The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-03-09
ADMIT PRACTICE OF
POLYGAMY
Witnesses at Investigation
Make No Denial of viO-
lating the Law

nat pOlyBdlny ID Sllll DeIHB cDuHleH-
anced by the Mormon church, was
IS being placticed by Mormons. was
brought out yeste. day In the examina
tion at Washington by the senate com
mittee appointed to investigate the
charges against Reed Smoot
The FIST witness examined yestel
day was Charles +. Merrill, son OF
Apostle T.. Me. ril. He said he was the
son of his fathe S third plural VIII
and is himself a polygamist. In re
ga. d to his fathers family, Mr.. Me.
rill said he had a father with 81.
wives and that he had twenty brothels
an5 seventeen sisters. He was askel
and said he did not know. but though
there We're moe than one hund. ed.
my father lives with his first wi (
and comes TO the home OF my molhe
probably not more than once a month,
he sad. My father is a ve.y bus.
man." the witness supplemented
II. ancisc Lyman, member of H.
FIRST p esidency of the Mormon churc
and the p. ospective successor of Nj.
Smith as D. .es.dent of the church. wa
the next called. He was born 81 yea. !.
ago and became an apostle in 1850.
''A.e you a polygamist?" Mr.. Tay
T. ankly. Yes
lie said that he had three wives an
that two of them a e stll living. Il
his second vie to whom he was MAJ
lied IN 1854. he had i've child4en. III
iasl being bora in ls0o
Mr.. Lyman sa that he had be- .
one OF the signe. of the payer TO
amnesty p4e~ghg himself to ali tai
contained. iAe id not. move ,e.. reca-
just what it did contain. Mr. laylo
read po. tions OF the prayer.
I'D you, he asked, 'inte. pget tha
to~me4af stnat you .Noad aps.a4n tiol.
po.ysaIn.lus CO.. aDitatlon r. .s- 1.s
"A ln.e. D. etea &C 40 mean that
si4oe4a d. aaI Tat was aIgaI'
~D4d YOU thlnK II wou.a be right |
abstain I.om poA gamous co..aplIe
uon?"
rms was not answe. ed directly
the Tine. Sese.al questions by mem
beis VI tne conln.tsee followed la rap.s
sss@iva, a..d alr. Lyman aumi.4e
IA! re@i,y.lae 20 .nsin tndl ne knew tils
IA i.,iag III pop g-Iny Ae ,,as alaobes
ruie nIs emu. ca. ne aiso siiu in ie
piy 20 oAe oI lnese qaSs14ons I..a. A.,
M..s nJ. only uow livuis iaI. poiy gainoL
eOnasi.4.a. .o-., Dul la.al he e..Yec.Sa {
oOn...1e 20 50 i've.
Air. iloal al last took the witne.
la Aanu a4.u b.o4gat ouI a suecien
staseute.4t ON IAN. ssaicha Was oI
oaAa. aeee. 20 .nee. ese All pfessnt. ~
r.e.e..ins TO tne sule oI winch yo.
have sa,vAs.., M. doar ss,la, "yoa ua
ooista..a tI.e rule or law vt tne cnu.c.
10 De lne law oi ood, ald yoa nol?"
aia. ~ niaa iepi.ed inal sucn Wa
i.ls o4-de. sanding.
"Ine.l % aie living in and inten.
70 Ave .n s4o4a.ion OF tne law OF 90.
a-a man?"
Il luiiy intend" sad Nj. Lyma..
showing a d.aposidon 10 e.aoo4a.
moe t..aIi ne had uoae, ITO be tue tC
tie law OF count.y. To my God an,
nay waves, aad 4 have never done
tAi4s lna1 my conscience did NOT ap
p.ove.'
"A want" he proceeded, dropping in
to a pleasing tone OF voice. ITO make
br.ei explanation, If you will perm
ss.y case Is d.ne. ent from tnat OF mos,
otnef men. i was born In 1o40 am.
4 I.. L.
was not a ply samist. lac was a frien,
and adslsea OF P.opAet Joseph Smit..
anu VAS taug.at by MN tie impo. tano,
aud The tlutn OF the principles of poly
samy. ile ep,ed the teacniAgs anu
en.e. ed into TIE p.actice, mar yinl
SO that my earliest recollection EN-
braces the lie of poiygamy. | remem
be. all my fathe. S wives as | do m.
own mother. and ! lived in family
thus constituted until 1 grew up ano
became the head of a family of my
own.
Consequently / have known nothing
rect. have always felt in my hear,
and soul that | was correct | mar
iied first IN 1867, again In 1869. ano
once more in 1854.
The situation has been very pain
full to me and / have been q eatlS
panied to find myself in opposition
To, the law of the country and of the
chu. ch. But | had made covenant
with my wives to love, aspect and en-
dear them. and l could not find it II.
my heart to separate from them Sc
long as they were true to me-"
Senator Hoar-"So you, an apostl,
of your church. expecting to succeed
Mr.. Smith in the eprdisenhs odSr,
MIR. Smith in the presidency and H.
that capacity to receive divine rsvela