The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-03-09
REEO SMOOT CASE ON TRIAL
Head Of Mormon Church 5efore
investigating Committee.
REVELATION BEFORE THE LAW.
President Smith Says Principle oi
Plural Marriages Is Sacred With
the Church.

Reed Smooth. Mormon apostle Of
Utah. was placed on trial on We'd
nesday for his Senatorial life. For
four hours the court and jury-the
Senate Committee on Privileges and
Elections evidence In his case
During that time his patron and
best friend, President Joseph r.
Smith Of the Mormon Church. man
of varied and large business interests
self-confcssed adherent to the doc.
trines of polygamy and accused by At.
torney Tayler of having Ave wives
and as children. occupied the stand.
Counsel for the protestants piled him
with close searching questions. direct.
ed at questionable aspects and prac.
tices oi the Mormon religion and its
votaries.
Attorneys for the protestants in the
Smoot investigation said to-day they
intended to prove that the defendant
is associated with hierarchy which
practices polygamy and connlves at
violations of the law. and that Smoot's 8
very vote as a Senator of the United
States is subject to the wish and com.
mand Of the Mormon church. Presi.
dent Joseph +. Smith confessed that
he himself had continued to cohabit
with his plural family since the mani.
festo of 1890, and he realized fully
that he was violating State laws.
President Smith also testified that
Reed Smoot had to get the consent OF
his associate apostles in the church
before he could become candidate
for Senator.
The confession of President Smith
was the sensation of the proceedings
to-day before the Senate Committee
on Privileges and Elections. Mr..
Smith said that the manifesto of 1890
had left him and others with plural
families in the unfortunate situation
of being compelled to defy the law or
desert their families. For himself he
had preferred to take chances with
the law" rather than to disgrace him.
self and degrade his family by aband.
Oning his wives and the children they
had borne him. lie admitted that
he had had children by all of his five
wives since the manifesto and said
he had acknowledged them openly
without interference or disturbance
from the PEOPLE OF Utah. whom he
characterized as liberal and broad
minded.
President Smith was on the stand
tho third day, but the testimony was
not as sensational as that of the sec.
ond day until near the close. Then by
a series Of questions the significant
and important fact was brought out
that the standing of Mormons in the
church or in the Mormon community
was not in the least impaired by the
knowledge of their co-religionlsts
that they continued in polygamous re-
lation with their plural wives after the
Issuance of the Mormon manifesto
against polygamy.
In a way this admission by Presi.
dent Smith Is of more vital importance
TO the establishment Of the case
against Smoot and the Mormon church
than Smiths admissions of yesterday
that he had continued to hold relations
with his five wives since 1890 and had
had IL Children by them since that
date. 1t tends strongly to demonstrate
that the whole Mormon community
and Organization Is in silent con.
spiracy against the laws of the United
States and have not accepted or at
tempted to carry out in good faith the
agreement made with the Government
by which the admission of Utah TO
statehood was secured.
1t was brought out that all of Mr..
Smiths predecessors, as presidents of
the Mormon church, had been polygam.
lists and that the man chosen to sue.
ceed him has more than one wife. Mr..
Smith was asked which he would obey,
the law of the land or revelations
from God, If the two were in conflict,
He said he might obey the revelation.
though 1t was not compulsory. He
added; Il should not like to be put in
a position where | would have to de-
sert my children-I could not do that. "