The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-02-01
A Latter Day PoIygamist.


Senate IN what is known as the Reed Smoot case
1T was proved concusvey that since the manifesto
OF 1890 there had not been celebrated in Utah--or
elsewhere throughout the United States for that mat
ter-a solitary poygamouS marriage by with the
consent, connlvance countenance sanction, or ap-
prevail of the Mormon church.
In previous issues of this paper numerous instances
have been cited in proof of the allegation that Mr.
Smoot uttered a lie when he gave publicity
to the foregoing statement through the medium of
the North American Review, which has made itself
receptacle for whatever the hierarchy may choose
to utter in the way of Misrepresentation.
Since this matter last referred to in the col
umnS of The Scnitar, the of the late Mrs Sarah
I. Evans Tanner, who died at Ogden, Utah. on the
18th day of January (ast month";, her death having
been indirectly caused by the conduct of her husband
J. M. Tanner, superintendent of the Mormon church
Schools has been made public
Mrs Evans was the widow of Prime Evans who
died at Lehi, Utah, about five years ago. leaving her
property to the value of between So 900 and $4,000
After his DEATH Mrs Evans applied to Mr.. Tanner,
then president of the agricultural college at Logan
for employment and he finally secured for her the
position of instructor of Domestic Arts and Sciences
at Weber Stake academy
Three years ago. Mr.. Tanner prevailed upon Mrs
Evans to become his fifth wife and they were accord
ingly married by the rites of the Mormon church, in
which Mr. Smoot oficiates as an apostle The cere-
mony performed in 1904, fourteen years after the
manifesto which, according to Mr.. Shoots statement
in the North American Review, marked the end of all
polygamous marriages.
Shortly after Mrs. Evans became the plural victim
of this shining light of the Mormon church, he pre-
vailed upon her to transfer to him about $4,000, the
proceeds of the sale of property left her by her dead
husband
Subsequently Mr.. Tanner induced Lydia Homgren
to become his sixth wife and after their marriage he
located her in Canada there purchasn her home
with the money entrusted to his by his fifth wife,
the late Mrs Evans Tanner.
Two marriages are therefore passed up to the credit
of Mr.. Tanner since the manifesto of 1890, which Mr..
Smoot put end to the polygamous practices
of the church of which he is an apostle.
Upon being appraised of the perfdy of the one-ffth
of husband she had accepted in 1904, Mrs. Evans
Tanner taken sick and finally died of pneumonia
Mr. Tanner, though aware of her dangerous condi-
ton, did not attend her during her illness, though
after her death it transpred that he in her pres
ence at the end and directed the dctation of her WILL
in which he was named executor
Becoming cognizant of most of the facts in the case
the community of Lehi made preparation to visit VIC
ence upon Mr. Tanner should he attend the funeral
Of the victim of his rascalty and he deemed it the
part of prudence to remain from the of the final
A few years ago, Mr.. Tanner removed from
he presidency of the agricultural college at Logan
On account of his notoriety poygamist congress
efused to extend to the Utah college its proportion
# an appropriation for the experimental stations at
gricutural colleges in the west.
The computations of congress were overcome by
he appointment of another to the presidency of
he Logan institution and after that had been
omplshed the head of the Mormon church rewarded
Ir Tanner with the appointment of superintendent