The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-08
SECRETS Of THE MORMON
CHURCH REVEALED TO
SENATORS BY A WOMAN
Damaging Evidence Given by Mrs.
Clara Mabel Kennedy, Wife
OF a Polygamist.
BECAME SPOUSE no. 2
She Married James Francis John
son in Mexico After the
Manifesto OF 1890.
SMITHS MANY CHILDREN
Has Twenty-One Boys and Twen-
ty-One Girls and Is Proud
of Them All.
BECAME SPOUSE NO. 2
SMITHS MANY CHILDREN

WASHINGTON, March 7.-After having
Joseph F. Smith, president of the Nor
mon Church. on the stand for nearly five
hours to-day before the Senate commit
tee on privileges and elections. which is in
vestigating the right of Reed SmOot TO sit
as senator. both the prosecution and de-
fense announced that they were through
with him. and another witness was called.
This was Mrs. Clara Mabel Kennedy. who
told some secrets of the Mormon Church.
which. If not broken down. will prove as
important as the statements of President
Smith that he and other officials have been
persistently living with plural wives in
violation OF the law. Mrs Kennedy said she
was married by Brigham Young. apostle
of the church, to James Francis Johnson,
polygamist since the manifesto of 1890, and
that she had had two children by that hus-
band. The marriage was performed in
Mexico. according to the witness. at the
home of high official of the church.
AT the opening of the hearing to-day Sen
ator Dubois put into the record the census
figures for Utah, taken in 1890 to show
that instead of only 3 or 4 per cent In polyg-
amy. as Mr. Smith said, in reality there
were about 23l4 per cent. of the Norman
population of an age enabling them to be
polygamists in that State in 1890. Senator
Dubois gave it as his opinion that there
has been no material reduction in the num-
ber of poygamists since 1880.
Mr.. WOrthington conducted an examina-
tiOn Of President Smith TO ascertain the
process undergone IN cases Of ex-communi-
cation. The witness explained the manner
In which the church is divided into wards
and states and the machine OF the organi-
zation through which charges against any
person have TO be brought and passed
upon. He said the apostles have nothing
TO do with the judicial affairs of the church
They preach the gospel and send mission
aries 10 other fields. The president. the
apostles and high counselors. forming
what Is known as THE Fifteen" meet
once week for prayer and consultation on
matters generally relating to the church
CHURCH DOES NOT DICTATE.
A futile effort by President Brigham
Young in 1873 to. have Bishop Jacob w.
WeyIer removed from the leadership of
ward was related by Mr.. Smith to show
that the presidency does not exercise
power over the wishes of the people and
that the members OF the church by the
freedom OF their vote. in reality, form the
power of government Several other like
instances were related ror the same gen.
eral purpose.
Joseph Smith. jr.. Jan. 10. 1S41, nominating
Brigham Young as president and all
of the members of the high council and the
apostles. In this revelation was a command
to accept the nominations or reject them in
general conference. Mr.. Smith declared
that even in the original revelation nam
ing a successor to the first president IL
was in the power of the members to accept
Or reject. Mr.. Smith said Reed Smoot be-
came an apostle April 8. 1900.
Right here, let me ask you when your
last child was born?' asked Mr. Worthing-
ton.
ing on the case" said Mr.. Smith. but be-
lieve IL was on the day Mr. Smoot became
an apostle
Then there has been none since?" asked
Mr.. worthington.
mo. sir.
'-Then. so far as you and Mr.. smoot are
concerned, you were in harmony" remarked
Mr.. Burrows.
Mr.. Worthington inquired whether at any
of the joint meetings OF the first presidency
and the apostles the question of polyga-
nous relations had been discussed. Mr..
Smith said Ii had not in either advisory talk
or In regard to taking official action TO
prevent the practice He declared that
when Mr.. Smoot became apostle. the
status OF most Of the polygamists had been
'hxed many years before.
In answer TO questions by Mr.. Worthng-
ton and Senator Burrows Mr.. Smith said
Senator SmoOt had never advised for or
Toms tons. comm ''i''e i''' '''''-S 's'"
In relation to convictions, Mr.. Smith
said there have been none since the mani
festo OF 1890; that all of the convictions
under the Edmunds law were while Utah
was a Territory.
Senator Dubois referred to Mr. Worthing-
ton as counsel for Mr.. Smith. Il protest"
said Mr. Worthington. Il am not the attor-
ney for the witness. If l was the examina-
ton would have been far different"
THE JUDICIARY.
list of the first judges elected since
Utah was a State showed that the former
4tr1o che
ception and that all of them had formerly
sent Mormons to prison for maintaining
polygamous relations. The purpose of this
was to deny the inference that the Mormon
Church domi aGtes the courts.
Mr.. WorthiSgton read the list of senator's
and representatives elected from Utah since
the manifesto OF 1880 10 show the percentage
OF Mormons or gentiles- The witness was
asked in regard TO each: Was he a Nor
mon or a gsntiles 50
In regard TO Frank ]. Cannon. who was
kslected to the Senate. MIR. Smith said "He
vas elassed as Mormon. but he was poor
zone"
In reply to questions Mr.. Smith said that
according TO his best understanding Presi-
dents Woodruff and Snow cOnfornied 10 the
formers manifesto and obeyed the law. He
said that of the six apostles appointed since
the manifesto CT President Woodruff only
one, 81. F. COwley. Is pOlygamist. In re-
| gard 10 Joseph NJ. Tanner, president of the
faculty OF the Utah Agricultural College,
Mr. Smith said that is was understood that
he had more than wife. He declared
that so far as he knew no one in the church
had been appointed an official in the church
because he is a polygamist; that such ap-
pointments have been based ON merit alope
Referring TO the many institutions in
which Mr.. Smith Is Interested. Mr.. Worth
ingtOn inquired what companies are con-
trolled by the church.
only one" said Mr.. Smith; that is the
theater. which started by Brigham
Young, and in which the church has always
\held a majority OF the stock"
Mr. Worthington announced that he had
FINISHED with the witness and Mr.. Tayler
then asked IL four out of seven members of
the board of trustees OF the agricultural
college are not MOrmons. Mr.. smith said
ne believed that 10 be the case. lie an
! swered also that his election as president
was since Mr.. Shoots election as an
apostle.
Senator Foraker asked Efr. Smith If he
had any objection 10 Mr.. SmOot becoming
candidate for senator and Mr. Smith
said: I gave my consent 10 his becoming
q candidate.
"Why did you think your consent neces-
sary2~ asked Chairman Burrows.
because IL Is rule that anyone or the
eneral authorities OF the church desiring
o engage IN any business outside OF his
[hurch duties must get the consent OF the
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