The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1904-11-03


Lake Herald of Oct. Goth, gives the
text Of communication from Charles
Mcstyn Owen TO Mrs. j. Ellen Foster,
who has been campaigning for the
republican committee, In which Mr..
Owen responds To a challenge made
by Mrs. Foster In some OF her public
addresses. The communication as
wired here reads as follows:
Salt Lake City, Utah, Oct. 20, 1904.
Mrs. Ellen Foster, care Republican
State Committee, Boise, Ida:
Madam LIN the Deseret News OF
Oct. rs appears quotation from the
Nampa Herald Of no given date, In
which you are quoted as follows:
~ know something OF the condi-
lions IN Idaho, and my belief Is that
no plural marriages have been sane
toned by the Mormon church since
the manifesto OF 1890. II the demo.
Gratis know that there has been a
single case OF polygamy say to bring
ON your testimony and the republic
cans will furnish. the lawyers and
juries to convict these polygamists.
Now then come on, or shut up :"
Granting that you are learned as to
the conditions In Idaho affecting the
interests and Institutions Of the Nor
mon church which you SO ardently
champion, viii accept the challenge
as laid down by yourself and | do
hereby charge John U. Stuck, of
Paris, Hear Lake county, state OF
Idaho, has taken as a wife since Oct.
q, 1890. one Clara SpoIi, his lawful
wife Margaret Stuck being then
alive and undivorced,
H do not say that the ceremony
took place within the state OF Idaho.
do not say that this marriage took
place within the statute OF limita-
lions as laid down by the laws of the
state Of Idaho. do say that on
Oct. q, 1890, Clara Sport was single
woman, resident Of Paris, Idaho,
do say that John l., stuck was the
husband 50 acknowledged OF Margaret
Stuck at that date, and that Clara
Sport Is now known and acknowledged
as Stuckis plural or celestial wife. y
Now, leave To your more inti'
mate knowledge OF the workings OF
the Mormon church. That he had
the sanction In express terms of the
First Presidency OF the church which
resides officially In Salt Lake City,
cannot say, aud he Is still holding of.
ice In the church as stake tithine
clerk of the bear Lake stake, one OF
honor and emolument; further, he
was recommended by President Rudgc
OF the Hear Lake stake To the gov
ernor Of Idaho to act as trustee Of
the Pocatello academy, . state insti'
tuition, SO that take II reasonahl,
that the ban OF the church displeas'
urc Is not upon him at least.
The challenge, as amended by The
Ileseret News, limiting the time to 4
period within the statute OF limita
tions, Is, grant you, beyond my
present powers do not expect Il
be able to comply with such terms
When YOU read the testimony OF
Charles +. Merrill in the Smoot in,
vestigation To the effect that h,
u.afried his plural wife, Annie Stod
dard, In ISIS, hut that his own iath
or, a prophet, seer and reyelator
With no less than six homes in tn,
village, did not know the fact of con
ditlons In 1871 when he married hi,
son to another illegal wife how
can you expect or hope that an unin
spired GENTLE resident q
Utah, shall know 9ho details of sane
tion and performance OF a secret cere
i. mony of which outward and yisihl,
signs are childreny
To the name of Stuck, | will ado
the name of Attorney General JohI
A. Rag.ey, and ask you when he, be
ing then married man, married
Lydia Austin. who WAS not married
In iseo, aud her relations To him n,
his plural wife were only revealed b,
death In ls93.
Mrs Foster, there Is young WON
an In Preston, Ida, who is the
mother of children. She Is tn,
daughter OF a high Official in tn.
Mormon church the sister of others
She retains her maiden name. Sh,
retains her standing, both in church
aud society, yet this apparently maid