Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-13
THE MORMON OATH
Revelations Made to a Senate
Committee.
PENALTIES DISCLOSED
RESUMPTION OF THE SMOoT IN.
VESTIGATIoN.
Testimony of j. H. Wallis, Who is Not
Now Connected With the Church
university President Heard.

In the hearing of the Senate com-
mittee investigating the case of Sem
ator Smoot OF Utah today ]. II.
| Wallis, former Mormon, revealed
the oathS taken in the Mormon
Temple and the penalties imposed
for telling those secrets.
The Smoot investigation was resumed to-
day before the Senate committee on prIv-
| 1eges and elections. with ]. III. Wallis, sr,
| a Mormon from Salt Lake Utah. as the
| first witness He testified that he Joined
the Mormon Church in 1851 in London. and
| came to the United States in 1880. settling
! in Utah, where re had q who had come
| to this country in 1881. Mr.. Wallis said he
| has had three wives. but not more than one
| at time He knew Apostle George Teas
| dale and also Marion Scoles in London.
/ She came to this country an unmarried
| woman. and, according to the witness, IL
| reputed to have been married 10 1easdaie
| in Utah
| Questioned as to his belief. the witness
| said he never believed fully in the celestial
! marriages to the dead, and four times naa
| stood as prosy for four marriages OF hNiDS
| women to dead ruen. lie married his pres
! ent wife In the temple. Explaining me
| marriages in the temple. Mr.. Wallis saio u
! is necessary to take the endowment peiors
! marriage and In this way he had passed
| through the endowment house twent! umes
| at least The ceremonies he s'tu, are al
| ways substantially the same anu each ''ie
| consumes about two hours
Oaths Taken in the Temple.
Mr.. Wallis said he has a distinct reeoiiec-
| ton of the ceremonies within the Temps
and that he is able 20 describe taem just
4 81 lSHd %
the oaths taken by those who participated.
and this h,, did. together with a description
| of the secret signs executed by each per
| son Nearly ali OF the obiiss.t tiuns wers
| that those who took part would NOT reVeai
| anything they saw or heard on penaiilss oh
n,ntiiation of the person, aud every one
| who passed through the temple. SAID the
4 witness, was competed 10 agree TO the con-
\ ditions laid down by the priests
The penalties agreed to were gwen ey
| sThat the throat be cut from esr TO ears
and the tongue togp out.
| ..That the breast be cut asundef aud the
! heart and vitals be torn from the body
| 'That the body be cut asunder at the
| middle and the bowels cut out.
| That if demanded We will give All We
4 possess to the support of the church.
| The next obligation was one or chastity
| in which the obligltor agreed not to cohah-
| 1t with any person not given him or her by
| the priests.
| Another obliga ton one that we
| would never
| heaven to avenge the blood of the prophets
| upon the nations of the earth. or the In
! habitants of the earth. L don't just re-
! member which" said the witness. This
| was followed by a quotation from the Scrip
| lures | think Revelations vi:9. The souls
| of those slain cried aloud on the altar for
| vengeance. "
Regarded as Joke.
| Mr. Taylor, for the protestants, did not
ask for description OF the ceremonies,
but turned the witness over 10 MIR. WORTH
| ington for cross-exarnination. Mr. Wofth-
| ington drew from Mr.. Wallis that he had
| given notice to his bishop several months
| ago of his severance from the church.
| Mr.. Wallis, when questioned by Mr..
| Worthington, told the committee that lie
had always considered the obligations in
| the light of a joke, and that he thought
many others had considered them in the
same way. He said there never had been
| any solemnity in the taking OF the obliga-
| tions, so far he could see. Mr. WORTH
| ington told the committee that lie was not
| ready to proceed with cross-examination
until he had consulted others, and asked
/ that the witness be excused until D. m.
Recorder Nicholson Excused.
John T. Nicholson, recorder of the Nor
| mon Temple at Salt Lake City, had been
summoned to appear before the committee
| today.
| Attorney Richards read an affidavit from
| Dr. Sewers saying that Nicholson is in
| nervous condition. of poor memory and In
generally. bad mental state, so that he
| could not testify correctly.
Mr. Taylor claimed that the affidavit was
| not sufficiently specific as TO Mr.. Nichol-
| sons present condition. He said that IL
| Mr. Nicholson had been able to attend to
| the duties of his office he would he able 10
! testify. Mr.. Richards and Mr.. Worthington
replied that the long journey from Salt
Lake was the cause OF Mr.. Nichoisons
| breakdown. Mr.. Richards gave II as his
| opinion that Nicholson is suffering from
| nervous prostration.
University President Heard.
| The witness was temporarily excused by
| the committee and George III. Brimhall.
| president of the Brigham Young University
at Provo, Utah. was called to tie stand
Mr. Brimhall was questioned in detail con-
| cerning his predecessor, Benjamin Clough.
| He said that in 1899 Mr. Clough had gone
| TO Mexico on an exploring expedition.
| Are YOU a polygamist?' Mr.. Tayler ask
ed somewhat abruptly and MI Brimhall
replied promptly:
Il have two wives
when were you married.?
| ITO my first wife in 1874 and to my sec
| ond in 1855
| has thirteen children. four of whom have
| been born since 1890. He also said that Sen
| ator Smoot is member of the board of
| trustees of the university and also MEM
| ber of the finance committee.
Replying to questions by Senator Bur-
! rows Mr. Brimhall said he had been elected
president In 1903 by the board of which Sem
| ator Smoot is a member. but that he did
| not know whether the senator knew at the
| time that he was a polygamist. He said
| that he lived in Provo with his second wife,
| but that his first wife is and has been since
| 1893 pa atient in a hospital in Provo
On cross-examination Mr.. Brimhall said
| that Mr.. Smoot had not been present when
he (BrimhalD was elected. He also said
that Senator Smoot frequently addresses
| the students Of the university and that he
always urges upon them the necessity OF
obeying the laws and of regarding good
character as the essential thing to be sought
by all students
Testimony of Teacher.
Josiah Hickman, a teacher In Brigham