Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1906-11-27
JOSEPH SMITH ADMITS
GUILT and IS FINED
Mormon Prophet Pleads For
Lsniency.
MAKES ADDRESS TO THE COURT

Smith said When he Reeepteo NIT
Woodruffs Manifesto He Did Not
Understand that He Was to Discard
or Abandon His Wives.
Salt Lake City, Nov. 26.--Joseph
+. Smith, president OF the Mormon
church, Friday afternoon appeared in
the district court before Judge Rit-
chic, pleaded guilty to a charge OF
unlawful cOhabitatiOn and a fine OF
$500 was imposed.
The charge under which the Nor
mon prophet was arrested and fined
was based on the recent birth Of Mr..
Smiths 43rd child, born to his fifth
wife.
Earlier In the day counsel for Pres
ident Smith secured a transfer OF the
case from the criminal division Of that
court, where Judge Armstrong pre-
sided, to Judge Ritchie's division.
After the noon recess, when the
court room was practically deserted i,
President Smith went before Judge
Richie. offered his plea and the fine
was imposed.
President Smith addressed the court
and stated that his last marriage was
In 1884 All his marriages. he said
were entered into with the sanction
OF the church, and. as they bellev-
cd, with the approval OF the Lord
According 10 HIS faith, and the law
OF the church, they were eternal In
duration. lie continued
"ln the tacit general understanding
that was had In 1890. aud the years
subsequent thereto, regarding what
we're classed as the old cases OF CO.
habitatlon, have appreciated the
me gnanimlty OF the American people
in not enforcing a policy that In their
minds was unnecessarily harsh, but
which assigned the settlemen, OF this
dlflcult problem 10 the onward prog
resE OF time.
"Sincc 1890 q very large percent
age Of the polygamOus families have
ceased 10 exist. until now the num-
Der within the Jurisdiction OF this
court Is very small. and marriages
I'M violation OF the Law have been
and now are prohibited In view OF
this situation. which has fixed with
certainty a result that cannot be easl-
ly measured up. the family rela-
tons In the old cases % that time
have been generally left undisturbed
So far as my own case Is concerned
I. like others who had entered into
solemn religious obligations. sought
70 the best Of my ability. 20 comply
with oil requirements pertaining 10
the trying position In which we were
placed have felt secure IN the
protection 81 that maEnauImous scn-
timcnt which vas extended a. On
olive branch IN 1890 and subsequent
years 10 those old eases Of plural fam
ny relationships whAah cane within
Us purvlsv, ~ tls miae.
"Whca | accepted the manifesto ls-
sued by President wilford woodrue
ga not understand that would bs
expected 90 abandon and discard ms
wives knowing The sacred cove
nauts Aad obligations which bad
assumed hy reason % these marriages
have Conncientioualy tried to dis
charge thc responsibilities attending
then without being ofenslve % ans
one. ! have never Gauutet my faml-
y relations before the public. no'
have Gen, a spirit % defiance against
TIE lav. bu. on the contrary.
have alwsys desired % ~ q iaw-abia.
inE eiurea % eoasitsrlnE re try.
lnE posilica in vhieh have beer
placed, trust that war kcner viI
exercise such lruiepey. IN yuar So
,snee g. lac sad iusties uul pr
mn
ludrc RicAis Imposed tAe unximau
ase, bar cuigtr1 the ian ssufeucs q,
grcm ose dsy % afx moalAt. uhica
BE- mlEai have imposst uaasr ~
Ctah ftataie