Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-04-22
Welded TWO BRIDES.
Mormon President Before
Smoot Inquiry In Senate.
ONE CEREMONY GAVE HIM TWO WIVES
Cannon Testified That He Married
the Two MOusleY Sisters Mt the
Same Time-Hc Declined to Re-
veal Endowment Secrets.

Same Time-Hc Declined to Re4
veal Endowment Secrets.
WASHINGTON, April 22.-The fea-
ture of the hearing in the Smoot case
before the senate committee on priv
ileges and elections was the testimony
of Angus NJ. Cannon, for twenty-five
years president of the largest Mormon
state in the world.
The testimony was Of a personal
character, dealing with the conviction
of the witness on charges of polyga-
nous c~ohabitation, and was dragged
from him under protest that he be pro-
tccted from any peril or liability to
prosecution for what he revealed.
When assured that his plural mar
riages under the statute of limitations
could not be used as evidence against
him he answered most of the questions
asked.
The sensation of the hearing occur
red when Mr.. Tayler examined Mr..
Cannon in regard to his various mar
riagcs. Mr.. Tayler asked the witness
when he was first married, and he an
swered, ION July Is, 1888"
"To whom?"
Sarah Maria Mousley."
"Who neXt?'
Mr.. Cannon stood up, and his voice
shook with great emotion as he said:
Il beg an opportunity to explain and
to ask a question of the chairman be-
fore | proceed. Nineteen years ago l
was brought into great trouble. l was
prosecuted and sent to prison because
I acknowledged the mothers of my
children as my families. l was given
the opportunity of deserving my fami-
lies or going to prison, and l went to
prison.
Il was sent to prison for eight
months and served six months, when
the supreme court took up my case,
and | VAS released. While l was in
prison l said to my associates who
called to see me: You could not come
here in honor. l could not stay out in
honor
For a long time l have lived with
in the law as far as it was possible to
do so in the face of obligations to my
families. l have not paraded my fam
lilies, but in honest pride l have nour-
ished them.
1.-THE press of the country has carl
catured President Smith for the testi-
mony he gave in regard to plural fam
| lilies. and if / am asked to make SINH
lar exhibitions of my family l appeal
for protection from any consequences
that may be the result of the testi-
mony. ! will answer all questions in
| regard to myself or the church il l
am assured that l will not be placed
in peril by reason of the testimony"
! Mr.. Cannon sat down, quivering
with ill suppressed emotion, and Mr..
Worthington asked, mi. Cannon, have
you any counsel?"
mo, sir"
Chairman Burrows said the witness
was at liberty to decline to answer any
questions he chose, but Mr.. Worthing-
ton insisted that the refusal must be
based on the ground that the witness
feared to incriminate himself.
Mr.. Tayler observed that he did not
ueSlIe w u any u|ueSllOLS WHICH
related to marriages that were not
fully exempted from prosecution under
the statute of limitations, and on that
statement the chairman directed that
the question concerning the second mar
rlage of Mr.. Cannon should be answer.
ed. The official reporter then read the
question:
'"To whom were you next marrled?"
Gamma Amanda Mousley."
"When were you married to herr"
asked Mr.. Tayler.
"At the same hour that 1 was mar
ried to Sarah Maria Mousley."
"By the same ceremony"
Eyes"
"To whom were you next married 2"
Mr.. Cannon again inquired Of the
chairman if he must answer, and Mr..
Burrows replied: '"That is for you to
answer or to decline to answer. Other
! witnesses have answered similar ques-
tons. l think the question is a proper