The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-03-08
DEAD ONES
MAY MARRY, SAYS PRESi-
DENT SMITH
EXPLAINS THE PROCESS
AS Conducted by the
Mormon Church.

Washington, d. c., March AL
though President Smith of the Nor
mon church was again on the witness
stand today in the Reed Smoot in
vestigation being conducted by the
senate committee on privileges and
elections, he gave no indication at adj
Journment late this afternoon OF the
trying ordeal through which he had
passed.
Just before adjournment he explain-
ed that dead people were permitted to
marry in his church. There we're
three kinds OF marriages. Sealed for
life" as he stated it; sealed for life
and eternity" and sealed for eterl-
ity."
The dead one whom it was pur-
posed snouid become a husband or
wife was represented by the next of
kin or an heir, who stood up at the
ceremony and repeated the service.
This was being sealed for eternity
He gave this explanation of the
creed of his church with no expires.
sion to the most commonplace state
ment OF fact.
The inquiry went into the whole
question of religious practices and be-
liefs, poygamy being the piece de
resistance. The head of the great
church made a stir when he declared
that the manifesto of 1890 confronted
him with the alternative ofabandoning
four wives and a score OF children
or being smenable to the law. There
was a quiet ripple of applause among
the dozen women spectators when he
said he preferred the rigors OF tho
law to deserting those who loved him
and whom he loved, and who depend.
ed upon him for support
At the afternoon session, President
Smith was questioned as to his wives
! and particularly as to one Levirs.
| from whom he was divorced many
years ago. In respo4 ling to questions
| touching this matter, the witness said:
1T is very embarrassing and trying
| to me to make public announcement
| OF my private and domestic affairs |
! do 1t very reluctantly, because | am
| required by this court My words are
going out to the world and | donT
want it understood that in giving In.
formation about my colleagues that
| am in any sense spotter or in
| former. II there is anything in this
world" he continued with great earn
estness and looking directly at At
torney Tayler, Attorney Critchlow and
/ the detective employed by them, that
| despise, it is spotter and | want
to go on record to that effect"
President Smith denied that in
| 1896 or 1897, he had claimed share
in the property left by his former
wife, Levira
Asked to whether Brigham II. Rob
erts was polygamist, he replied, he
! is reputed to be. l am not an in.
! former on Mr.. Roberts"
! The relation OF the church to TEN.
poral affairs was advisory.
Attorney Tayler proceeded to ques.
tion the witness about the interest 60
the church in the various business con-
Germs of which he is president and di-
| rector.
Senator Beveridge asking the pur.
! port of these questions, Attorney Tay-
Ter announced that he expected to
prove that Senator Smoot could not
by any possibility line himself up
against his associates in his actions or
even in his vote as senator. He
would be bound TO follow their direc-
tions not only in spiritual affairs, but
also in temporal things, because un-
! der the definitions Of the church, it
was impossible to distinguish between
the two. He would have to obey or
resign his apcstleship.