The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-24
SM|I IH'S 43RD CHILD
HAS COST HIM $500
Fifth Wife of Mormon Caused
the Trouble
PLEADS GUILTY TO CHARGE
Prophet Is Placed In Trying Position.
Did Not Understand He Was
Expected to Discard
His Wives.
PLEADS GUILTY TO CHARGE

Salt Lake City, Utah, November 20
Joseph T. Smith. president of the Mormon
church, this afternoon appeared in the
district court before Judge Richie
pleaded guilty to charge of unlawful
cohabitation and fine of $500 was i'm
posed.
The charge under which the Mormon
prophet was arrested and fined was based
on the recent birth of President Smiths s
forty-third child, born to his fifth wife.
Earlier In the day counsel for President
Smith secured transfer of the case to
the criminal division of that court, where
Judge Armstrong presided, to Judge
Rtchie's division.
After the noon recess, when the court
room was practically deserted President
Smith went before Judge Ritchie offered
his plea and the fine was imposed Presi-
dent Smith addressed the court.
| lie stated that his last marriage was
| in 1884. All his marriages, he said were
| entered into with the sanction of his
| church. and as they believed with tho
approval of the Lord. According to his
faith and the law of the church, they
We're eternal in duration. He continued:
"In the tacit general understanding that
was had in 1890 and the years subsequent
! thereto, regarding what were classed as
! the other cases of cohabitaton, | have
appreciated the magnanimity of the Amer
! lean people in not enforcing policy that
in their minds was unnecessarily harsh,
but which assigned the settlement of this
difficult problem to the onward progress
of time.
"Since 1890 very large percentage of
the polyeamous families have ceased 10
exist, until now the number within the
jurisdiction of this court Is very small
Marriages in violation of law have not
and are not now prohibited. In view Of
this situation which has fixed with Ger
tainty a result that cannot be easily
measured up, the family relations in the
old cases of that time have been gen.
orally left undlsturbed
$50 far as my own case is concerned,
!. like others who had entered into sol
emn obligations, sought TO the best Of
my ability to comply with all require
ments pertaining to the trying position
In which we were placed, ! have felt Sc
cure in the protection of that magnani-
nous sentiment which was extended as "A
motive branch in 1890 and subsequent
year to the old cases Of plural family re-
lationship. which came within its pur-
view as did mine,
when ] accepted the manifesto issued
by President Wilford Woodruff / 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 the
marriages, | have eonscientiously tried
TO discharge the responsibilities attending
them without being offensive to anyone.
II have never Haunted my family rc!a
tons before the public. nor have | felt
a spirit of defiance against the law but
on the contrary | have always desired to
be "A law-abiding citizen. In considering
the trying position in which / have been
placed trust that your honor will ex-
| ercise such lienency in your sentence as
| law and justice will permit"
Judge Ritchie imposed the maximum
fine, but omitted the Jail sentence of
from one day to six months, which he
might have imposed under the Utah
statute.