Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-07
TREASON IN THE OATH
Revelations of an Apostate
Mormon.
SMO0T HEARING RESUMED
Protests Against the Senator Retain
ing His Seat.
TESTIMONY OF PROF. WOLFE
Quotes Apostle Smith as Admitting
That the Church Manifesto
Was Trick.
EsTIMONY OF PROF. WOLFE

In the course of the hearing of the Senate
committee on privileges and elections today
I'm the case of Senator Smoot, Prof. Wolfe,
formerly teacher of geology in Brigham
Young College at Logan, Utah. and an
apostate of the church, said he believed
that the seed of treason was sown in the
oath of vengeance. In answer to questions
by Chairman Burrows he described the in
terror of the temple. Among the pictures
was one of Senator Smoot.
Senator Dillingham; asked a number of
questions TO bring out the relations of the
witness to the prosecutors of the case. The
witness said he did not know he was to be
called upon to testify about the oath in the
temple when he came here.
Hearings In the case of Senator Reed
Smoot were resumed today. The investiga-
tion of the protests against the Utah sena-
tor retaining his seat continued through
two sessions of Congress, and today mark
ed the beginning of meetings which the
committee is likely to hold Internationally
throughout the present session The first
witness was Prof. Walter NJ Wolfe for
merly teacher of geology in Brigham Young
College at Logan, Utah. and apostate
of the church. John G. Carlisle of New
York conducted the prosecution and A g.
Worthington of this city defended the sena-
tor.
Prof. Wolfe's Testimony.
Prof. Wolfe testified that he had been a
Mormon until January 1. this year. when
his connection was severed through failure
to comply with tie demands for tithes. : He
was asked to tell what he knew OF the al
legged plural marriage of Prof. Benjamin
C1uff and Florence Reynolds, both teach
ers at Provo. This case Occupied a prom
inent place In the former hearings. In de-
failing what he knew of their relations he
teld of 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" answered Prof. Wolfe
j when asked how many times he had been
through the endowment house, or temple.
he explained, as the endowment house was
torn down many years ago.
did you take any obligations or oaths
when you went through?' asked Mr.. Car
lisle.
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 a
promise or pledge given to avenge some
thing?"
The Endowment House Oath
The witness then SAID liat tHis odtH ilau
been taken You and each of you do
covenant and pray and never cease to
nray. God to avenge the blood of the prophet
on this nation" The oath, he said, was
taken standing, and a the close each one
taking it, was required to bow their heads
and say Il do"
After giving many other details OF the
ceremony, such as the manner of annoint-
ing he was asked concerning trial had
arl ,,f priU hay
as to the reasons for long absence OF Clun
from the Mexican expedition.
The witness said Apostle Reed Smoot was
among those in attendance, and that he
had heard testimony given by the witness
him self that the reason for Clun'S absence
was because he was living apart with
plural wife. Another plural marriage was
spoken of by the witness. This was be-
tween Oyena Jorgenson a student at Brig
ham Young Academy, and Brother Okey,
with whom the girl became enamored, ac-
cording to confession she is alleged to
have made to Prof. Wolfe. He said the
girl came to his house and gave ex-
cuse for an absence from school that she
had gone to Juarez, Mexico. and had been
married In polygamy. This had been with
the consent of State President George Q.
Cannon 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.
The Manifesto Trick.
He quoted Apostle John Henry Smith as
having said concerning the manifesto: ''It
is a trick to beat the devil at his own
game" He quoted John Wilson of Logan.
prominent Mormon. as saying: "The
manifesto enables the church to exclude
men who ought not to have more than one
wife and gives to worthy men an oppor-
tupity to take plural wives Both of these
statements, the witness said. were made in
his church.
ITO the best of my knowledge said
Prof Wolfe. "polygamous cohabitation has
Increased very materially since Utah was
admitted as a state.
On cross-examination Mr. Worthington
produced the original charges brought
against Cuff by Prof. Wolfe and other
members of the Mexican expedition. The
witness was asked why he had refrained
from making the charge that Cluff was liy-
ing in Mexico with Florence Reynolds.
For several reasons. replied Wolfe.
THE chief one was that poiygamy was
not crime In the eyes of the church,
When asked concerning some OF the nro
ceedings of that trial, particularly concern
ing Intimate details, he said there was a
gentleman in the room who was better
qualified to answer
"who?' asked Mr.. Worthington
The senator from Utah. he replied.
Why Prof Wolfe Resigned.
After stating that Mr.. Smoot had not
been q member of the subcommittee max
ing the investigation. Mr.. worthington
asked the witness concerning his habits
and whether he had been discharged from
his position a teacher because OF drunk
enness
He said his resignation had been "invol-
untary 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
Ing been Intoxicated on q 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 Sunday
referred to-
NO. sir. If the charge had been made
GtmeR replie4