The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-10
|SWOre They Had Plural
 Wives. |DIsREGARDED THE LAWS Prosecution Has More Wit
 nesses to Testify.
Lorran Harmsr, Former Bishop. Said He Was Convicted of Adultery and Reed smoot
 Was RssponsIbls.

~~s>~ Adultery and Reed smoot
 Was Responaible. Wilmington. March e.--seyeral ofaciale of the, Mormon Church today testinpa in Senator Reed Shoots case before the ! elections that they had plural wives ana had continued to practice poiygamoua cohabitation since the manifesto of isDol Before the adJournment the commitkeA held an executive session for the purpose l of having read the nnprintablo testimony | in the Teasdale divorce case. The pro~ secution stated that 1t had no more witt nesses ready to put on the stand on nc- count of the failure of several summoned officials of the Mormon church to appear President Joseph Smith was asked to. usa his influence with the witnesses and promised to get Into communication with them If 1t was possible to do 50. Lorren Harmer. formerly bishop In the Norman church, today gave tho firNs testimony in favor of tho defense that has been offered thus far in the seven days of the hearing. He said he wnM convicted of tho crime of adultery and that he believed Reed Shoot vas respon- sible for his arrest. The charge against HarmeF was unlawful cohahltation with q woman who was not his wife and nos q prosecution on account Of the c0hMbitAs tion with his plural wives.
 President Joseph n. Smith and nulnz Der of officials of the church who hav0 been witnesses in the case were excused from further attendance and they viii return to Utah
 Reference was made to the chaseas against George Teasdaie. an apostle. Ind Mr. Smith was asked If he dld not feel called upon In that particular case to make inquiry in justice to the reputation of tho church.
 Tt is not my buglnes to d> " wifs ness replied. with em 3.s aining that it is the duty of "a sourts to paeH upon the mora aS whc live in their wards, or ii ses
 s'ppes that iEselsade '', .st taa chuFeh7't
 Tt includes aiI nenber When asked II the rul esll of- flcials who are above the b.ee eSA Aif- thority. Mfr, Smith said 1t d
 When in the interest of .arcn you feel inclined to investiga s.ASllch cases, would you notf'' Mot such vicious charges as have been made against us,
 Well. now, suppoEe 1t was chaHged that Francis M. Lyman. president of the apos- ties. had performed plural marriaga ceremony since 1890, would you not inves- ti9ate that?''
 Not Supposable Case.
 Tt is not supposable case, and # tt was could not answer it," he said.
 Chairman Burrows asked in regard t0 the marriage ceremonies performed h the church.
 He spoke of the marriage for time, the marriages for life and eternity and the marriages for eternity only and asked If the latter is not called sealing"
 They are called sealing was the re- sponse,
 'Ts this sealing ever performed for ilv- ing persons?"
 T believe have heard of one or two such oases." said the witness.
 Are any poiygamists ever sealed for eternity7"
 nifty carry the right O. earthly cohabita- tion?"
 Mo- i.tt
 'Is the practice ever exercised as . rightg'
 Not that know of.g
 Revealed by God.
 Chairman Burrows asked the witness to identify the book of Mormon and then turned to the revelation of the Prophet Joseph Smith. he asked specifically in regard to the manner in which 1t was revealed and was informed that it was revealed to him by God
 Chairman Burrows asked if, polyRamy was taught in that book and Mir Smith answered 1t was emphaticaliy forbidden
 Reading from the book, which is called the Mormon Bible, Chairman Burrows called attention to the words of God in reference to David and Solomon and his displeasure because of the fact that they kept moro than one wife and many con- cubines. The chairman asked If that did not prohibit polygamy and if that was the case when was the law of the Lord changed In order to permit the practice.
 Mir. Smith said the book or the law had not been modified and that the chair man had read only port of the chapter.
 Justifes Polyagamy.
 Mir. Smith then took the book and read a verse which declared that when the Lord wanted his seed propagated he would command It. This the witness de- elared. Justified polygamy when a person is commanded by the Lord to enter that state. He said the command comeB co individuals as revelations from the Lord
 What Children Get.
 Senator Hoar asked some questions bringing out the status of children un- der the law of inheritance. 'The chil- dren of plural wives get only what IS wIled 10 them or to their mothers" sad the witness Tn my own case" ho wcat on. 'T have made deeds to my different families"
 He said in reply to Mfr. worthington that the Book of Mormon is not the NEer- mon Bible.
 What is the Mormon BlbleT'
 King James's translation of the Bible We have no Bible except the Bible of other Christian people,"
 Replying to questions relating to hts former testimony concerning Apostle Teasdale's plural marriages since 1998. MT. Smith said it was understood from Mir. Teasdale himself that at the time of that marriage Mir Teasdale was seal cd for eternity to an elderly woman wao had been his honseSceper. Mir. Teasdale understood. said the witness. that tlae woman was In no sense his legal wife when he married Marion ssotes.
 His relation with her was just aa chaste as with his sister9P
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