The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-17

NAI ASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-The first
Nv witness in the Senator Smoot
inquiry today was Mrs.
Annie EHtt Of Price, Utah. She
is an elderly lady. who went
from Denmark TO Utah in 1872 and left
the Mormon church IN 1896. She was
asked concerning the obligations taken
in the temple and was requested to re-
peat as much of the ceremonies as she
could remember.
In a voice shaken with emotion Mrs.
Elliott said that the obligations were
30 indicate she could not bear 10 re-
peat them. Chairman Burrows told
her TO take her own time and not TO be
embarrassed. The witness said the
first oath administered TO those
who participated was that if they did
not want to go any further and take
the oaths they should turn back and
go out.
Repeated the oaths.
By slow degrees Mrs. Elliott repeated
the 0aths of allegiance and the various
penalties 8scribed for revealing any
part of the ceremonies. During her
testimony concerning the penalties Of
mutilation of the body the witness
trembled continuously and appeared to
proceed with difficulty. After saying
that each person taking the endow
1nent agrees to have his or her throat
cut. Mrs. Elliott said IL would be i'm
possible for her TO go any further. AT
that time ] considered il all so sacred
] thought I would put il away and not
mention it any more she said when
requested to proceed. Pressed by Chair
man Burrows, the witness told Of the
other penalties and obligations which
have been described by other witness
ses
Endowment Garments.
At the request of Mr.. Taylor Mrs.
Elliott described the garments worn by
MoTmons who have taken the endow-
ments. Senator Overman asked if
every Mormon I'm good standing is COM
PEELED TO wear the garments and the
witness said that all such Mormons
wear the garments ais uuderclOthing.
Looking at Senator SmOOt. Senator
OveTman asked the witness if she we're
sure every Mormon in good standing
I'm the committee room had the gar
ments on.
Yes. sir they have" The reply pro-
voked laughter and the witness repeat
ed Il know they all have them on
Had Told Her Pastor.
On cross-examination Attorney
WorthingtOn endeavored TO draw from
the witness whether she had told others
of the endowment ceremonies, but she
insisted that she never had done so
except in q limited way TO the pastor
of the Baptist church in her town. She
declared that the attorney for the pro-
1estants had no idea what she would
cay when she took the stand.
Senator Foraker asked dhe witness if
she had ever heard of the endowment
house penalties being enforced against
any one. She said she had not.
Mr.. Taylor asked if she were likely
10 suffer by reason of giving testimony
here. Mrs. Elliott said she expected
that her business would suffer.
Apostles in Politics.
Charles H Jackson of Boise. Ida.
chairman Of the Democratic state com
mittee. testified at length concerning
The growing power of the Mormon
church and its interference in state
affairs, which. he said, was made the
paramount issue by Democrats and in
dependents in the last campaign in
Idaho. He said that apostles of the
church from Utah go into Idaho and
n direct the people how 10 vote. These
church officials, said Mr.. Jackson. tell
their people there have been revelations
that they should vote a certain ticket
and also that the Mormon church de-
sires it. The witness described in de-
tail the fight being made by the Mormon
church for the removal from the state
constitution OF Idaho of the test oath
against polygamy.
John Henry's Mission.
He told Of the visit of Apostle John
Henry Smith for the purpose Of direct
ing legislation ana said that the infiu-
ence Of the church accomplished the
passage of the sugar bounty bill This
measure places a state bounty of [
cent a pound on all sugar manufac-
tured within the state in 1903 and n
half cent a pound for all sugar manu-
featured I'm 1904. 1t is estimated that
the bounty i'm 1903 amounted to SIC 600
and in 1904 TO S150.000. There are four
refneTies in the state and President
Joseph Smith Of the Mormon church is
president OF three of them. The fourth
factory was constructed recently and is
controlled by Gentiles.
Morrison's Defeat.
Speaking of the influence of the
church on political affairs Of the state.
Mr. Jackson took as an Illustration the
defeat OF Governor Morrison for a sec
ond nomination. be declared that
Governor MOrrison's administration
had been satisfactory TO his RepubIi-
can constituents but that he ran foul
Of the Mormon church and therefore
= was denied a second term. In this
connection Mr.. Jackson said with en-
pbasis:
1T is impossible for any man or any
party 20 stand against the Mormon
church in Idaho"
In describing the present condition of
the state, Mr.. Jackson said six of the
twenty-one counties are known as SOL
idly Mormon and that in all os the
southern counties the MOrmOns are IN
control and in that way, he said the
church practically is in charge of the
legislature, political conventions and
oil gatherings at which the delegates
are elected by the people.
Always Mormon in Action.
1.-THE delegates elected by these coun-
ties are not always Mormon in religion.
but they are always Mormon in politi-
cal action" said Mr.. Jackson The
witness gave in narrative form the his
tory Of the protests against Mormon
interference which had been made by