The Cairo bulletin., 1904-03-12
Attorney CritcNlhlOw OF Utah
Gotta ues Testimony.
PRICE OF INDIFFERENCE
ON PART OF MEMBERS OF NOR,
MON CHURCH WAS EXCOM.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
LlVENS CASE.


! by tue ASSOCldlGu ITGSS,
Washington, March ll.-There is a
Noticeable increase in the attendance
1t the Smoot trial
Women flock to the committee room
and at least 80 of them. anxious foI
ront seats and good views Of the Nor
non witnesses, are turned away daily
u the 50 persons. including senators
.ttendants and reporters, in the rooR
yesterday afternoon, 30 were women
angling IN age IRON "A 70 10
Boys and girls. however, will be
hereafter barred GU account Of the
haracter of the testimony. This vii
Je done by SergeantatArms Ransden
sho talked with Chairman Burrows on
ne subject
Despite the fact that the testimony
It times is exceedingly disgusting, the
somen exhibit no embarrassment On
ne contrary, their relish rises as it
rows racier
The only witness on the stand today
n the investigation was L, b, Critch
ow, former assistant United States
.ttorney for Utah. He continued his
history of the Mormon church, detail
ng instances of high officials oi
ne church having manifested theil
iower over members in order to com
vel obedience In all matters, anG
there communication has been the
rice of an independent spirit. Sena
or Beyerdgo assisted in the cross-eX
mnation OF the witness and his al
empts to prove certain evidence in
Competent lyened what otherwise
5ould have been the first duh day OIL
he hearing
In addition to the Thatcher episode
elated yesterday MIR Critchlow gave
be history Of the prosecutions In Utah
N charges of polygamous cohabita
ion since the passage Of the Edmunds
aw and the legislation in the terri
Dry and state which affects Mormon
'm or polygamy
The first prosecution was that OF
,udger Lawson. now an apostle OF the
hurch, who was sentenced to serve
our years in prison for unlawful co
labitation: another was the conviction
the same charge. in 1888, of August
4. Cannon. president of the Salt Lake
take. Then" said Mr.. Critchlow
prosecutions were inaugurated with
igor and many men and women went
nto hiding. over Loco men were dis
overed and sentenced. II / remember
lightly"
Mr.. Critchlow said an opportunity
tas given by the courts to persons
onvicted to escape Jail service BY
PROMISING that in future they would
hey the law. but only three persons
accepted. Among these, he said. was
bishop Sharp. an old man, who was
promptly removed from his church Of
ice and relationship.
The history Of the church between
SS5 and 1890 was given by Dir
'ritchlow including the circulation OF
! story that plural marriages had been
dven up entirely and that unlawful
,ohabitation was on the wane, the pur
iOse of his statement being to show
hat the Mormons continued to create
he sentiment that the laws we're be
ng obeycd, but in secret had practiced
,olygamy and that the church was
rreconcilable TO new conditions and
Is members conspiring to evade the
avs
In relation to the Moses Thatcher
Incident Mr. Critchlow said letter
lad been sent out which had the pur
pose Of dividing the people as equally
rs possible between Republicans and
Democrats, so as to maintain a re
oryc which could be swung either
way in the interest of the church.
Mr. Critchlow spoke Of the influence
If apostles, giving as an illustration
hat the apostles gave ont the instruc
ton that 1T Is the will Of the Lord
hat you vote the Republican ticket
this time" Mr. Critchlow said the
Democrats protested against the inter
ference 10y the church in such manner