The Washington times., 1905-01-14


Q--tBy Mr.. Worthington)-How did
your connection cease? Did you retire!
A--No; 1 was fired.
Witness said he knew by reputation
how many people in his town OF $500
are now living in polygamy. He thought
there were five This is d decrease
since 1880, because some of the older
members have died. He did not know
of new polygamouS marriages.
Asked as to church influence in poll
tics, witness said the general reputa-
tion in our part of the country is that
terest in politics Mormon Republicans
vote their tickets. and Mormon Demo
Gratis vote theirs.
New Version of Oath. .
Witness said he went through the en-
dowment house in Salt Lake in 1862,
when he was twenty-five years old He
went there to be married. He had a
general recollection, but could not give
details of the ceremony. One hundred
and fifty persons went through on the
same day
When Attorney Worthington read the
''oath of vengeance on this nation.
witness said he had not heard just those
words. but did recall a similar obliga-
tion which invoked vengeance on this
generation He felt his recollection
as TO this was correct, because he had
looked up the question IN advance TO
see whether there was anything against
this nation
esterS and the Order of United Work
men, and had been one of the members
of the LovaI League. an anti Mormon
organization in Utah. He served in the
Legislature in 1894 the only time he had
been a candidate since he was expelled
from the church. As a Republican ne
had defeated Roberts. a Mormon ana a
Democrat, although he ran Slightly be-
hind the ticket
Opposed to Prosecutions.
The amnesty proclamation of Presi-
dent Harrison was taken up Witness
remembered it. and on cross-exanina-
ton said he had not desired to see 1t
enforced He knew Loren Harmer. who
has two wives and lives with third
woman in the same town as witness
This last named woman has sisters by
the name of Anderson, and she herself
gets mail under the same name at the
postoffice over which witness presides.
Asked whether he had not signed a
petition tc pardon Harner after the lat
tcr's conviction. witness said he did not
recall It. but If the petition had been
presented he certainly would have
signed it.
ATTORNEY Tayler wanted to know about
the endowment house oaths.
Witness said:
Il was there TO be married, and 1 did
not notice other things so much. l was
locking out for q pledge OF disloyalty,
lasted from tolerably early in the morn
ing until or o'clock in the afternoon
Endowment Are Necessary.
Chairman Burrows inquired particular
ly about the endowment house oaths.
Witness showed great reluctance in
/. commenting upon any part of the cere-
mony and declined 10 reveal anything
about the oaths taken. He had conscien-
tlous scruples against telling about it,
he said
In order to be married in the endow-
menl house it Is necessary 20 take the
endowments first. witness said, but he
declined TO tell what they were
Q--Ten who ofHciated there
Brigham Young.
Q.-Tell who else took part.
Al eouidn.t do il I couldn't do II
even If / were willing
Plural Marriages
Marriages could be performed any
!. where and By almost every body, bui
plural marriages only in tse endowmeni
house
Witness had left the church thirty
years ago, and Is nat no47 Mornen
but had conscientious scrupIes about
revealing anything relating 10 The
church. He had kept his pledge for for
ty years. he said. and expected TO do SO
Mr Wortnington. taking cp the Har-
mer case, learned that HarIner had been
expelled from his Office OF Mormon
bishop when he had been sent 10 the
penitentiary.- bur haS remained in the
church until recently
Regarding the endowment horse
oath, witness said he felt the same btnd.
ing effect of the oatils in the other or
carnations to which he belonged.
No Stock IN Revelations.
Alonzo Arthur Noun. sixty-eight years
old, OF Provo. was the next witness. He
had lived there twenty-five years and
had known SEnoot well since a boy
Witness was Mormon up 10 1870. but
is not now. His separation from The
church was entirely voluntary, on The
ground OF his disbelief IN modern reve.
iations. Since then his family has been
associated with the Methodist church
hrst and then TIE Congregational
church. lie has large family and has
one wife.
Since 1850 he has attended all the local
republican conventions. He IS Justice
OF the peace in Provo. and has beer
since 1876 except in 1886, in the Bryar
campaign, when. he said. he was ..iet
out
AS to the practice Of po!yganny. Wit
ness knew few Mormone who were
credited with sucn practices Witness
family Is composed mostly CT daughters
and he Thought they heard pretty We:
what othes thought about poIyganv
HIS lVew was that all the younger gen.
eratioT. opposed il.
Witness expressed the belief that Il
President Smith were to issue an orde,
commanding polygamy, it would be dis
regarded by the Mormon people.
Praise for Smoot.
As 10 Smoot. witness termed him 2
bright, intelligent young man" in thu
estimation of the people of Provo. and
they were not surprised that Snoot
went into politics even before he be.
came an apostle
Witness had taken Masonic daereee
having become Mason in South Africa
he recalled in general the obIigaticr,
OF the endowment house. and was sI1re
nothing therein related TO hostility 7,
this nation.
At this point Mr. Worthingtop aslce5
Tor a copy Of the Bible. At frst ons
could not be found, but later on the com
Inittee messenger uncovered two COME,
In capaciCuS bookcase at the end q
: the room. II was suggested thai =
Mormon Bible would do as well sine,