The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-03-08
HIS FATHER IS
A VERY BUSY man
MORMON MERRILL SAYS HIS FATHER HAD SIX WIVES AND
THIRTY. SEVEN CHILDREN. AND ABOUT ONE HUNDRED
NlEcEs NEPHEws

lngton.
mo. I had net heard that" said
Mrs. Kennedy.
Mr.. WoFthington asked the wit T.
ness Of she knew whether her first
was Informed that she knew moth
ina about him and had not heard OF
him since their separation. The
witness became confused several
times under decentralization and
made some contradictory statements
which for the most part she cor
reeted later when her attention was
called to them by the attorney for
the prosecution. She was unable
to give a description of Apostle
Young.
Chairman Burrows adjourned the
hearing with MIRA Kennedy stiIl on
the stand
Mrs. Kennedy this morning. an
sweriux Attorney worthinEton. said
she knew no reason for her Journey
OF seventy five miles from Diaz TO
Juarex. Mexico. to be married as a
plural wife 20 Johnson. and did not
know whether any effort had been
made to have the marriage per-
formed at Diaz.
She said she did not inform the
man who married her that Johnson
was already married. so far as
she knew the celehrant might have
believed he was marrying johnson
TO his first wife. She had heard that
Apostle Teasdaie objected To her
plural marriage and had refused to
marry her Notwithstanding the In
tercesslon BY her mother.
Charles Merrill. son Of Apostle Mer-
rim. testified to-day that he was the
son VI his fathers third plural wife.
ard was himself . polyKamiat HS
was first married In iks7 TO his first
wife. who died In iSSs. In tssi he mar
ried Chloe Hendricks. BY whom he
had five children. In ik~ he married
Anna stoddafd. BY whom he had four
ehiidren ard was living with her when
be married Chloe Hendricks, whom he
called hiE legal wife.
Merrill said that he now has two
wives and Is cobahlting with both.
He denied that the woman he married
IN 1855 II his legal wife. explaining
that when he married her he had a
wife living. and that he understood
that under the laws that marriage
was not legal Therefore. his mar
rage In 1891. after the death OF the
first wife In lisa. made his last mar
rage legal
When questioned concerning the
marriage ceremony Of ISIS. the witness
declared that he could not remember
how II was performed lie could not
repeat IL. but Was closely examined
by Senator Hear and admitted that no
knew the ordinary wedding services.
The witness lived with both wives.
who had separate homes nt Richmond.
Utah. Al the time OF the second mar
rage. his home was with his mother.
His father was on the underground.
that IL. In hiding. because OF the per-
secutions going on for polYgamy. 30
far as he knew. his father did not
know he had a wife already when he
was married by him TO the woman he
calls HIS legal wife.
His father had sir wives. and he
had 20 brothers and ~ sisters. He
didn't know how many nephcwH and
nieccs he had. but said probably 100
His three brothers married plural
wives. and two sisters married Into
poiygamoua families. Ills father lives
with his first wife. and comes 20 the
home Of his mother once a month.
Father is a very busy man. he
added.
Francis Lyman. a member OF the
first presidency and prospective
successor to Joseph Smith. showed
the same defiant spirit as his SUI
perior on the stand today. He con-
fessed that he had three plural
wives and declared his Intention 10
keep two. living IN disobedience OF
the law OF the country. Of the church
and Of God" as Senator Hoar put
IL He said he IL not only living in
polygamous cohabitation, but ex-
pected TO continue To do 40