The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-02-08
TOOK 0ATHS OF VENGEANCE Part of Endowment House Ceremony. AN Ex-MoRMoEs TESTIMONY Says Polygamy is Not Crime in
 Eye of Church. An Aged Apostle Is Dead, Leaving six Living Wives, 70 Children, 14O Grandchildren and Many
 Great-srandchiidren.
 

Washington, Feb. 7.--Hearings in the case of Senator Reed Shoot were re- stunned today. before the Committee on Privileges and Elections. The inves- tigation of the protests against the Utah Senator retaining his seat con- tinued through two sessions of Con- gress and today marked the beginning of meetings which the committee is likely to hold intermittently throughout the present session.
 The first witness was Prof. Watler NJ. Wolfe, former teacher of geology in Brigham Young College at Logan. Utah, and an apostle of the church. John c. Carlisle of New York conduct ed the prosecution and A. s. Worthing- ton of this city defended the Senator.
 Professor Wolfe testified that he had been a Mormon. until January 1 this year, when his connection was severed through failure to comply with the de- mands 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 place occupied a prominent place in the former hearing, In detailing what he knew of the circumstances he told of a Mormon expedition to Mex ico. Professor Wolfe said he had been informed at that time by Cluff that he was married to Florence Reynolds and that they lived together on that trip Presiden. Smith. he said, referred to Florence as Sister Cluff."
 The Oath of Vengeance.
 Twelve times" answered Professor Wolfe, when asked how many times he had been through the endowment house or temple, he explained, as the endow- ment house was torn down many years ago.
 Did you take any obligations or oaths when you went through?'' asked Mir. Carlisle.
 Every time." he replied.
 Asked to detail them, he said there had been obligations of Chastity, sac- rihce and vengeance.
 What do you mean by vengeance?' asked Mr. Carlisle. Do you mean there was promise or pledge giI B to avenge sonething7a
 The witness then said that this oath had been taken: You and each of you do covenant to pray, and never cease to pray God to avenge the blood of the prophet of this nation"
 The oath he said was taken standing and at the conclusion each one taking 1t was required to bow their heads and say, "I do"
 After giving many other details of
 
 annointing, he was asked concerning a trial had by the board of Brigham Young Academy as to the reasons for a long absence of Cluff from the Mexi- can expedition. The witness said Apostle Reed Shoot was among those in attendance and that he had heard testimony given by the witness himself that the reasons for Cluffs absence was because he was living apart with plu- ral wife.
 Another Plural Marriage.
 Another plural marriage was spoken of by the witness. This was between Ovena Jorgenson, a student at Brig okey, with whom the girl became enamored according to a confession she is alleged to have made to Prof. Wolfe.
 He said the girl came to his house and gave as an excuse for an absence from school that she had been to Jua- reg, Mexico, and had been married in This had been with the consent 9of State President George Cannon. The girl came back to the school and graduated in the class of 1900. said the witness.
 Questioned by Chairman Burrows, Prof. Wolfe said that in Southern Utah and New Mexico polygamy is talked with some freedom. He quoted Apostle  corning the manifesto: Tt is 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 ex- clude men who ought not to have more than one wife and gives 10 worthy men an opportunity to take plural wives Both of these statements the witness said. were made in his church;
 TO the best of my Knowledge, said Professor Wolfe, ''polygamy has m creased very materially since Utah was admitted as a state. ,,,..,-,--
 On cross examination Mir. Worthing- ton produced the original charges brought against Cuff by Professor Wolfe and other members of the Mexican expedition The witness was asked why he had refrained rom making the charge that Cluff was liv- ing in Mexico with Florence Reynolds
 Not Crime In Churches Eye.
 For several reasons replied Wolte' The chief one was that polygamy was not a crime in the eyes of the church
 When asked concerning some of the of that trial particularly intimate details he said there was gentleman in the room who was better qualified to answer
 Who, asked MT. Worthington.
 "rhe senator from Utah. he replied:
 After stating LHdl t''t' S"'NoN "'N not been q member of the sub-com- mittce making the investigation MT. asked the witness con corning his habits and whether he had been discharged from his position as n teacher because of drunkness. He said hls resignation has been "involun- tary" and explained that he had drank for twenty years and there had been no charge in his habits all those years, but that after refusing to pay tithes he had been asked to resign on ac- count of having been intoxicated on a 1 Sunday early in January of this year. He said he knew the consequences of l refusing to pay tithes,
 Senator Hopkins asked if the charge | had been true that hc was drunk on | the Sunday referred to.
 Charge Is Denied. No sir; if the charge had been | made the next day it might have | been true" the witness replied.
 Mir. worthington asked Wolfe con cerning the oaths in the temple and | the witness said he believed that in | inc obligation of vengeance the seed of treason Is planted" An effort was
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