The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-11-30
OLD JOE SMITH
ADMITS GUILT
Head Of Mormon Church Runs
Counter to Uncle Sans Laws.
SPORTS TOO MAgY WIVES
Made Address to Court Pleading Lsnien-
cy--Birth Of His Forty Third Off
spring Proved His UndOiug.

At Salt Lake City Utah, Friday,
Joseph F. Smith, president of the Nor
mon church, appeared in the district
court before Judge Richie, pleaded
guilty to a charge of having too many
wives, 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 Pres
ident SDlith's forty-third child, born to
his fifth wife.
Earlier in the day counsel for Smith
secured a transfer of the case from
the criminal division of that court,
where Judge Armstrong presided, to
Judge Ritchies division
After the non recess, when the court
room was practically deserted, Smith
went before Judge Richie, offered his
plea and the fine was imposed.
The old man addressed the court, He
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 believed, with the
approval of the Lord. According to his
faith, and the law Of the church, they
were eternal in duration. He contin-
ued
I'm the tacit general understanding
that was had in 1880 and the years
subsequent thereto, regarding what
were classed as the old cases of polyg-
amy, have appreciated the magnanim-
ity Of the American people in not en-
forcing a policy that III their minds
was unnecessarily harsh, but which as
signed the settlement Of this difficult
problem to the onward progress OF
time.
"Since 1890 a very large percentage
Of the polygamOus families have ceas-
ed to exist, until now the number with
in the jurisdiction Of this court is very
small, and marriages in violation of
the law have been and now are pro-
hibHed In view of this situation,
which has fixed with certainty a re-
suit that cannot be easily measured
up, the family relations in the old
cases of that time have been generally
left undisturbed. SO far as my own
case is concerned, l, like others who
had entered into solemn religious OBJ
legations, sought, to the best of my
ability, to comply with all require
ments pertaining TO the trying position
in which we were placed. l have felt
secure in the protection of that mag
unanimous sentiment which was extend
ed as an olive branch in 1890 and
subsequent years to those old cases
Of plural family relationships which
came within it's purview, as did mine.
when I accepted the manifesto is
sued by President MILFORD Woodruff,
I did not understand that / would be
expected to abandon and discard my
wives. Knowing the sacred covenants
and obligations which | had assumed
by reason of these marriages, have
conscientiously tried to discharge the
responsibilities attending them without
being offensive to any one | have
never Haunted my family relations be-
fore the public, nor have l felt
spirit Of defiance against the law but,
on the contrary, I have always desired
to be a law-abiding citizen. In con-
siderlng the trying position in which
[ have been placed, I trust that your
honor will exercise such leniency, IN
your sentence, as the law and JUS
tice will permit"
Judge Richie imposed the maximum
fine, but omitted the jail sentence of
from one day to six months, which he
might have imposed un&er the Utah
statute.