The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-08
MORMON COUNCIL
ENDORSED SMOOI
Witness Tells Senators a Prayer
Circle Supported the Utah
Apostles Candidacy.

Washington, Feb Sin the investi-
CATION of protests against Senator Reed
Smoot of Utah before the committee
on privileges and elections, Professor
Walter M. Wolfe, who was a teacher
in Mormon schools and member OF
the church until very recently, was to-
nation by A. s. Worthington, counsel
for the senator. A large number Of
letters which had been written by
Wolfe to members of the church We're
put into. the record to show that he
had not made complaints of the con-
expedition, as he had testified in direct
examination. He denied charges by
counsel that he had been intoxicated in
several public places, and that he had
expressed contrition because of his re-
fusal to pay tithing. Mr.. Worthington
will call q large number Of witnesses
On redirect examination the names
of a number of residents of Provo were
read to the witness, and ten Of them
he said were living in polygamous CO.
habitation. He said he knew George
Taylor, brother-in-law of Mr.. Smoot,
and that Taylor had asked him (Wolfe)
to give up his democratic faith and
come in with Q the great majority.''
Waited for Divine Light
This was just previous to the election
Of the legislature that elected Mr..
Smoot to the senate, he said, and fur
Their that Taylor asked him to do all
he could for the election of Mr.. Smoot.
- told him. said the witness,
"that I would if I thought it to be
the will of the Lord. Mr.. Taylor said
he believed it was the will Of God and
me that Mr.. Shoots candidacy had
been discussed and Endorsed by the
high council of Utah state, convened
as a prayer circle. -
In response to questions by several
members of the committee, Wolfe said
that in Brigham Young college, Ovena
Jorgensen and Florence Reynolds were
the only students whom he knew to
have become plural wives. He thought
children OF polygamous relations looked
upon polygamy as divine institution.
Of the Provo citizens, whose names
were read, only one, Thomas Chamber
LAIN. had entered polygamy since the
manifesto.
A number Of songs, alleged to have
been hostile to the government Of the
United States, were put into the record
and Wolfe said these songs were sung
7 frequently. BE- : ..a'"s y
Avenge Blood of Prophet.
William J. Thomas of Spanish Fork,
| Utah, the next witness, said he had
gone thru the endowment house In 1869
and had taken an oath to Havenge the
blood of the prophet, Joseph Smith,
upon this nation and to teach his chill
dren to do SO down to the third and
fourth generations.'
!, He said he was dropped from the
church in the eighties because he had
spoken too openly against plural mar
riages. - r
: Senator Knox asked if he had ever
! ton to 9 avenge the blood of the
prophet upon this nation. ''s, stsef +,
HNo, sir; I. enlisted twice to de
fend this nation said Thomas. IS
! The witness told Of M. Nicholson
formerly an employee of Thomas, &c
= ing to Mexico to take a plural wife
: Nicholson told the witness he was go
!: ing 'twhere he could live his religion ,
r = John P. Holugren Of Bear Rive
: legislature from 1899 to 1903, testife
! that he voted against the Evans bill
prohibiting the first wife from test
flying against her husband in polye
amy proceedings He was defeate
after this, but thought 1T was not hi
vote that defeated him. He said h
! took the endowment house oath i
J 1889. He repeated the oath of yer
. geance, and, as he remembered it, b
! tagreed to avenge the blood of bot
! iJoseph and Hiram Smith. ,.* ~
: 1% Excommunicated < d
9 Charles A. Smurthwaite of Ogde,
9 Utah, testified that he had been e.
r communicated by the Mormon chure
9 in April, 1905. He is, director in tn
:, Beck Salt Works, and told of havin
d been called to Salt Lake City to Sc
n President Joseph F. Smith and men
t bers Of the first presidency, which hel
k the controlling interest in the Inlan
cfXstq R;.k Salt 1t company n3ps r. In c4mpsH
It met met the drst PRESIDENT, he said, al al
IT was told by President Smith that
n he remained in the salt business
y competition with the church he Wou,
IS ~ told President Smith, said Il
le witness, "that he had the power
crush my child, but not the right M
Smith replied that this was bushes
and told him that I thought busine
meant profit. -
h interview, which resulted in. no agre
II ment, as the church insisted that MOI
Of it's members should enter into col
petition with the church. Mr.. Smurt
a waite was excommunicated, he said,
n consequence Of this disagreement. I
le spoke against the church being
as business, and had told his bishop tn
s. as Joseph f. Smith was the exclusi
le agent Of God in the church, his ps
tieipation in business was equivale
in to God being in business. Finally
es said he had publicly disclaimed Smith
" authority as q prophet and spo
to against his testimony on the subje
&c of polygamous cohabitation, and W
er tried on charges of apostacy and L
Christian-like conduct and fou
guilty.
Chicago and Return $500, via T
:, North Western Line.
Y Tickets on sale for@all trains Februa
- 18th and 18th, including the famo
Northwestern Limited, good for retu
within ten days. Call on j. A. O 'Brie