The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-13
.sMOO7 INQUIRY
T0.BEGIN L AGAIN. IN.
DR.. |' Buckley and md High
Officials of Norman
Church Witnesses.
REVELATIONS OF
INSIDE Is: Il, POLICY .]'l ]. {. !
Reynolds Says He Corrected
Phraseology Of Inspired Man
disadvantages Perform
ed With Dead Persons
in Endowment
House.

fBy AssocIatcd Press.

/ 3 J
WASHINGTON, d. c.. December R.-
i Three witnesses were heard to-day in
the case Of Senator, Reed smoot before
the Senate Committee on Privileges and
Elections, the committee rcsuinlng Its In
vestigation alters long recess.
The first witness was the Rey. J. NJ.
| Buckley, d. D., editor of the Christian
Advocate, OF New York. who told Of n
Mormon meeting he attended In Salt
Lake, Utah. last summer, in which Pres:
ident Joseph Smith declared he would
not give up his plural wives.
George Reynolds. a high official of the
church, testified In regard to ceremonies
! that have taken place In the endowment
| house and concerning ecclesiastical di-
Horces granted by the church. md John
Henry Hamlin told Of tho plural mar
r!nge OF his sister. Lillian Hamlln. to
Apostle Abram Cannon. which ceremony,
he said he understood to have been per-
formed by President Smith since tho
man!fcsto OF 1890, !s 3}i. q "a n (.
inside church policy, but did not connect
Senator Smoot with any OF tho alleged
violations Of State or national statutes.
Marry and Divorce Dead People;
DR., Buckley told OF a speechs Presi-
~ n
Sof marriage. The witness said President
Smith declared that the mothers OF his
own children had been given him by God
md were saints OF God. DR.. Buckley
said President Smith defend cd the Nor
mon marriage. President Smith Nh S 4
quoted ly the witness as saying that he
could not give up any OF his wives
1 Is answer to questions by Senator
tOvernlan, Mr.. Reynolds said marriages
r.
endowment house. .S Il 4
Mr.. Taylcr then asked1$if divorces were
granted In: the endowment house. fsss8s.s3
1.-THE church grant divorces u to those
who haze been ina rrind forEftime and
eternity but does not divorce legal nnr-
irinEes until the courts have cteh Y said
Mr.. Reynolds. Plural. marriages arc4not
recognized by courts. and, therefore. tho
church docs not consult the court in
granting divorces In ca scsE Erf such nlar-
ria ges.'
Senator Foraker asked II such divorces
are granted from dead persons.
6.In a few Instances only, ! should say,r3
said the witness.
For something done after death or be-
fore ?" the senator asked. :(5
s"In lifetime"
Ills the dead person gives an oppor-
ftunity to be heard q, the senator asked.
o, sir; II Is because ASucn cases are 4
held to be! unjust to the. dead accused,
that so few divorces of this Kind are
granted said the witness.
rs anyone appointed to defend the ac-
cused q,
Never; but the complainant is given a
hearing II satisfactory; evidence is fur
,nished in the church,
Has TWenty-six Children.
MFR. Reynolds testified that the presi-
dent Of the church always has had the
authority to issue ecclesiastical divorces.
d Mr.. Tuyler showed the witness n con-
tract for separation between George r.
and Ellen Watson, which Mr.. Reynolds !
acknowledged lie executed III 1897. Ha
stated that lie does not knowanow wlleth-
err The marriage lie dissolved was a plu-
rnlt ono or not.
'.Arc you a polygamist 2" Mr.. Tayler
asked
8 ''1.cs, sIr.' answered Mr.. Reynolds.
"IIave YOU any children married In
lpolysamy?
4 'I believe so; one daughtei."
Mr.. Reynolds testified that he has
twcnty-six children, He gave the names
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