Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1905-01-12
SENATOR SMOOT
BEGINS DEFENSE
Committee Room Crowded Dur
ing The Trial.
MOST OF SPECTATORS WOMEN
William Mcconnell Was First Witness
and Told About the Political Sta
Mormon Communities.


Washington, Jan. 1.-THE defense
in the Senator Reed Smoot investiga
ton was begun today. The room OF
the senate committee on privileges
and elections was as crowded as dur
ing 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. Most OF
the spectators were women.
Senator Knox, recently appointed
member of the committee, attended the
hearing today 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. Worthington, Ui
Washington, as counsel of Senator
Smoot. Mr.. Mcconnell described his
occupation as former merchant, politi.
clan and lawyer for his friends. He
was a senator of the ffty-frst con.
gress and was governor of Idaho from
1898 to 1896, inclusive serving two sue.
sive terms.
He is member of the Presbyterian
church. The witness was asked to
describe the political conditions and
took up early days when he said he
had lobbied before the legislature
when the first effort was made to dis
franchise the Mormons. He declared
that he was prejudiced against Nor
mons, but that he found that most iot
the Gentiles were practicing "the 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 review
of his acquaintance with Mormons
during the agitation against the reli.
gion in Idaho He assisted in bring.
ing about the repeal of the test oath
among the MOrmOns on a lecture tour.
He had observed the people, he said,
and their morals was OF high, praise
worthy character.
Senator Knox asked counsel to in.
form him as to what part of the case
the examination of Mr. Mcconnell was
relevant. Mr.. Worthington said he
was unable to answer that conundrum,
but that a great mass of irrelevant
testimony was admitted for the Pro
testants to which objection had been
made and overruled. He said the
testimony of Mr.. Mcconnell was in re-
ply to this and particularly to that {
Charles H. Jackson, chairman Of the
Idaho Democratic committee, who tes.
tilted that no candidate for office, Dem
ocrat or Republican, could stand
against the Mormon church. The
witness was asked concerning the
causes of the Mormon vote being cast
for GOoding in his canvass for COVER
nor and said he was surprised that
any MOrmOns had voted the Democrat
ic 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 any one who was not
candidate for office In the party
which was defending 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"
We'll; all right" the senator start
ed to reply, and stopped, abruptly dis
missing the subject. Senator McCo-
mas objected to political discussions,
and when the witness digressed to say
that Democrats left their party follow
Ing the election Of President Cleve-
land, the senator asked the witness to
confine himself to the question of
whether the Mormons interfered in
politics. Mr.. Mcconnell repeated
number of reasons why the Democrat
ic party was benefited by the Mormon
church, saying that one Of the princt.
pal causes was that Senator Dubois
called the Mormons criminals.