The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-07
CITES POLTGAMY
AGAINST SMOOI
Witness Before Senate Inquiry
Says Plural Marriage Is In-
creasing in Utah.

Washington, Eel. Hearings In the
case of Senator Reed Smoot were re-
sumed today before the committee on
privileges and elections. The inyesti-
cation of the protests against the Utah
senator retaining his seat, continued
thru two sessions OF aeongress and to-
day marked the beginning of meetings
which the COMMITTEES as likely to hold
internationally thrnont the present SEES
sion.
The first witness was Professor Wal
ter M. Wolfe,. former teacher of ge-,
ology in Brigham Young college at
Logan, Utah, and All apostate Of the
church. JohnG. Carlisle of New York
conducted the prosecution, and A. s.
Worthington Of this city defended the
senator.
Professor Wolfe testified that he had
been Mormon until Jan. 1, this year,
when his connection;.Was severed thru
failure to comply with the demands for
tithes. He was asked to tell what he
knew Of the alleged plural marriage of
Professor Benjamin Cluff and Florence
Reynolds, both teachers at Provo. This
case occupied prominent place in
the former hearings.
Had a Plural Wife.
In detailing what he, knew Of their
relations he told Of Mormon expeai-
tion to Mexico. Professor Wolfe said
he had been informed at that time by
Cluf that he was married to Florence
Reynolds and that thew lived together
on that trip: President Smith, he said.
referred to Florence as +" Sister Cuff
Twelve times, answered Professor
Wolfe, when, asked fhow many times
he had been thru the endowment house,
or temple, he explained, as the endow-
ment house was torn down many years
Did you take any obligations OF
oaths when you went thruP' asked Mr..
Carlisle.
Every time he replied. Asked
to detail them, he said there he'd been
obligations Of chastity, sacrifice and
vengeance.
mWh at do you mean ~ yengeaneef''
there was promise or pledge given to
avenge something
Oath Of Vengeance.
The witness then said that this oath
had been taken: You and each of
you do covenant and pray, and never
Of the prophet on this nation.'' The
oath, he said, was taken standing, and
at the conclusion each one taking ii
was required to bow the head and say:
81 do.o
After giving many other details o1
the ceremony, s.ah assthe manner 81
amounting, he was asked concerning 8
trial had by ss4hes board Of Brigham
| Young academy as to The; reasons for 3
! long absence Of Cuff from she M exicar
expedition. The witness said Apostle
Reed Smoot was among those in atten
dance and that he had heard testimony
given by the witness himself that the
reason for Cuffs absence was because
he was living apart with a plural
| wife.
Another Plural Marriage.
Another plural marriage was spoken
! Of by the witness. This was between
| Ovena Jorgensen, student at Brigham
Young academy, and Brother Okey
with whom the girl became enamored
) according to a confession she is alleged
/ to have made to Professor Wolfe. HI
said the girl came to his house anl
gave as an excuse for an absence from
! school that she had gone to Juarez
| Mexico, and had been married in po
lygamy. This had been with the con
| sent of State President GeorUe O. Can