The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1905-01-12
DEFENSE IN SENATOR sf..sooT IN
vEsTleATloN BEGINS tslL-
ING WITNESSES.
IDAHO MAN THE FIRST 10 TESTIFY
EXPLAINS ALLEGED BOYCOTT or
DEMOCRATIC PARTY BYETHE
MORMON CHURCH.

I. i T. s 4 3
Washington, Jan 12Tha defense
In the Senator Reed Smoot ilsVestiga-
tfon was begun during the day. The
room Of the senate committee on priv
ileges and elections was as crowded
as during the progress of the inquiry
into the secrets of the Mormon. church,
which was conducted by the attorney
for the protestants against Senator
Smoot retaining his seat. Senator
Knox, recently appointed a member Of
the committee, attended the hearing
for the first time.
William j. Mcconnell of Northern
Idaho was the first witness called. The
examination was conducted by Waldo
mar Van Cott Of Salt Lake, who is as
sociated with A.. s.. Worthiugton of
Washington as counsel of Senator
Smoot. The witness was asked to de-
scribe the political conditions in Idaho
and took up. early days when he said
he had lobbied before the legislature
when the first efforttWas made sto dis,
franchise the 8Iormons. He declared
that he was pTejudiced against Nor
mons, but that he found that most of
the Gentiles were practicing ..sthe sci
ence which in our country is called
poker. He said he had never known
Mormons to gamble and drink. He
followed this testimony with q review
of his acquaintance with Mormons
71,r bn ifof ,cst no Al
gion III Idaho. He assisted in bring
ing about the repeal of the test oath
of citizenship and afteTWard Went
among the Mormonsson a lecture tour.
He had observed the people. he said,
and their morals were OF a high,
praiseworthy character.
Knox Questions Shoots Counsel.
Senator Knox asked counsel to in
form him as to what part of the case
the examination of Mr.. Mcconnell was
relevant. Mr.. Van gott said the tes-
-timony5 NIeEcAna,s y
particularly to that of Charles "A. Jack
son, chairman of the Idaho Demo-
cratic committee, who testified that
no candidate for Office, Democratic or
Republican, could stand against the
Mormon church The witness, was
asked concerning causes OF the Nor
mon vote being cast for Gooding in his
canvass for the goyernorship and said
he was surprised that any Mormons
had voted, the Democratic ticket. He
gave as one reason that he had cha-
lenged Senator Dubois to public de-
bate and received an answer declining
the invitation on the ground that he
could not afford time to debate with
anyone who was not a candidate for
Office in the party which was de
Tending criminals, as he believed the
Mormons to be-" He submitted a
Autographed reproduction of Senator
Dubois letter.
:'Was that letter personal to you?''
asked Senator Dubois.
1t was an answer to my challenge.
1t was not marked personal
"Well-all right" The senator
started to reply and stopped abruptly,
dismissing the subject.
Mr.. Mcconnell repeated number
of reasons why the Democratic party
was boycotted by the Mormon church,
saying that one Of the principal causes
is that Senator Dubois called the Nor
mons criminals.
The defense closed it's examination
with a statement from the witness
that he did not know Of any polyga-
nous marriages among Mormons since
the manifesto.
On cross-examination the witness
corrected his statement in regard to
the poker playing Gentiles," saying
that it was confined to the members
of the legislature and not to the peo.
pie.