The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-20
RELIGION
 IN SCHOOLS Feature of Reed Shoot
 Case. POLITICS BROUGHT IN Girl Accommodated for Dis
 0beying Court. Apostle John Henry smith Was on Stand Three Hours Before sub-
 Committee of the

Washington, Dec. 1s.--The Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections today developed nothing sensational in the Senator smoot investigation.
 Interest was evinced by members of the committed in statements of Mir. Nelson. Superintendent of Public h.. struction for Utah. concerning the use of the public school buildings in the teaching of the Mormon religion. Apos-
 tic John Henry Smith was on the stand for two nours.- Other witnesses were Isaac BIrdsalL u Mormon. who sald that his daughter was excommunicated because she would not obey a decision of a bishops court which had deprived her of piece or property to wnlcn she had lawful title. and William Balder- son, editor of The Boise. Idano, States man. who testified In regard to the po- iitical affairs in his State.
 Isaac Birdsall, formerly a Mormon. now living at Elsinore. Utah, was sworn and examined concerning a civil trial In land cases in which he and his daughter were defendants. The case was heard In the bishops court of Mon- roe Ward, in Utah, where Birdsall and his daughter were charged with un- Christianlike conduct.
 James E Leavitt brought the action to obtain possession of sixty acres of land which he is alleged to have pur- chased from the Birdsalls, but to which he did not have title. Mir. Birdsall lost the case and 1t was decided against him also in the high council, the next higher court and appeal was refused by the office of the first presidency. the highest court.
 Before an appeal to the first presi- uency was attempted, the witness said his daughter was given notice to carry out the verdict of the church courts or the first presidency would take action by cutting her off from the church. The records in the case were introduced showing that Cora Birdsall. the daugh- ter, was exoommunicated in June, 1903. Mr. Bfrdsali said that the decision so wore on hts daughter that she neither ate. nor slept nor drank. and appeared to lose her mind. Her conduct was brought to the attention of the Presi- dent of the stake and her parents were told their daughter would be tormented and led by evil spirits until she had complied with the decision of the church in regard to the land in which case rebaptism was promised her.
 Later she was re-baptized in the church and then made the deed con- veying the land to Leavitt. The wit mess said his daughter sent word to him by her mother that she had been forced to deed away the property In question. @
 William Budge of Paris. Idaho, was recalled by counsel for Mir. Shoot. He said that as a Bishop of the Mormon Church he has never entertained a case involving the title of land for the rea- son that the President of the church having given instructions that bishops and presidents of stakes should not hear such cases. Apostle smith was recalled and questioned by Chairman Burrows concerning the immigration from foreign countries. He testified that from one-third to one-half of the converts to the church came from Flu rope.
 The immigrants, he said, are usually placed in charge of an experienced man brought over on steamships with which the foreign missionaries do business. To MT. Taylor he said he was presen, at the meeting at which MT. Penrose was elected an apostle.
 POlygamy Not Figured.
 The fact that MT. Penrose was a was not mentioned or thought of and he added, that question does not enter into the election. It is settled in our country that the people must obey the laws of the land" !. Do you?" said MT. Taylor. :. Well. try to.
 But, you have not succeeded very well?" asked Chairman Burrows. Well not so far"
 Apostle Smith was then discharged and William Balderson, editor of The Boise Udaho) Statesman and formerly with The Salt Lake Times, ,testified in regard to the political con ,ditions in Utah about the time of the Issuance of the Woodruff manifesto, ,and in Idaho after 1891. Asked con corning the passage of a resolution calling a constitutional convention, which was believed by Gentles to be for the purpose of repeating the Idaho test, he said that during the session of the Legislature Apostle Smith asked him if he thought the time had come .when an amendment could be made to the constitution to eliminate that DOT ,tion so distasteful to his people.
 Shortly afterward the resolution passed both House and Senate without 
 The witness said that polygamists living in Idaho have increased despite the IaCL that luSTS nave OSCn lcW plu- ral marriages within the State. He said that up to the late campaign both political parties in Idaho were dis posed to go to Salt Lake to get "a straight tip as to which would get the Mormon vote. MT. Taylor asked If they got this tip and received the response, "Yes. but they never knew D lt was straight
 It was brought out by Mir. Taylor that the Idaho Attorney General is re- outed to have taken a plural wife within the last few years.
 A. c. Nelson of Salt Lake, State Su- periptendent of Public Instruction, and 1 Mormon, was sworn. He Is now making an investigation of the extent 10 which religious classes are main- .ained in the schools. Answers have been received, he said. from all County except three. Classes are held in about 800 buildings. These classes are assembled after the ad- ournment of the regular school day which varies from 2:30 to D. m.
 MT. Nelson read a letter which he lad sent to all school superintendents attention to a State statute sectarian teachings in the public schools. So far as he had in- ,oVx,a fiaxt Mr Nafaon aaia 3hak sh