Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-07-03
WITNESS GIVES
TEST MONY IN
FAVOR Of CLAIM
Mrs. GeddoS Wins Strong
Point in Contention That
Her Son Is HEN to Part of
David EcCIeS' Millions.

Ogdeu. Utah, July Testimony
considered 90 be- the most pointed re-
speeding me purportcd ackn1wledg-
ment of the late David Eecles that
Margaret Gcddes was his plural wife
and The boy Albert his son By that
marriage. was given hy George H..
Gibbs. secretary to The presidency OF
the Mormon church since the time Of
brigham Noune be- the year 1868. who
when called To the witness stand today
in the legal battle over the millions
Of the late David Eccles declared that
in the spring OF 1900 David Eccles
came TO his office one day and re-
quested private interview Mr.. Ec-
Giles then admitted. so Mr. Gibbs tes-
titled that Margaret Geddts was his
plural wife and that he was the faith
or 81 her son Albert now claiming
heirship To the vast estate. Mr. Ec-
cles had told the witness that Mrs.
Geddcs had been tried in bishops
court at Plain City ana was about TO
be communicated for not divulging
the name Of the child's father. He
wanted the witness 10 intercedc with
the president of the church to set
aside the order of communication.
Attorneys Object.
The matter was taken up with the
church presidency ana q letter sent
Ia the Plain City bishop, which caused
the dropping of the proceedings
against the woman
Attorney for the defendant objected
to Mr. Gibbs testifying in the case on
the grounds Of his lncompetency UNI
der the statute which provides that a
81 - ST Df I'D If
ficial Of confidential and eNtraordi-
nary powers in respect to confessions
and other church affairs cannot be
examined as to confessions. The court
held that Mn Gibbs should be permit
ted to relate his conversation with Mr.
Ecclcs.
Mr. Eccles, at the Gibbs interview,
declared that Margaret Geddes was
good, pure girl She belongs TO me-
he said II am the father Of her
child and ! am going to care for her
want to know if YOU can do any
thing to release her from her awk-
ward position | should like to have
word sent to Bishop BramWel to leave
the girl alone and regard her as other
plural wives are regarded
Discouraged by Church.
Il told Mr. Eccles, Mr. Gibbs tes-
titled, that could do nothing for
him as President Snow was very firm
in the enforcing of the rule that there
should be mo plural marriages cele-
brated Mr. Ecclcs was disappointed
but ! called his attention to the dec
laration that President Snow had
made against polygamous marriages
ana informed him there was no ono i'm
the church with authority to perform
such marriages.
The witness said that he then told
Nj Eecles that a non-Mermon had
talked with President SneW and told
him that 1t was wel-knoWn among
sentiles ,hat plural marriages were
still being performed, that Nor |
mons were goins 20 Mexico to !
marry plural wives returning t. Utah /
10 live, and il was that practice to
which the gCntles We're Directing and /
hat it was that practice which was
causing so much trouble in Utah
The witness said that he called Mr. /
llccles attention to the fact that If /
we went to the president, he would be /
required to explain why he had vo- !
ated the terms of the manifesto and |
why he had not gone to Mexico with |
his new Wife, to which Mr. Eecles re-
)lied that he did not care so much I
'1f the breaking Of the law OF the /
and as the law of the church and that I
le did not SEQ fit to go to Mexico, this /
ounty being large enough for him, /
Us was not populated