Omaha daily bee., 1906-03-27
SHOOT WITNESSES HEARD
Salt Company Agent Tells of Talks with
Mr.. smurthwaite,
TRIED TO SELL INTEREST IN CONCERN
President Of Brigham Young College
says Professor was DISCHARGED
from school for often
BeinE Drunk.


WASHINGTON, March 26.-Evidence in
rebuttaI of the last testimony taken in
the case against Senator Smoot Of Utah
was presented to the senate committee Of
privileges and elections today. There were
many vacant seats and those occupied
were occupied mostly by intimate friends
of the senator.
The first witness was Robert J. Shields
of Salt Lake City. general sales agent of
the Inland Crystal Salt company, the
president OF which is Joseph T. Smith the
head Of the Mormon church Mr. Shields
is a Gentle and never has been a MEM
her of the Mormon church. lie was re-
called to refute the testimony Of c. A.
Smurthwaite, which was to the effect that
the Mormon church was so actively en-
gagged in the salt business as to gain
control amounting to a monopoly and that
he tSmurthwaiteD had been eXcommuni-
Gated because he would not consent to be
driven out Of business in which he rivaled
a church industry.
Tried 20 Sell Company.
The witness said that Smurthwaite had
sent representa- tives and dftcrward called
himself to try to get the Inland Crystal
company to buy the Beck Salt company, in
which Smurthwaite held the majority Of
stock. DR.. Shields said he declined to
buy on the ground that there were SO
many other concerns in the field that
buying one factory would not materially
lessen the competition. President Smith
was not present at any of these interviews
and in fact took no part in the manage
ment of the company
Senator Dubois inquired concerning the
organization of the American party to
oppose the Mormon church and the wit
ness said there would he less strife be-
tween Mormons and Gentiles II there
never had been such a party.
Prof. James II. Linford president of
the Brigham Young college Of Logan tes-
titled that Prof. Walter NJ. Wolfe had
not been dismissed from the college and
the church because of failure to pay his
tithng. as he had said on the stand. The
dismissal said Prof Linford, had been
because of continued intoxication.
The witness said he was superintendent
of the college Sunday school and held a
priesthood in the Seventy" He said that
"Aemrica,' Hail Columbia" "The Star
spangled Banner" and ether songs Of pa
triotism were taught in the primary classes
He said that in the years he had been
connected with the college he had never
| heard of one of his students becoming a
plural wife.
Witness Believes i'm POIyRnmy.
On cross-examination Mr.. Carlisle brought
out through the Introduction of a 100;
edition of the Sunday School Song Book
! that America" and 1.-THE Star Spangled
Banner were added to the books since
the Mormon investigation began. The wit
| ness was asked whether he believed ir
polygamy-the principle of plural mar
riage.
He said that his belief in the principle
did not extend to the practice of the prin
ciple under present conditions.
That does not answe rmy question,
said Mr.. Carlisle
From a sociological point Of view
believe it would solve many existing dim
cuties," said the witness.
THAT is not an answer" again said Mr.
Carlisle. do you believe in the principle
of plural marriage?"
yes. sir; do" replied the witness
hesitatingly. Mr.. Carlisle dropped thi
form of examination at this point and in
CURED into the relations of Prof. Wolfe t.
Brigham Young college.
Prof Linford said the motto Of the col
lese was to fight liquor traffic. Mr.. Carlisl
asked if the Zion Cooperative Mercantil
!
Smoot Drug company of Provo, both Nor
mon concerns, were not engaged in sell
ing liquor. The witness said he knew onl
by general hearsay that they sell liquor
Zyrna r. Card, librarian of tn eBrighar
Young college, said the witness, was re
puted to be Mormon wife. He said Ii
had not taken steps to have her dismisse
because OF this relation.
, The committee took a recess until
r p. m.
At the afternoon session, a large nun
Der of aff1davits were submitted by Nj
WorthingtOn from persons named q
polygamists by the counsel of the Prot
estants in a list of officers of the stat
of Utah. Among the persons named wer
two women. Maude May Babcock and RI
becca e. Little, charged toebe plural wives
Both Of these women denied the charge
Many GentIIes In Utah.
Charles +. Marks, a Gentle lawyer
Salt Lake City, was put on the stand. II
had examined the list of members an
said that by common repute five member
Of the constitutional convention, charge
by the protestants to be Mormons WEI
in fact Gentlies. Going through the III
Of all oft1cials of the state since Uta
was admitted to the union, Mr.. MARI
showed that there were seventy or eight
mistakes made In the list.
The witness testified that of the preseI
aggregate salaries paid TO state ofiicla
Gentiles receive $1,000 and the Mormon
H2,5OO annually. He estimated that tw,
thirds of the population of the state Wa
non Mormon. On cross-eNamination NJ
Carlisle brought out that the witness live
in Mormon community, had a broth,
who was a Mormon and for a long tin
was reputed himself to be a Mormon.
Steven II. Love of Forestdale, a men
Der Of the Utah senate and a Mormo
next testified He had examined the lis
submitted by the protestants and said thu
at least twenty of the men said to
Aormons were Genties. He said that
knew personally each OF these men.
James Glove. postmaster at Prov
Senator Shoots home town, testified col
corning men living near Provo alleged I