The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-04-22
Welded TWO BRIDES
Mormon President Before
Smoot Inquiry In Senate.
one CEREMONY GAVE HIN TWO WIVES
Chnnon Testified That He Married
the Two MOusIcy sisters at the
Same Time-He Declined to Ra-
veal Endowment Secrets.

ileges and elections was the testimony
of Angus NJ. Cannon, for twenty-five
years president Of the largest Mormon
state in the world
The testimony was Of a personal
character, dealing with the conviction
of the witness on charges of polyga-
nous cOhabitation, and was dragged
from him under protest that he be pro
tected from any peril or liability to
prosecution for what he revealed.
When assured that his plural mar
riages under the statute of limitations
could not be used as evidence against
him he answered most of the questions
asked.
The sensation of the hearing occur
red when Mr.. Tayler examined Mr..
Cannon in regard to his various mar
r1ages Mr. Tayler asked the witness
when he was first married, and he an
swered ION July Is, 1855"
TO whom?"
Sarah Maria Mousley"
"Who neXtY'
Mr.. Cannon stood up, and his voice
shook with great emotion as he said
81 beg an opportunity to explain and
to ask question of the chairman be
fore | proceed. Nineteen years ago l
was brought into great trouble. was
prosecuted and sent to prison because
| acknowledged the mothers of my
children as my families, was given
the opportunity of deserving my fami-
lies or going 10 prison, and ! went to
prison
Il was sent to prison for eight
months and served six months, when
the supreme court took mp my case,
and was released. While | was in
prison l said to my associates who
called to see me; You could not come
here in honor. | could not stay out in
honor
For long time have lived with
IN the law as far as it was possible to
do so In the face of obligations to my
families | have not parsded my fam
lies, but IN honest pride ] hAye n9BT-
iSbed theat
, The press of the country has carl
eAtured President Smith for the testi
mony he gave in regard to plvral fam
lies and IL / am asked to make slmi-
lar exhibitions of my family l appeal
for protection from any consequences
that may be the result of the testi-
mony. | will answer all questions in
regard to myself or the church II l
am assured that | will not be placed
in peril by reason of the testimony"
Mr.. Cannon sat down, Quivering
with III suppressed emotion, and Mr..
WorthingtOn asked, "Mr. Cannon, have
you any counsel"
NO, sir"
Chairman Burrows said the witness
was at liberty to decline to answer any
questions he chose, but Mr.. Worthing
ton insisted that the refusal must be
based on the ground that the witness
feared to lncriminate himself.
Mr.. Tayler observed that he did not
dosire answers TO any questions which
related TO marriages that were not
fully exempted from prosecution under
the statute Of limitations. and on that
statement the chairman directed that
the question concerning the second mar
Fiage of Mr., Cannon should be answer
ed. The official reporter then read the
question:
''To whom were you next maTied?"
Gamma Amanda Mousley"
"When were you married to herT
asked MIR Tayler
AT the same hour that was mar
ried to Sarah Maria MouSley."
by the same ceremony
Eyes"
"To whom were you next married.
Mr.. Cannon again inquired Of the
chairman if he must answer, and Mr..
Burrows replied: THAT is for you to
answer or to decline to answer Other
witnesses have answered similar Ques-
tons. l think the question is u proper
one"
Mr.. Cannon then answered, Mrs.
Clara G. Mason, in 1879 also saying
he was married to Martha Hughes in
1884, Maria Bannion in 1886, Johanna
G. Donelson in 1886 and that he had
not been married since that time. All
his wives were living
The witness was asked If he rsmem-
bered prosecution against him in
1886 for cohabitation with Matte
Hughes Cannon, and he answered that
he remembered the prosecution, but did
not remember which wife he was
charged with cohabiting with He
said he was arrested, but had not test
fed in any hearing. When asked to
describe the residences Of his various
wives he said they all lived in Salt
Lake county, but in separate houses;
that he had families by five of his
wives.
do you live with all of your wives
nowP Mr. Tayler asked.
81 am sorry to say that ! don't"
"Why? Because you are now in