The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-12-14
MORMON WOMAN
WEEPS ON STAND
Mrs. Geddes Cries as She Tells
Senators of Her Rela-
tions.
OBLIGATIONS DESCRIBED.
Vows Taken in Endowment
House to Allow Mutilation
of Body. if Law Is
DisObeyed.

Washington. Dec 13.-Five witnesses
were examined to-day by the Senate Com
| mtt:ee on Privileges and Elections in the
| investigation OF protests against Senator
Reed Smoot retaining his seat in the Sem
ate.
The first witness described the obliga.
| tons taken by persons who pass through
the Endowment House. and declared that
| everyone agrees TO submit to mutilatinn of
| the person IL he or she reveals what takes
place during the ceremony.
Two members of the faculty of the
Brigham Young University testified that
they have sustained polygamous relations
since the manifesto of 1890. and teacher
in the public schools asserted that the
| church had religion taught in such
| schools.
Mrs. Margaret Geddes. n Mormon wom-
| an, was examined concerning her plural
| marriage. and broke down on the stand
The hearings will be continued tomorrow
Mrs. Margaret Geddes said she was
born IN Glasgow, Scotland, where she
| vas converted to the Mormon faith and
went to Utah twenty years ago. Sne be-
came the plural wife of William Geddes
IN Logan, Utah, the same year. She said
she did not live with her husband much
as ne remained IN oregon. his other wife
| living In Blaine City.
She had four children. Her husband
died IN Oregon and she then went to her
husbands nrst wife, and there a baby was
born. She broke down, CRYING as She gave
| this testimony.
1t was brought out that her husband
died thirteen years ago. and that her
youngest child is years and 6 months
old. She said she had not been married a
second time. and refused to give the name
of her youngest child's father She broke
down again as she told the committee she
mas no one to look after her, and that She
sat in the waiting groom from . H. m. un-
til daylight after arriving in Washington
this morning.
OATH OF OBLIGATION.
Mr.. j. Fl. Wallis Sr., Mormon from
Utah. said he had distinct recollection
of the ceremonies within the Temple. and
that he is able to describe them just as
they TOOK place He was asked to give
the oaths taken by those who participate,
and TINS ne did. together with i descrip-
ton OF the Secret signs executed by each
person Nearly all OF the obligations were
that those who took part would not reveal
anything they saw or heard on peril of
mutiiation OF the person. and everyone
who passed the Temple, said the witness.
was compelled to agree to the conditions
taid down by the priests.
The penalties agreed to were given by
Mr.. Wallis as follows:
That the throat be cut from ear to ear
That the breast he cut asunder and the
heart and vitals be torn from the body.
That the body be cut asunder at the mid
die and the bowels cut out.
That, II demanded. we will give all we
possess TO the support of the church
The next obligation was one of chastity,
in which the obligator agreed not to CO.
habit with any person not given to him or
her by the priests.
Another obligation was one that we
would never cease to importune high
heaven to avenge the blood OF the proph-
cts upon the nations of the earth. or the
Inhabitants of the earth, I don't Just re-
member which. said the witness.
the Scriptures ] think. Revelations vi g.
The souls of those slain cried aloud on the
altars for vengeance"
Mr.. Tayler. for the Protestants. did not
ask for description of the ceremonies.
but turned the witness over to Mr.. Worth
ington for ross-examina ton. Mr. Worth
ington obtained 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 he
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 had never been any
solemnity in the taking Of obligations so
far as he could see. Mr.. Worthington told
the committee that ne was not ready to
proceed with the cross-examinat ton until
he had consulted with others. and asked
that the witness be excused until this aft
ernoon.