The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-05
In Effect Says He Was Not
Sealed to Rachel Davis in
Celestial Marriage.
ADMITS EVENTS LEADING
UP TO PROPERTY TRANSFER
Says He Holds Deeds to Real ES-
tate He Is Charged With OBJ
tanning Under Duress.

Entering general denial to the
charges made against him. Joseph E.
Taylor, a patriarch Of the Mormon
church. Saturday filed In the district
court an answer to the petition OF David
j. Davis and Edwin r. Woolley asking
that the court order Taylor to make an
accounting OF certain property. which, 1t
is alleged, he secured unlawfully by rea-
son OF his influence over Rachel Susan
Davis. who. IL is claimed, was his plural
wife. and over her father. Moses Davis
The petitioners are David j, Davis and
Edwin 7, Woolley administrators OF the
estate of Rachel Susan Davis and Moses
Davis, respectively. The petition charged
that Taylor, through his office in the
Mormon church as counselor to the presi-
dency of Salt Lake stake OF Zion. be.
came the spiritual adviser OF Rachel
Susan Davis about 1898. and soon after
became sealed to her under the doctrine
he taught and influenced her to accept
and believe. From that time until her
death, May ,, 1910, the petition charges.
Taylor lived with Rachel Davis as his
plural vile in secret aud clandestine
manner, Taylor's influence over her was
such that her judgment became pervert-
ed and she was unable TO direct her own
thoughts and life. the petition sets forth.
All this is denied by Taylor in a gen
eral way in his answer. though no direct
reference is made TO these specific
charges.
Taylor admits that Rachel Davis at her
death was the owner of stock In several
corporations. but alleges that she as
signed ana delivered all the stock TO him
Taylor says that the household goods in
the house at S14 First avenue, belonging
TO Moses Davis at his death. remained
In the possession of Rachel Davis, He
admits that in the year 1896 he was coun-
seor to the presidency of Salt Lake stake
of Zion and that Rachel Davis and her
father were members OF the Mormon
church.
Taylor says that Moses Davis. by war
ranty deed. conveyed the property on
First avenue to Rachel Davis. but admits
that the deed was not filed until nlno
Moses Davis died March II. 1909. and
that the warranty deed was made mat
ter Of public record the following dav.
Taylor admits that Rachel Davis, on
him n warranty deed OF the premises,
and that the deed was filed at 1890
o'clock the day OF May =. 1910. Rachel
Davis died at the l.. d, s. hospital at
admitted by Taylor. The answer recltcs
that TAYLOR. after the death of Rachel
Davis, took possession of the property,
With the furniture and other effects eX-
cep, such as lie transferred to David J.
Davis, brother OF the dead woman, at Da"
yls's request
Taylor alleges that at his death Mcscs
Davis owned 81 life insurance policy for
$1,000 OF which one third was payable to
Rachel Davis. ne-third TO David and
the other third TO the mother. Phoebe
Ann Davis. now dead. The mothers
share was TO be divided equally between
the son and daughter, the answer AYERS,
and an administration or the estate was
had in the Third district court and q de-
cree or dis tribution was rendered, under
which Taylor was awarded one-half of
the interest in the estate OF Phoebe Ann
Davis. assignee OF the interest OF
Rachel Davis.