The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-03-09
APOSTLE
ON STAND
Chief of the Twelve Mormon
Leaders
BEFORE THE SENATE
Senator Smoot Did Not even
Know All of His Own
Wives.
BEFORE THE SENATE

WASHINGTON, March 9.-The SEN
ate committee ON privileges and cleo
tions in the investigation of the pro-
tests against Senator Reed Smoot Of
Utah brought out a variety of testi-
mony, Of which the most sensational
was that given by Francis NJ. Lyman,
president Of the twelve apostles of the
Mormon church and the man chosen
TO be the successor of President Smith.
His admissions We're similar to those
previously made by Mr.. Smith pertain
ing to the church government He is
more free of speech than the president
Of the church. and his testimony,
though not materially differing, caus-
ed several of the apostles present to
shake their heads at the witness for
the purpose of compelling more discre-
tion In answering questions. Mr.. Ly-
man is aDgularly built, his face is Gov
cred with a growth Of bushy red whls-
kers, and his speech is blunt.
Mr.. Lyman in his evidence said the
principle Of getting consent was that
a shepherd could not leave his flock of
sheep until his successor came TO take
charge. and therefore 1t was required
that officials must get authority before
leaving their official duties in the
church.
Apostles Grant and Teasdale were
chosen by revelation to President
Snow" said Mr.. Lyman, "and a reve-
latiop also was given me in regard to
these men"
He explained that the latter revela-
ton came after President Snow had
told him the names of the men he want
ed chosen to the vacancies. Mr.. Ly-
man was asked what distinction he
made between the revelations he obey
ed and those he did not obey.
81 suppose you mean the laws have
confessed that l have violated in CO.
habitation with plural wivesT' he
asked.
When told that was what was meant
he said:
II trust myself to the mercy of the
Lord"
Have you ever repented of that dis
Obedience?" asked Mr. Hoar
"Not yet"
did Senator Smoot know you were
living with plural wivesY" was asked.
Mr.. Lyman answered that Senator
Smoot did not know, as he never had
met any one of his wives. He said that
the people in general in Utah knew,
but that he did not think Mr. Smoot
had any knowledge of the fact. He
said he was so generally known and
his reputation was so wide that what
was admitted as fact in regard to
him would be accepted by the people
as true
Chairman Burrows insisted on know
ing If the people of Utah knew in re-
gard to his life why Senator Smoot
could not know just as well. The
witness responded several times that
the people must have known, but that
Senator Smoot did not, whereupon
Senator Hoar demanded to know what
the witness meant by such answers.
The witness then said that Senator
Smoot probably knew just as much
about the question as the people in
general.
do you take back what you said,
then, that the people knew and Sena-
tor Smoot did not known asked Sena-
tor Hoar.
II take that back"
Don't you think, Mr.. Apostle that
1t behooves you to be little careful
about what you say, 80 that you will
not have anything TO take back?" ask
ed the senator severely.
Charles j. Merrill, son of Apostle
Merrill, was called to the stand. He
said he was the son Of his fathers third
plural wife and is himself a polyga-
mist. In answer TO questions concern
ing his own marriages Mr.. Merrill said
he was married first in 1887 to a wife
that died in 1889 and that he married
his illegal wife" Chloe Hendricks, in
1891 and had five children by her. He
had married another wife in 1888, the
ceremony being performed in the Lo-
gan temple.
The marriage to my legal wife in
1891" said Mr.. Merrill twas solemn
lied by my father"
Were you living with Anna b. Stod.