The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-07-21
CLEAR PARKINSON
OF FRAUD CHARGES
Court of Inquiry to Exonerate
Bishop of Oneida Stake After
Hearing in Preston.
WILL FINISH REPORT TODAY
CHURCH BOARD TO SET FIND
INGS BEFORE APOSTLES.
Especial to The Hersld-RepubIican.)

Especial to The Herald-kepubIcan-D
Preston. Ida. July 2O.-That George
c. Parkinson, president Of Oneida stake,
will be completely exonerated by the
court of inquiry appointed by Presi-
dent Joseph +. Smith of the Mormon
church to Investigate the charges OF
fraud and deceit in connection with his
position as treasurer of the oneida tr-
rigation district has been regarded here
as a foregone conclusion since the hear
ing was concluded Tuesday afternoon.
Tonight the opinion that the charges
will not be sustained was general, anu
II is declared these opinions Will De SUI
Stimulated when the findings OF the &C.
clesiastical court are submitted TO the
quorum of twelve OF the church tomor-
row in Salt Lake.
The information that the court Of in
quiry, consisting of Apostle Heber J.
Grant. Apostle Anthony w WINS and
Joseph W. McMurrin of the first pres
I idency of the seventies. had reviewed
the Voluminous testimony since arriv-
| ing at salt Lake Tuesday night, and
/ had late tonight reached q decision, was
received here. While. of course, no one
here has any first-hand knowledge of
what the findings of the court are, there
is a well defined current OF belief that
/ President Parkinson has been eNonerat-
/ ed OF even the remOtest faint of dis
/ honesty.
Judging from the manner in which
/ the court Of inquiry went into the
charges against President Parkinson,
| the report will likewise be complete
and far-reaching and will deal with all
/ phases of the case.
! Submit Report Wednesday.
It is admitted even by President Par
/ kinson's enemies and wOuld-be undOers
I that the court OF inquiry granted the
/ widest latitude and impartiality IN the
| investigation. George y. Casio and +.
/ J. Callan were given a fun hearing in
presenting the side OF the owners OF the
/ land In the oneida irrigation district
/ The invitation for all who desired TO
/ present evidence before the court was
| extended.
The belief that the findings will ex-
onerate Mr.. Parkinson is based largely
upon the attitude of Apostle Heber }.
Grant during the hearing. which was
partial to Parkinson throughout Apos-
| tie Grant, as presiding officer OF the
board Of inquiry, will, II is believed,
dictate the findings generating Par
kinsOn.
Confident that President Parkinson
will be entirely cleared of the multi
plicity of charges brought against him
when the report is submitted today.
the people of this section OF Idaho. and
in fact all over the state. believe that
the long-drawn-out controversy viii be
at an end.
George ID. Caste presented the first
complaint that President Parkinson had
assaulted him and had used abusive
ana unbecOminE language. He claimed
that statements given out by him at a
late conference OF the OneulA STAKE
were written under coercion and duress
after Parkinson had attacked him.
After considerable questioning had been
directed at him on this point. however.
he acknowledged that he had written
the first confession. and that Arthur
w Hart had written the second under
his dictation- His claim that he was
ASA ulted was refuted BY Joseph @. Nell
son. the witness present on the occa-
sion mentioned. Mr.. Nelson has been a
lifelong friend to Sastro. 1t was also
proved that Castro wanted to make the
confession before but that the matter
had been taken Up in stake council
meetings first
A committee from Dayton presented
long complaint involving district
bonds. on Tuesday afternoon the
charges were carefully gone over be-
hind closed doors.
Great interest has been shown in the
hearings. For blocks around the Acad-
envy teams have been massed which
have borne I'm the accusors and the
friends Of the accused. The nearing
Of the end in these famous cases. arous-
ing newspapers OF two states and end
less discussion and charges by high
Mormon church dignitaries. means more
TO Oneida stake than any one thing
that has disturbed it for many a year.