
the adjournment at the close of the day
| the pressure to get into the room was ter
rife The corridor outside was choked
| with a throng so that IL was almost i'm
| possible for persons to pass. Many of the
people who fought for positions in the
| room and in the hall were women. They
| stood by the hour in the hope that some
| one on the inside would faint and be car
| ried out or get tired and leave thus max
| ing room for others. But few vacated the
| committee room after once getting in.
: +
| One of the most interesting persons who
appeared at the hearings was President
Joseph Smith. He is seventy-four years
of age He is the head of the Mormon
Church, not only in this country, but in
all the foreign countries where the church
has managed to make a foothold. Smith
has forty-two children and five wives
Twelve of his children were born since 1890
He admitted the stand that he had
violated the manifesto, which, 1t is alleged,
was proclaimed a result of revelation
of God. and also the laws of the State pro-
hibiting polygamous cohabitation. Apostle
Lyman who expects to succeed Smith. also
i
wives. children and grandchildren Ly-
man admitted that between the word Of
God and the law of the land he would be
pinned down by Senator Hoar he admitted
that as between the law of God. as in
terpreted in alleged revelations. and the
law of the land his conscience would make
II obligatory on him TO evade the latter.
Merrill, the son of one OF the apostles
told the committee that he is a poygamist
He has two or three wives. several chill
| dren and about $50 nephews and nieces
| His father has been summoned as wit
ness.
| smoot was constant attendant at the
| hearings. So far he has been of secondary
importance, chief interest being conferred
| in President Smith and the apostles accom-
| panying him. Smoot was undoubtedly Sc
| lected by the first presidency to represent
| the church in the Senate on account of his
subserviency TO its mandates and to the
| regulations or its officers Prior TO his
| election he had not been prominent In poll
| tics. He had never been active on the
| stump. His selection was decided upon by
| the first presidency, whose wishes were
carried out by the Utah Legislature the
majority being Mormons. These facts were
| all brought out in the hearing.
The Senate committee will not meet again
| to take up the Smoot case until the wit
nesses in Utah. summoned by the COM
| nitee have reached here. President Smith
has promised that all members of the
| church subpoenaed by the committee will
| In due time appear here. Counsel for the
| petitioners are of opinion that some of
| going on the stand.
| ]. Z. NJ.