Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-02-08
Says Pfaotios Has Increased Since Utah
Became State.
TWELVE TIMES IN ENDOWMENT HOUSE
Oath of vengeance Taken There. He
Says. IL the seed of treason
woodrur Manifesto only
Trick.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.-Hearings in the
case of Senator Reed smoot was resumed
today before the committee on privileges
and elections The investigation of the
protests against the Utah senator retain
ing his seat continued through the two ses-
sions of congress and today marked the
beginning of meetings which the committee
is likely to hold intermittently throughout
the present session.
The first witness was Prof. Walter n.
Wolfe, former teacher OF geology in Brig
ham Young college at Logan, Utah. and
an apostate Of the church John @. Car
lisle of New York conducted the prosecu-
ton and A. s. worthington of this city
defended the senator.
Prof. Wolfe testified that he had been a
Mormon until January 1. this year. when
his connection severed through failure
to comply with the demands for tithes.
He was asked to tell what he knew of the
alleged plural marriage of Prof Benjamin
Cluff and Florence Reynolds, both teachers
at Provo. This case occupied prominent
place in the former hearings. In detailing
what he knew of their relations he told
cf a Mormon expedition to Mexico. Prof.
Wolfe said he had been informed at that
time by Cluff that he was married to
Florence Reynolds and that they lived to-
gether on that trip. President Smith. he
said. referred to Florence as Sister Cluff."
Twelve Times in Endowment House.
Twelve times" answered Prof. Wolfe,
when asked how many times he had been
through the endowment house temple,
he explained, as the endowment house was
torn down many years ago.
Did you take any obligations or oaths
when you went throughg asked Mr. Car
lisie.
Every time" he replied.
Asked to detail them. he said there had
been obligations of chastity, sacrifice and
vengeance.
What do you mean by vengeance"
asked Mr.. Carlisle. DO you mean there
was promise or pledge given to avenge
something?"
The witness, then said that this oath had
been taken: You and each of you do,
covenant and pray, and never cease to
pray, God, to avenge the blood of the
prophet of this nation
The oath, he said, was taken standing,
and at the conclusion each one taking 1t
was required to bow their heads and say
II do"
After giving many other details of the
N'hohOHy, suCH dS manner OF annOlnt-
ing, he was asked concerning a trial had
by the board of Brigham Young academy
as to the reasons for a long absence of
Cluff from the Mexican expedition. The
witness said Apostle Reed Smoot was
among those In attendance, and that he
mad heard testimony given by the witness
hlmseif that the reason for Cluff's absence
was because he was living apart with a
plural wife.
Another Plural Marriage.
Another plural marriage was spoken OF
ny the witness. This was between Ovena
Jorgenson. a student at Brigham Young
academy, and Brother" Ikey. with whom
the girl became enamored. according to a
confession she Is alleged to have made to
Prof Wolfe. He said the girl came to his
house and gave as an excuse for an alb
sence from school that she had gone to
JuareZ, Mex. and had been married in
polygamy. This had been with the con.
sent OF Stake President George Q. Can
non. The girl came back to the school and
graduated in the class OF 1900 said the
witness.
On further examination conducted by
Chairman Burrows, Prof. Wolfe said that
in southern Utah and New Mexico polyg-
amy is talked with some freedom. He
quoted Apostle John Henry Smith as hav-
ing said concerning the manifesto: at is
trick TO beat the devil at his own game"
lie quoted John Wilson Of Logan. a
prominent Mormon. saying: 1.-The man
ifesto enables the church to exclude men
who ought not 10 have more than one
wife and gives to worthy men an oppor-
tunity TO take plural wives"
Both OF these statements the witness
said, were made In his church.
ITO the hest NJ knn -
Prof. Wolfe "polygamous cohabitatIon has
increased very materially since Utah was
admitted as a state"
Dismissed for Drunkenness.
On cross-examinaton Mr.. Worthington
produced the original charges brought
against Cluh by Prof. Wolfe and other
members of the Mexican expedition.
The witness was asked why he had re-
trained from making the charge that Clufr
was living in Mexico with Florence Rey-
nolds.
For several reasons" replied Wolfe
The chief was that polygamy was
not crime in the eyes OF the church"
When asked concerning some of the pro-
ceedings OF that trial. particularly con-
cerning Intimate details he said there was
gentleman in the room who was better
qualified to answer.
The senator from Utah" he replied
After stating that Mr.. Smoot had not
been member OF the subcommittee maxi
Ing the investigation, Mr. Worthington
asked concerning his habits and whether
he'd had been discharged from his position
as teacher because of drunkenness. He
said his resignation had been "involun-
tarily voluntary" and explained that he
had drank for twenty years. and there
had been no change In his habits all those
years, but that after refusing to pay tithes
he had been asked 10 resign on account OF
having been intoxicated on Sunday early
in January OF this year, He said he knew
the consequence OF refusing TO pay tithes
Senator Hopkins asked II the charge had
been true that he was drunk on the sun
day referred to.
mo sir; IL the charge had been made