Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-13
THE NORMAN CHURCH
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SENATE
COMMITTEE
Mr.. Reynolds Continues His Evidence
on Plural Marriages-John Henry
Hamlin a Witness

There was further testimony in the
| Smoot case yesterday afternoon when the
Senate committee on privileges and cleo
tions reassembled at O'Clock.
Mr.. George Reynolds, a high official of
the church, who had in the morning ses-
sion testified concerning the functions Of
the endowment house, resumed the stand
at o'clock and testified that the president
| OF the church always has had the author
| ity to issue ecclesiastical divorces. Mr..
Tayler read from a published address by
Brigham Young on the question of the un-
happiness of first wives after plural mar
riages had been contracted by their hus-
bands. In this address President Young
said he was going to give all women until
October 1 date of address was not Of
fered in evidence) to decide whether they
wanted to accept the teachings of the
church. In the event they did not want to
accept the doctrine, President Young said
he was going to give them their freedom to
go where they would. He said he was talk
ing to all women, his own wives included,
first wives and all plural wives.
What the Promise Meant
Mr.. Tayler asked Mr.. Reynolds if that
promise to the women related to President
| Young's authority to grant divorces. The
| witness said he thought President Young
| did not mean that
'"Then what did he mean?''
81 think he was talking as a man who
was annoyed and uId not mean what he
said replied Mr. Reynolds. Continuing
he said the action of the president was
based on the same authority in ''loosing on
earth or binding on earth, referring to
divorces and marriages.
Mr. Tayler showed the witness a con-
tract of separation between George T. and
Ellen Watson. which Mr.. Reynolds ac-
lp6 he pNa fah tn IJa c.a tod
that he does not know now whether the
marriage he dissolved was plural one or
not.
Are you a polygamist?" Mr. Tayler
asked
Eyes, SIR answered Mr. Reynolds
Have you any children married in polyg-
amy?'
Il believe so one daughter"
ITO whom is she married."
IF married, it is to benjamin Clough."
The witness explained that the marriage
had taken place in Mexico, but that he had
no knowledge of the ceremony. He said he
had never made any Inquiries concerning it.
1t was brought out by Mr.. Tayler that the
witness had displayed no curiosity on the
subject of the marriage because he believed
the marriage to be plural one
Mr.. Reynolds testified that he has TWEEN
ty-sx children.
Mr.. Reynolds gave the names of the
seven pres dents of the seventies, of which
| he is the fourth in rank.
| Two wives LIVING.
He testified that three of the seven were
polygamsts. Senator Dubois asked: You
have two wives now. I believe. Mr.. Rey-
noids, your first wife being dead?'
Yes, SIR
IF you were to marry another woman
tomorrow which would be your legal wife r'
THE one last married.
Would not that be adultery
1t would be if l continued to live as
the husband of the other women, but do
not sustain such relations with more than
one
Mr.. Reynolds said he understood that the
manifesto of 1890 permitted him to live
with his plural wives without violating the
laws but that no further wives could be
contracted. Despite this testimony it was
brought out that the witness has had chill
dren by two wives since the manifesto of
1890 and he acknowledged the truthfulness
OF these statements In answer to ques-
tionS by Senator McComas, Mr.. REYNOLDS
said he had never preached against polyg-
amy nor had he tried to get others to do So
nolds
Your situation made it necessary for you
to do so, did 1t not?'
II think 1t did,
Mr. Reynolds said he did not know OF
any effort made by any officials of the
church to carry out provisions of the Wood
ruff manifesto putting an end to polygamy
His Daughters Plural Marriage.
On cross-examinaton, Mr. Reynolds said
the only plural marriage he had heard OF
since the manifesto was that of his daugil-
ter, which took place in Mexico
Senator Dubois asked Mr.. Reynolds il his
daughter or her husband had been cut off
from the church because of the marriage
The witness said that both of them had
been In Mexico and had never been before
the church authorities for trial.
Mr. ReyOnldS said that he was one oP fhe
advisers who aided in perfecting the Wood
ruff manifesto, which was first submitted
In President Woodruff's handwriting. He
testified that the committee had revised
the manifesto. II believe the manifesto is
said to have been inspired?" asked Chair
man Burrows.
ut was revelation from the Almighty"
And you changed it?"
mot the meaning"
You Just changed the phraseology?"
Yes, SIR"
"Then. as ] understand it, said Senator
Burrows, when this revelation came from
the Almighty, the grammar was bad and
you corrected it?'
The witness said the phraseology had not
been inspired: but was President Woodruff
own. This testimony kept the Committee
room in an uproar.
John Henry Hamlin's Testimony.
John Henry Hanin Of Salt Lake City
| was sworn. He said he was the brother of
Lillian Hamlin, who, the protestants have
tried to show, was married to Apostle
Abram Cannon, on the high seas, I'm 1896
Mr.. Hamlin said it was the family con-
viction that his sister was married to Mr..
Cannon in the summer of 1885, and that the
ceremony was performed by President
Smith on the Pacific coast Lillian was
said by her brother to have been an at
tractive young woman. He said he had
not heard from her for four or five years,
and did not know where she was now She
had one child, he said. daughter, who
goes by the name of Martha Cannon
well, nobody doubts that the child is
Abram Cannon's daughter" asked Mr.
Tayler.
mo, sir" was the reply.
On cross-examination the witness said he
had no positive proof that his sister had
married Cannon. In answer to questions
| by Chairman Burrows. Mr.. Hamln said
that his sister had attended the funeral
services of Mr.. Cannon, and that her child
Inherited the estate of Mr.. Cannon. Chair
man Burrows reverted to the marriage, and
Mr. Hamlin said he had heard from his wife
| that Lillian had been married to Mr.. Cam
non and that the ceremony had been per-
! formed on the high seas by the president of
the church. He said his sister had attended
| & normal school in New York after her hus-
hands death, but the witness could not say
where she was now. He admitted that he