The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-01-20
DFENSE OF SMOOT
Wolnen of Utah Testify Be-
fore Senate Committee.
SENATOR COTEXCELLENT CHARACTER
Witnesses Said They would Not Vote
For ~ ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Dying
Out In utnh-Mormons "size
Up" Well with GentIIcs.

Up" Well with GentiIcs.
WASHINGTON, Jan 20.-Two prom.
lnent gentle women of Utah, one
member of the legislature that elected
Mr.. Smoot senator, were witnesses
in the Smoot inquiry before the senate
committee on privileges and elections.
Both women gave Smo0t an excellent
reputation and testified that they would
not vote for Il polygamist. The eoun
sci for Senator Smoot have exhausted
their list Of witnesses here but expect
several witnesses yet TO arrive in time
for the hearing.
William Langton testified that James
II. Wallis, ST., who recently gave TO the
committee what he alleged TO he the
endowment Oaths, could not be be.
licyed
John w Hughes Of Salt Lake, editor
Of weekly paper, testified that the
sentiment among gentiles was that
President Smith was Il fanatic in re-
ligion, but that he was thoroughly hon
est and was keeping the church out Of
politics. He believed the gentiles
thought II was best to let pOlyeamy
die out, as there were few polygamists
left. He had made an Investigations in
TO the number Of poygamists in salt
Lake City and found that there were
only seventy four men, nearly all Of
them Old only two being under fifty
years Of age
Mrs Mary G Coulter Of Ogden. a
gentle and the wife Of "A physician,
testified in regard TO political affairs.
She was a member of the legislature
that elected Mr.. Smoot senator. She
said she went unpedged, but was glad
TO abide by the result Of her party's
caucus Before voting for Mr.. Smoot,
she said, she ascertained that he was
not polygamist.
Speaking Of the Mormons in political
affairs. she said they sized up" very
well with the gentles. Polygamous
relations were never Haunted by the
Mormons, said Mrs. Coulter, and the
| young MormOns particularly were op
| posed to the continuation of polyga-
nous relations. AS a member Of the
legislature she said she was asked by
as many gentiles as Mormons to vote
for Mr.. Smoot.
On cross examination Chairman Bur
rows asked If IL would have made any
| difference In her vote for senator II
she had known that a majority Of Mr..
| Shoots fellow apostles were polyga-
mists Mrs. Coulter replied that posi-
bly, she might have voted for Mr..
Smoot, because many gentiles welcom-
ed the opportunity of showing that
their antagonism was not directed
against the church, but merely against
the people Of the church known as
polygamists. She said further that she
would not vote for a polygamist.
what do you think of a man who
would vote to elect polygamist as an
apostle?" asked Chairman Burrows.
The witness replied that she could
not set in Judgment in such case
Mrs. w. II. Jones of Salt Lake City.
who said she went 10 Utah nj sixteen
years of age as a bride and who has
been prominently connected with the
Liberal and Republican parties in
Utah, testified that neither she nor Sen
ator Smoot had Joined the Silver Re
publican party and said that both Of
them had too much sense"
On cross examination the witness
said she did not believe a polygamist
could he elected to Office by either gen
! tiles or MOrmunS
"IIow about Mr. RobertsT" asked
| Chairman Burrows.
THAT was so long ago | do not
know. was not working for Mr..
Roberts, and | am glad you did not
permit him to take his seat" she re-
piled.
/