The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-23
GOSSIP OF THE
SMOOT TRIAL
Correspondent Almost Persuad-
ed to Become a Mormon.
JUDGE MINERS TESTIMONY
TAKES CREDIT FOR THE DEFEAT
OF KEARNS.
special 20 The HeraldN

Nv attending the Smoot trial mornings
and afternoons during the pas
week and have learned so many Things
| favorable to and admirable and desiir-
| able in Mormon government that
following the language of old Pepys
Il do be nine-tenths resolved tC
De one not pOIygamoUs one at ali,
| because am told that out of many hun
ofeuS or the last generation known TO a
witness and member of the seventies
only two had any desire to be polyga-
sOlutely rate the idea Judge Miner. who
sent hundreds OF MormOns to the peni-
tentiary before the manifesto" declares
tnat when the old leaders die out Dlura
marriages will entirely cease. During his
crosse questioning by Mr. Tayler counsel
for the prosecution of Mr. SmOOt II had
nearly written it persecution. in answer
to question as To whether he took an
active interest in politics in Utah. Judge
Miner answered significantly. i am orig
7 wish Senator Burrows could hear
that remarked one of She counsel. A
member Of the senatorial committee re
piled: There are no politics in Michi-
gan; il is all unanimous
How Miner Helped Defeat Kearns.
Judge Miner also offered another inter
eStllS piece OF testimony Replying to a
request to illustrate his political activi-
TIES, ne explained now he helped to de-
feat the kearns ticket i'm Utah Being
appointed a committee Of one and free
to act as he deemed il wise, the judge set
forth the following diabOlical scheme by
which he was enabled to tear down the
kearns stronghold. demOlish its walls and
sap the very foundation of his strong
power; He first visited five elegant and
influential ladies' and asked each OF
them to secure five other likely friends.
who in their turn were to court, influ-
ence or inVeigle five more ladies apiece
whether elegant or influential il mat
tered not who were to promise TO cut
the Kearns ticket. Thus a sort Of end
less chain of women being established.
each member fully endowed with the right
OF equal CIffr2 the Jolly good hITn1Orpf1
senator. himself a ladies man. was mer-
cilessly left out in the cold. and doubt
il he knew until Judge Miners confession
and surprising disclosure exactly how il
was done. Does woman suffrage cOmpli-
cate or simplify election matters? 1t is
up TO kearns to say.
Some of the Testimony.
Weird things happen in Utah, and if
there is any truth in the old prOverb that
a mouse divided against itself cannot
stand MormOnism will be responsible for
rs own undoing- Judge McCarty testified
indicted many MormOns for polyEany was
a true Mormon himself This same wit
ness testlfled that the constant cOQuetting
with the church by both political parties
lds caused much dissatisfaction among
the elders in Zion A member of the last
lnent physician of the state declared that
the condition Of politics now existing re-
@enlDles the tail of a snake that will
wrtggle until the sun goes down. mean
ing. or course, its backbone is broken
s-iAct'I tpbETpWS interrupted with. -ESHL
the tan continues to wriggle, and every
Tits CT Counsel Enjoyed.
Disputes between Mr. Worthington
senior counsel for SmoOt, and Mr.. Tayler
Tor the prosecution. are immensely en-
" called Tayler Judge" the latter turned
and said: Il wish you would not call me
by that name. You disturb the order Of
the tumult of my mental operations.
The trial is conducted in the privileges
and elections committee room, in the
senate wing of the capitol, a large ana
handsomely furnished chamber. A recess
inclosed by heavy olive green velvet cur
tains is used as a, resting room for refuge
from the storm BY Senator SmOOt. His
counsel. Mr.. Van Colt Of Salt Lake and
Mr.. WOrthingtOn of Washington. sit on
oak, while Mr. Tayler. for the prosecu-
ton. and his prOmpter. Charles MOstyn
owen. sit opposite. At the upper end IS
grouped the senate committee with bur
rows OF Michigan as chairman. supported
on either side by Senators Knox and Nc
COmas. At the lower end of the table is
the witness chair and chairs for the of
ficial stenOgraphers and newspaper cor
respondents One side Of the room is &C
Cupied by waiting witnesses. who are for
the most part young, good looking and in
telIisent- Many of them. having been
brought up in the Mormon church. are
strong adherents Of the doctrine, which
goes TO prove that religion is largely a
matter of inheritance. just as is politics,
and not a question of Individual thought
and conviction.
Women Attend Regularly.
During the last week the forty or more
chairs reserved for visitors have been
occupied by women. and in the interim
between witnesses one hears much ami
mated talk OF woman suffrage and rights
and even discussions about mothers
meetings preparatory to the fathers and
mothers annual congress, which IS soon
to meet in this city
The trial will be brought to a close at
an early date. The result one can
foreSee Public opinion is about evenly
divided Certainly the Mormons have pro
vided a pleasing and high class lot of
witnesses to set forth Mr.. Shoots case.
But under Mr.. Tayler's subtle cross
examination every one has shown some
personal ak TO grind. either politically or
bound and gagged. as Mr.. Young him
self testified. by that great and mys-
teriOus oath Of the endowment house