South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-30
MISSOURI MAN
SAID To POSSESS
MORMON PLATES
G. w. SChiveiCh, However, Re-
fuses to Talk About Hiding
Place of Famous Golden
Records Left by WitWer.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. March go
To own a stack OF plates Of pure gold,
eight inches long. four inches wide
and four inches high, and have II
widely known that it was in your pO-
session, would be "A rather uncom-
Portable TespOns bility, but f that
stack Of golden plates happened TO be
the record OF TIE Mormon church
Occasionally a little man. carrying
the well worn grip of e commercial
traveller. unoUtrusfEefy resist crs at th"
Hotel Savoy the following name and
address:
e. W. Schweich, Richmond, Mo.
ET SchWcic is supposed TO be the
pOssessOr Of the golden record OF the
Nephites, as well as the copper plates
OF the Sanhedrin and other priceless
; Mormon relics, and Is perhaps one Of
the most watched men OF the country.
II you ask Mr. Schweich, ste el
fence post salesman. If he has the
relics he will evade your question.
but he talks freely enough about his
grandfather, David Whitmer, who was
the last Of the witnesses to the auth
enticity of the Mormon Bible and he
describes the golden plates in detail
Also he admits delivering the original
manuscript copy of the Mormon Bible
10 Joseph Smith at Independence.
Mr.. Schweich says that his home at
Richmond, Mo. has been often search
the home OF his graif>father before
his death, and he declares.
''If L had the sealed book 1 would
not want TO make any announcements
regarding it,"
There are two reasons for suspect
ing Mr.. Schweich of being the guard
ian OF the Mormon relics. one is
that he is the last lineal descendant
OF David Whitmer who was the last
of the three witnesses to the transla-
ton OF the golden plates. The other
Is a quit-claim deed on record IN
Richmond, which mentions certain
heirlooms' A sister-in-iaw Of Whit
mer waived the right TO the heirlOoms,
which descended to the grandson in
stead of to her through her husband,
who was the brother of David Whit
mer. These "heirlooms' are believed
TO be the relics OF the church.
About the Golden Plates.
There is no doubt of the existence
OF the golden plates Mr.. Schweich
declared. Part of the translations
were made from them in my grand
fathers house in New York.
THE golden plates were found by
Joseph Smith. founder Of the church.
who, following out the instructions OF
a divine vision, went TO the Hill Of
Cumorah, about 90 miles from Sen
eca Falls. y. Y. and found them in
box Of stone These were engraved
with characters that no one could
read, as had been prOphesied in the
29th chapter Of Isiah where il says:
And the vision of all is become
unto you as the words of a book that
Is scaled which men deliver to one
that is learned, saying: Read this,
pray thee; and he said. I cannot, for
81 is sealed: and the book is delivered
TO him that is not learned. saying:
Read this. 1 pray thee. and he saith.
/ am not learned.
THAT explains why Joseph Smith.
an unlearned boy. could read the rec
ords that no learned man could de-
cipher.
81 have often heard my grandfather
tell OF the translation. Joseph Smith
zwould take the seer stone that help
ed him translate the record and put
Il in his hat Then he would bury
his face in the hat. holding it closely
around his face TO exclude the light
and the spiritual light would appear
and before his eyes there would APP
pear a sort Of parchment on which
would be the characters Of the golden
plates with the English translation
under them In this way the transla-
tion was maze and verified. character
by character"
The Whereabouts OF the golden
plates and the sealed book" has come
to be one OF the mysteries of the
church. Some believe they were bu-
ried again at the Hin of Cumorah.
Those who believe they were in the
possession Of David Whitmer before
his death. point 20 what they call a
miracle to prove ii. Some years ago
the town Of Richmond. Mo. was
blown away by n cyclone. The house
OF David Whitmer was wrecked with
the exception OF one room This is
said TO have contained the golden
plates. which was saved by act Of
the Almighty.
Needn't Search His House.
tt Is said that David Whitmer
made provision that the records
should not fan into the hands of any
save his descendants. after he had
quarrel with Joseph Smith over the
question OF pOlygamy. Whitmer
scoffed az the idea of the Smith revel-
alton from God indorsing polygamy
and broke away from the Salt Lake
church. He also disagreed with the
reorganized church. clinging 70 the
branch that is called the Church of
Christ
Mr.. Schweich and his daughter. Miss
Katherine Schweich who is destined
10 receive the records Of the church
take the same view as David Whit
mer.
In spite Of the disagreement. the
Salt Lake church erected monument
a Richmond 20 Mr. Whitmer and
oliver Cowdry. the other witness who
was buried thCre. Cowdry was the
one who rs said 70 have written the
hook az Mormonism rs Smith trans
lated IT, At the dedication OF the
monument in 1871. Mt. Schweich was
one OF the principal speakers
4 question as 20 whether he had
ever seen the golden plates aroused
Mr. Schweich to say:
81 do rot want To- make any state
ucnts in rNard 20 that 7 have been
bothered enough already All care
10 saw IS that those who have heen
searching FOR the golden plates might
as wen cease FOR they viii never and
hem
Mother Gray'S Powders
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