The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-06-12

church. In two of the above cases, that
OF George Tcasdalc and that OF Benjamin
Cluff, Jr., the fact OF the plural mar
rlage was directly communicated TO tho
president of the church, Joseph +. Smith,
and In the other case, with the possible
exception OF James Francis Johnson, the
fact OF n plural marriage having been
celebrated was so we'll known throughout
the community that IL is not conceivable
that such marriages would not have
been called 10 the attention of the leaders
Of the church. Indeed, there was no de-
nial on the part of the first president or
any one OF the twelve apostles that they
learned of the fact that plural marriages
were being contracted by officials OF inc
Mormon church and that no attention WAS
paid to tho matter. Tho excuse given by
them was that II was not their duty 10
interfere in such matters, that the law
furnished remedy. Furthermore, VI was
shown by the testimony Of ono oil inc
twelve apostles and Of other witnesses
that under the established law OF thS
church no person could secure P,ui 9.
wife except by consent of the preslueh'
OF tho church"
Suppression Of Testimony by Nor
mon Leaders.
1t ls a fact Of no little significance in
Itself. bearing on the question "hetnel
polygamous marriages have been rccentlS
contracted in Utah by the connlNhnce OF
the first presidency and twelve apoStiGs
of tho Mormon church, that tho autnoIl-
ties OF said church have endeaNoreu 10
suppress and have succeeded In Suppress
ing a great deal OF testimony py Wnlcn
the fact OF plural marriages cohlrdCISEu
by those who were hlgh IN inc SSunSt'd SStn,,nd
OF tho church might have been established
beyond the shadow OF a doubt. Before the
investigation had begun 1t was We'll known
in Salt Lake City that II was eNpectso
to show on the part of the protestants
that Apostles George TenSdalc, John w
Taylor, and NJ f Cowley, and also Prot'
l. NJ Tanner Samuel Newton ana otheTs
who were All. high officials Of the Mormon
hnI
and that in 1896 Lillian Hamlin was scaled
to Apostle Abraham n. cannon as plu-
raj wife By one OF the frst pfeslusI'oH eym.InS;,
church ALL or nearly all, OF these per
sons except Abraham H Cannon VINO
was deceased, were then within reach or
service of process from the committee
But shortly before the investigation be
gan all these witnesses went out OIL INC
country
the witnesses named. but In the case OF
Samuel Newton only could the process OF
the committee be served. Mr.. Newton
refused to obey the order of the com
mittee, alleging no reason or excuse LOT
not appearing, 1t Is shown that John w.
Taylor was sent out OF the country by
Joseph f. Smith on n real or pretended
mission for the church, And It ls unde-
niably true that not only the apostles.
but also all other officials OF the Mormon
church, are at all times subject TO the
orders OF the governing authorities OF the
church.
1t would be nothing short OF self-stulti-
hCation for one TO believe that all these
most Important witnesses chanced 10
leave the United States at about the
same time and without reference TO the
All the facts and circum-
stances surrounding the TRANSACTION pont
to the conclusion that every ono OIL the
witnesses named left the country at the
Instance Of the rulers of the Mormon
church and to avoid testifying before the
committee. 1t is. Furthermore; a fact
which cannot be questioned that every
one of these witnesses is under the direc-
ton and control Of the first presidency
and twelve apostles of the Mormon
church Had those officials seen fit to d.
United States and give their testimony
before the committee. they would nave
been obliged to do SO. The reason why the
said witnesses left the country ond nave
refused to come before the committee Is
easy to understand. in view of the testi-
mony showing the contracting OF plural
marriages by prominent offclals OF inc
Mormon church within the past few years
1t was claimed by the protestants that
the records kept in the Mormon temple at
Salt Lake city and Logan would disclose
the fact that plural marriages nave peen
contracted In Utah since the manifesto
with the sanction Of the officials or the
church witness who was required to
bring the records in the temple ut salt
Lake CITY refused TO do so after consult
Ing with President Smith, 1t is claimed
by counsel for Mr., Smoot that this, Wit
ness was not mentally competent 10 tes,
tlfy; but his testimony may be searched
in vain for any internal evidence OF such
incompetency, and there was nothing IN
the appearance OF the witness when testir
flying to suggest to the committee that ne
was not as competent TO testiiy as any any
witness who was examined during the
course of the investigation
The witness who was required TO bring
the records kept In the temple at Logan
excused himself from attending on the
ImnDrtant
Of the mandate of the committee the
production OF the records-was not ooeyed
by sending the records, which could cas-
Ily have been done.
In tho case of other witnesses who were
believed to have contracted plural mar.
ralecs since the year 1880 ell sorts OF
shifts. tricks, and evasions We're resorted
To in order to avoid service of a subpoena
TO appear before the committee and tes-
tify.
Testimony by the direct order or tacit
consent Of tho ruling authorities OF the
Mormon church warrant the committee
In believing that the suppressed testimony
would II produced. strongly corrooorate
the testimony which was given, showing
that those VINO direct the affairs Of the
Mormon church countenance and encour-
age polygamous marriages, as well as
polygamous cohabitation, and that the al
ieestions of the protestants In that re-
gard are true,
nous Cohabitation.
Aside from this II was shown by the
testimony, and In such way that the
fact could not possibly be controverted
that a majority OF those who give the
law to the Mormon church are now, and
have been Tor years. living In open, no
torious and shameless polygamous CO.
habitation The list OF those who are mus
ruilty OF violating the laws of the state
and tho rules OF public decency is headed
by Joseph r. Smith. the nrst president.
'.1rophet, seer and reNelator' OF the
Mormon churcn who testified in regard to
that subject as follows;
Mr. Tuyler Is the cohebitation with on, ono
who ia claimed 10 be plural wife violation
~ the law OF the church IA we'll as OF the
law OF the land? 80 l., ~,
case even today. -. ,,
arc about 10 say7 ,
Mr. smith That II is contrary to tho rule
NJ tho church, and contrary as well TO the law
~ ;he land for man to cohant Win ms
Wives / have cohaoited win my
vyives. not openly-that is. not In a manner
tbat I thought would be offensive 10 my
ncIehhors-but I ACKNOWLEDGED them: Il nave
donn IT knowing the responsibility and know
inc that / was amenable TO the law
Mr.