The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-09
ANOTHER AWFUL CASE.

ANOTHER AWFUL CASE.
\ man, whose name has been known
IN Utaa newspapers for many years-a
Mormon forty years ago and stu n
Mormon-upon returning to Salt Lake
quiry OF The Tribune: Who was the
woman described in The Tribune edi-
torlal OF December IL. 1905. under the
title, The Message Of Hagar'2"
Being told that the name could not
be communicated even TO him without
the womans consent he continued:
My reason for asking is not one of
vulgar curiosity. A near relative OF
my own family had an almost similar
experience and / desired TO nnd out II
this were her story"
Asking that his name and the names
of the parties concerned be held within
strict confidence, he made the follow
Ing narration, with the exception that
we omit the names I'm order TO observe
the confidence which he enJolned and
which was pledged.
In the old days I would have died
TO protect the poIygamists OF this
church. Myself and wife believed that
they were the best people In the world:
and. while We were not I'm the relation
ourselves. we had such supreme love
and reverence for them that we count
ed ourselves as being merely worthy To
nl al,
have been strongly opposed to plural
marriage ceremonies and to polyga-
nous living. | believe that Wilford
Woodruff was inspired OF God to de-
liver that revelation to the church |
have heard him say that the message
and instruction came from God and
was binding upon the Latter-day
Saints. But l know that the covenant
with the Nation and the law of God
contained I'm the manifesto have both
been broken BY the authorities OF the
Mormon church. A female relative Of
my family was married To one OF the
high dignitaries OF this church after
the manifesto. She was taken from her
abiding place In Salt Lake City, placed
I'm closed carriage, blindfolded. driven
for some distance with the man whom
she was TO marry, led-still blindfold-
ed-into some building where. holding
the hand OF her polygamous husband
Ia man who already had several wives)
she heard the voice OF an unknown
person pronouncine the usual cere-
Of he
riage covenant. She knew that she
mad the right man by the hand be-
cause she knew the voice with which
he made the responses Being blind
folded. she could not see the face OF
The ofilciant. and there was nothing
familiar in his tones. After the cere-
nony which pronounced her the wife of
.he polygamist and after they were
sealed up to inherit thrones and prin-
'ipalitics. she was led out OF the build
or some distance 10 her abiding place
all the time bllndtolded Before re-
entering her home the bandage was
aiken from her eyes. She subsequent
y lived with her polygamous husband
1t a place some distance from Salt |
AXE City. is this the same case?"
1t was not the same case, and he |
vas 40 advised. The man is truthful,
le is a person OF good reputation for |
'robity, and he knows whereof he
peaks
1t is evident that II has not been an
uncommon custom 10 solemnize po-
ygamouS marriages in private resi-
ences or other buildings in Salt Lake.
[ is evident also that for the safety
( the officiant IT Is not an uncommon
he gaze of the woman victim
Tho reason why the ceremonies have
cen performed in Salt Lake is this,
n some instances the attentions paid |
y the prospective polygamist to the
respective plural wife have been 40
larked that the absence of both at the
anne time TO make the journey TO Cam
da or Mexico would have attracted
DO much notice. and, therefore. tho
has been made in Salt
AXE, Apparently such scrupuIous
are has been exercised that if the wo-
IAN victim should ever want 10 tell
ne could not know even remotely the
rene of the violation OF the law nor
i've any clue to the individuality of
ne othciant-all she could do would be |
reveal the name of her polygamous
usband without any possibility Of
'rroboration by another witness.
TAFT ON SUGAR.