The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-01-12

Washington, Jan. 1.-THE defense
in the Senator Reed SmOot investiga-
ton was begun to-day. The room Of
the senate committee ON privileges
and elections was as crowded as dur
ing the progress of the enquiry into
the rules of the Mormon church,
which was conducted by the attorney
for the Professionals against Senator
Smoot retaining his seat. Most Of the,
spectators were women. Senator
Knox, recently appointed a member
Of the committee, attended the hear
ing to-day for the first time.
William ]. Mcconnell, of Northern
Idaho, was the first witness called.
The examination was conducted by
Waldemar Van Colt, of Salt Lake,
who is associated with A. s. Worth
ington, of Washington. as counsel OF
Senator Smoot. Mr.. Mcconnell de-
scribed his occupation as former mer-
chant, half politician and lawyer for
his friends He was a senator of the
51st congress and was governor Of
Idaho from 1893 to 1896, inclusive,
serving two successive terms. He is
member of the Presbyterian church.
The witness was asked to describe
the political conditions and took I'D
the early days when he said he had
lobbied before the legislature when
the first effort was made to disfran-
Ch1se the MOrmOns. He declared that
he was prejudiced against Mormons
but that he found that most of the
Gentiles were practicing the science
which in our country is called poker"
He said he had never known MOrmOns
to gamble and drink. He followed
this testimony with a review of his
acquaintance with MOrmOns during
the agitation against the religion in
Idaho. He assisted in bringing about
the repeal of the test oath of citizen
ship and afteTward went among the
Mormons on a lecture tour He had
observed the people, he said. and their
morals seem of a high, praiseWOrthy
character.
Irrelevant Testimony.
Senator Knox asked counsel to in
form him as to what part of the case
the examination of Mr.. Mcconnell was
reVelant. Mr.. WOrthingtOn said he
was unable to answer that conun-
drum, but that a great deal of irrel-
evant testimony was admitted for the
FTotestants to which objection had
been made and OverFuled. He said
the testimony of Mr.. Mcconnell was
in reply to this and particularly to
that of Chas. H. Jackson, chairman OF
the Idaho democratic convention, who
testified that no candidate for Office,
democrat or otherwise, could stand
against the Mormon church. The wit
ness was asked concerning causes OF
the Mormon vote being cast for
GOodin in his canvass for governor
and said he was surprised that any
MormOns had voted the democratic
ticket. He gave as one reason that
he had challenged Senator Dubois to
a public debate and received an an
swer declining the invitation on the
ground that he could not afford time
to debate with anyone who was not
candidate for Office in the party
which was defending criminals as
he believed the Mormons to be-" He
submitted autographed reproduc.
tion of Senator lDuBois's letter.
Was that the letter addressed to
you" asked Senator Dubois.
1t was an answer to my challenge,
1t was not marked personal"
Well -,-'. all right" the sem
ator started to reply and stopped, abb
ruptly dismissing the subject.
Senator McComas objected to polit-
ical discussions and when the witness
digressed to say that democrats left
their party following the election OF
President Cleveland, the senator ask
ed the witness to confine himself To
the question of whether the Mormons
interferred in politics. Mr.. Mcconnell
repeated number of reasons why the
democratic party was benefited by
the Mormon church, saying that one
of the principal causes was that Sem
ator Dubois called the MormOns Grim.
inals.