Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-14
Former Mormons Would Not
Tell Of Their Oaths.
THE CHURCH CUSTOMS
REQUIREMENTS REGARDING TEN
PIE AND PLURAL MARRIAGES.
Belief Expressed That the Younger
Mormons Are Opposed to Polygamy,
Which is Held to Be Dying Out.

James E. Lynch of Salt Lake was the first
witness today in the Smoot investigation be-
fore the Senate committee on privileges and
elections. He is a democrat and nom
Mormon. Attorney Van Cott for Senator
Smoot, examined the witness concerning the
statement that Angus NJ Cannon, his BROTH
er-in-law, had said he had witnessed the
marriage of Abram Cannon and Lillian
Hamlin on the high seas in 1896. Mr.. Lynch
said he Investigated the statement by An
gus Cannon, at the request of E. B. Critch-
low, and found that Angus Cannon was not
in California in 1895, but the witness ad-
mitted that his brother-in-law had made the
statement. He declared, however,Ithat Cam
non was drunk when he said it.
Chairman Burrows asked Mr.. Lynch con-
cerning the feeling of young Mormons on
the question of polygamy.
The witness said they felt that the prac-
tice must be "dOne away with" but that he
had heard nothing of the young Mormons
making protest to the heads of the church.
Expelled From Mormon Church.
Hugh M. Dougall of Springville. Utah,
who explained that he was fired" from
the Mormon Church, was called to the
stand. He is postmaster of his town of
$500 inhabitants. He could think of only
that there had been no new polygamous
marriages there since 1880. His expulsion
from the church in 1874 or 1879, he said,
had not made a particle of difference in his
business, even though majority of his
business came from Mormons.
AS a Mormon he took the endowments in
1862 He was about twenty-five years old
then and married al that time, which,
he said, the only time he had been
married. About 100 went through with
him.
Mr. Worthington read the oath of VEN
geance given by certain witnesses, and
Mr.. Dougall said the oath was to avenge
the blood of the prophets or martyrs on
this generation and not on this nation,
as had been testified.
Mr. Dougall said he had served in the
legislature and was elected in a Mormon
county after his expulsion from the
church. His testimony as to the sentiment
in regard to prosecutions of polygamists
conformed to that of other witnesses called
for the defense to the effect that such pros
ecutions were not feasible.
Refused to Describe Ceremony.
Chairman Burrows asked the witness to
state the nature of the ceremony performed
when he was married in the Endowment
House, and Mr. Dougall replied:
II do not believe / care to tell that,
senator
WAS there penalty attached if you re-
vealed what took placer
'Yes, sir
What was that penalty?"
Il decline to state.
Was it severe"
LAS remember it, it was"
'Was it death?"
II don't believe l care to answer any
more questions on that subject"
you have stated your recollection of a
part of this ceremony, and yet you decline
to state the whole of it?'
Yes, sir"
You were married when you took the
endowments?"
ION that day, yes, SIR
The Church Requirement.
Continuing. he said that one could not be
married in the temple until he had once
taken the endowments but that other legal
marriage ceremonies were performed out
side Plural marriages. he said, could not
be performed outside of the temple or
church.
You were expelled thirty years ago, you
sayg" asked the chairman.
Yes. SIR
And you feel that after all these years
separated from the church your obligations
are still binding on your
Yes. sir. have conscientious scruples
against ever divulging anything that I
swore not to teil.''
On redirect examination the witness told
MI. WOrthingtOu that he had taken Obljgn.