The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-27
THE PRIESTLY LECHERY.

It is good to see the Deseret News
joining in the just crusade against
what is called the "white slave traf-
fIc." Still better would il be TO sec
the church organ enhance the value of
its efforts by inaugurating a system of
housecleaning at close qurters. Per
haps the following letter may help in
getting al our meaning:
Washington City, Utah, July q. 1883.
Mr.. William Palmer:-I write this to
let you know my feelings concerning your
correspondence with my daughter.
don't think YOU have any right wha
10 write continuously to a young girl
without the consent OF her parents. and |
doubt whether your own wives know all.
If all is true what | hear. YOU have hard
enough times in supporting your own
large family without getting more and
when a girl marres. II Is for the support
and protection Of a husband; but in place
OF this you can do neither. and may eX-
pect TO go to the penitcntiary at any
time. I think II is more OF sin than
a blessing. for 1 do not believe it is ac-
ceptablc before God. / will never give
my consent To your marrying my daugh-
ter No. never! Now do YOU think 1t
right for man or Latter-day Saint 10
act in this manner? / have tried polyg-
amy and know the sorrow II brings, and
have had trials OF different kinds, but
more than ] can stand. and # your family
knew all (Which l don't believe they do)
they certainly feel the same, You know
not the sorrow you have brought TO me
and my household.
II you feel Ike answering this YOU can
do so. and direct to
MRS. ANNIE D. IvERsoN.
This Elder William Palmer was an
emissary of the Mormon Mutual I'm
provement associations and travelling
solicitor for the publications of that
society. He has been president of sew
eral Mormon missions. and through his
numerous church activities came into
contact with the young people. 1t was
"A favorite occupation Of his to ogle
young Mormon girls Gan unfortunate
visual defect would not permit him TO
fix an object with both eyes at the
same time) and cndeavor to procure
them for his already extensive harem.
When the foregoing letter was read in
court, Palmer was asked if his atten-
tions TO the young woman in question
were directed. with view to polyga-
nous matrlmony, and he brazenly re-
piled, 'FWell, ii might have COME to that
If we had become better acquainted -
As Mrs. Iverson s letter clearly iudi-
Gates, Elder Palmer merely desired to
make n slave OF her daughter slave
TO his lechery and a slave TO his sup
port The old sscoundrel was already
permitting his wives and children 10
drudge day and night in order to sup
port themselves; but he wanted another
slave 10 add TO his string.
Incidentally, it seems that this
'mutual Improvement work of the
Mormon church supplies fertile ground
in which 10 cultivate the polygamous
virus. 1t will be recalled that Elder
Alpha j, Higgs, who only last year ran
away from his wife and children with
Bessie Badger in illegitimate polyga-
nous association, was directly com
panioned with Joseph +. Smith in the
office of the Improvement Era, and
that the ruined girl was q stenographer
In the same place.
But there are other equally damnab bic
crimes and criminal operations of the
poly ygamous cult TO which tho News
might pay bencficent attention, II it
would. In the older days the immi
grants were taken up to the old tith.
ing office corral, and there they were
viewed and inspected by tho Mormon
Melchisedeks. Whenever some one Of
''the Lord S anointed - east his vicious
eye upon girl Of particular attractive
ness to his brutal nature, he merely
went in and took her away with some
slight explanation to the credulous
parents or other relatives that he was
acting sin the name Of the Lord. - Il
is not that way now, but near it. Girl
converts are sent over here by Nor.
mon missionaries, and if there is any
possible way for the polygamous cult
to get first hold on them. they are
dragged into the "white slavery of
| polygamy.
| But, as we have said. il is good TO
see the News even with one foot on the
side of virtue, and If anything we can
say will bring il squarely over against
immortality, we shall always be glad to
! saw it,