The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-09-14
DEN|ES THAT PLURAL
MARRIAGE IS BINDING
Salt Lake Lawyer Says Polyg-
anlous Wife Has No Legal
Claim Upon Him.
PECULIAR ALLEGATIONS
Asserts Children Are Issue of
No Lawful Bond Between
Him and Plaintiff.

George T. Marsh. Salt Lake City law
yer and owner OF property In Box Elder
and Weber counties, at the age OF 81
years feels himself called upon 10 deny
that the ceremony of the Church OF
Jesus Christ OF Latter-day Saints by
which Clarissa Reed became his plural
wife. Is valid in the eyes OF the law and
that the plural wife has any rights as
a wife under that ceremony. or that he
is legally called upon to support her or
the children she names as born as re-
suit OF such q marriage.
Marsh, appearing as his own attorney,
has filed an answer 20 his wife's com
paint for divorce. In which he says,
among other things:
Further answering said complaint,
this defendant alleges that the said plain
ans pretended claim is based on some
ceremony of the Church Of Jesus Christ
OF Latter-day Saints, occurring or taking
place about the year 1883. by which said
plaintiff believed and understood she be-
came the plural or polygamous wife OF
this defendant. well knowing that this
wife as aforesaid; that the foregoing Is
the sole and only basis which the said
plaintlff has or can now assert against
this defendant upon which to base her
said pretended claim TO have intermar-
ried with this defendant"
WIG says IleTo Are CnllQreQ.
The suit fled by Clarissa Reed Marsh
a few days ago was 10 have come up
next Friday on an order to show cause,
but this hearing was postponed by stipu-
lation yesterday until September %. In
the complaint the wife makes the asscr
ton, which is admitted by the husband
In his answer, that he owns property In
Box Elder and Weber counties. The wife
asserts that his annual income Is $4,000
The aged husband denies that IT is more
q w
asks as alimony.
Mrs. Marsh asserts that as q result OF
the union there are four children-George
]. Marsh, Jr.. % years OF age; T. r.
Marsh. II years. Benjamin w. Marsh. IL
years and Clara c. Marsh, years. She
docs not fix the date Of her marriage with
Marsh. except by saying that it was
prior TO February, 1908
Mrs. Marsh complains that her hus
band has failed TO support her and the
family, and that as result she has been
ing property In order to live. She asks
for an order granting her temporary all
mony and II is TO show cause why such
an order should not issue that Marsh
is to appear In court September %. Mrs,
Marsh asks for the custody OF the chill
dreu.
Denies Legal Obligation
Marsh's answer starts out with several
denials. He denies that he and Clarissa
Reed Marsh were intcrmarried at any
time prior TO 1905 or at all. Further he
denies that,
''As result OF said alleged or any
marriage or union there have been born
as children OF plaintiff and this defend
art the children or persons mentioned In
paragraph of said complaint or any
other child or children as the result of
said or any marriage OF the plaintiff and
defendant herein
Marsh declares that he is under no le-
gal obllgat tions whatsoever 10 provide for
Mrs. Marsh or the children named He
asserts that ION or about the month OF
February, 1854" he married Jane II. An
drews. and that they lived as husband
and wife until March l. zoos. and thar
at that time he was IS years, of age.
1t is said that, should Marsh admit
that the three younger Of the children
arc the fruit Of a polygamous marriage
he might possibly render himself liable
10 legal action-unlcss such has been out
lawed by the statute OF limita tions-for
unla awful coha bitaton since the manifesto
OF 1890, Three of the children whom
Mrs. Marsh attributes to the aged man
were born since that manifesto went into
effect.