The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-20
The Mormons Compelled.
Her to Give UP Her
Property.
PUT OUT OF CHURCH.
! | :. ALMOST LOST MIND
Mormon Glasses Taught in Pub
lie School Buildings in Utah.
Apostle Smith on the Stand
Agairl-More About
the Church and
y Politics.

fBy Assoclat ted preas.1 I

tBy Associate Press HI
WASHINGTON, D. c.. December TO-
Tho Senate Committee on Privileges and
A Elections was in session all day taking
4 testimony In tho Smooth investigation
Nothing Of sengntionn character was
brought out. Interest was eylnced by
members otstnr committee In Rstntcmcnta
si by a. c. Nelson, or,supcrlntendent OF pub
II lie instruction for Utah. concerning the
Buso OF school buildings for the teaching
/; of the Mormon religion. Apostle John
Henry Smith was on tho stand for two:
4 hours. Other witnesses were Isaac Bird
sail. Mormon who said that his daugh-
\ ter wan r accommodated because she
4 would not obey a decision OF a bishops
E court. which had deprived her OF q piece,
a of property. q which she hold tho la W
+ full titlc:s and William Balderson, editor.
y OF the Jsoise, Idaho. Statesman. who tcs-.
3S titled IN regard to political affairs IN
n his State. f ,s
Apostle on Stand.
Apostle Smith said he had never heard
i that any president OF the Il church au-;
tlior!zcd plural marriages SINCE tho man
ifesto. He enphau ucaily denied that he
y had said that there had been revelations
Z; that certain political ticket uId be
Il supported. I fe, however. admitted Il tax 8
Ing an active part In bringing about the
h repeal OF tile territorial test oa tbs, which.
85 practically excluded Idaho A1ormons.
d from voting. He said -hs had made po-
S lltical speeches, but appealed 10 the voters
d as a citizen and not as q member Of the
n Mormon church: sls3 s. III 9 3 $9
Senator Dubois n sked Apostle Smith II
n an apostle could take q plural wife now
and retain his tandl lng. wa
}. less pcrctlan nce he were handle by
the Ia aws u of he COIN airy. was the re y
eponse. + g55
~ gu mean II that some 4 Gentilo would
II haze To- make complaint q.
50. Il sir; if submitted to his council,
n Isthink IT would deal with him K s8F5
Apostle Smith said that the suspension:
OF the practice 81 olygarny was the re-
\ suit OF a revelation. and that It would
i takes another revelation to, put In
Il force. s5
Then the president OF the church might
4 put polygan,y III practice by receiving n
X revelation e. s5 M
Not unless the people should receive
d II. Nothing is forced on the \ Mormon peo-i
ple.'s he replied & m
Forced to Relinquish Property
Isaac Birdsall was examined concern
ing a civil trial In a land case In which
Il he and his daughter were defendants II h.
case was heard In tho bishops court OF
I Monroe Ward, In U Utah. where Brdsali
and his daughter were charged with up-
i# i#Christian-likc5 conduct Joseph .Lcayitt
z brought tho action to obtain possessions
OF land which he Is alleged to have spur-
chased from the Birdsulls. but to which
lie did not have title. MI. Birdsall lost
B The case. 5s .
Before an appeal to the first presidency
was attempted, his daughter was given
notice to carry out the verdict of the
church courts. or the first presidency
Z would tnke actiou by cutting her OF from
showing that Cora Birdslll, Il the daughter
was sexcommunicated in June. 1906. Mr.
! Birdsall said that the decision so wore
on his daughter that she neither atc nor.
slept nor drank and appeared to lose
her mind. Her condition was brought to.
the attention of tho president, and her
parents were told their daughter would:
Il be tormented aud led by evil spirits until
she had complied with the decision of
the church In regard to the land, in
which event rcbaptsm was promised
her. Later she was rcbnptized & in the
church and then made the deed convey
4 ing the land to Leavltt. 5s
Church and Politics.
William Budge OF Paris. Idaho. was
& recalled by counsel for Mr.. Snoot. &. He
said that as a bishop OF the L Mormon
Church he had never entertained n ca Sc
n Involving the title OF land, for the reason
\ that presidents OF tho Church have given
that bishops nnd president OF
stakes should not hear such cases,
Editor Bnlderson said TINT poygamists
K living In Idaho have Increased despite the
fact that there have been few plural mar
q riages within tho State. lIo said thatgun
to the last campaign both political par
ties In Idaho were disposed to go to Sal t
lake to .'get a straight tip as to which
would get the Mormon support.
Mr.. Tayler asked II they got this, and
& received the response: "Yes;5 but they
never knew whether 1t was straight III
4 fsS It was brought out by Mr.. Tayler that
H; the Idaho nttornay-gen is repnted to
q have taken q plural wife within tho last
VI two or three years. ss u
Used School Buildings.
"A. 9. Nelson, OF Salt Lake. State Super
Intendent of Public Instruction, and a
Mormon. who is now making .n invests
cation of the extent In Which religion
8S classes are maintained In the schools tess
titled that CLASSES q re hold In about three
hundred buildings. These classes are as
selnbled after the adjournment of the
regular .schoolslay. Mr., Nelsan said that
he school teachers usually taught the
religion elnsses, Mr. Nelson snid lc he
lIeVed the Use Of tho school buildings for
religious purposes WAS cS,ntraryHto law.
3 The hearing was adjp'Wnel5 until tp-
5 morrow.
NEGROES STRIKE AND VI.
WHITE MEN TAKE JOBS
5fBy Associated Press.l KS aiS
HOT STRINGS ARK, Dec. l9,.-.Bc-