Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1881 — Another Mormon Horror [ARTICLE]

Another Mormon Horror

Salt Lake Tribune. A few days since the substance tbe complaint in tbe case of ltaleigb vs. Raleigh, was published, aud yesterday a Tribune reporter bad the privilege of a short talk with the petitioner in the suit, Mrs. Elizabeth Raleigh. The latter is an intelligent fine-looking lady, whose hair is bu, ust tinged with gray, the combined result of years of life and Mormon wedded bliss. Mrs. Raleigh’s story is like that of a great many of the women who have married into' the church. She first went into Mr. Raleigh’s family as a nurse to bis former wife, who was on a Ixd of sickness from which she never rose. She declined to accept the proposals of marriage, when first made, but in obedience to the mandate of Heber C. Kimball, then one of President Young’s counselors, and to whom disobedience was worse than contempt of court, she at length acceded. Her honeymoon was not a particularly bright one. but she took upon herself the care of her husband’s children by •his first wife, aud was a mother to them during many years that followed. She was allowed to work' all she pleased, and sometimes more, from the beginning, and as stated in the complaint aided in every way to build up the fortune of her lord and master. As a specimen of what was expected of her, one instance may be related alone. Shortly after their marriage one of tbe cows died, down in tbe pasture lot in the edge of the town, it was supposed from having in some way become poisoned. She was sent with a Danish boy to skin the body, which they did, and Mrs. Raleigh carried, the hide to the house over ner shoulders, her husband, meantime, standing by with a linen duster on ' and walking-cane in his hand, superintending the work.

In the course of time new wives were added to the household, the number eventually reaching eight, and at one period six of them occupying one house, and working and eating together in one small room, which served as kitchen, | dining-room, sitting-room, Each had a separate sleeping apartment. They were all expected to earn a living, and if they wanted anything special in the way of clothing, etc., they bought it themselves from money made at washing or otherwise. The head of the household bought his supplies by the quantity, and kept them under lock aqd key, dealing them out with a sparing hand. He was suspicious always that his wives were trying to rob him. and on one occasion, when he thought he missed a drees pattern of a bolt of common heavy goods, he searched the apartments of his wives, examining the bedticks, looking in small drawers that would not have contained the bulk of the drees, ahd, when urged sarcastically by the plaintiff, even peering into a pair of stockings which were .hung up in the room. The plaintiff says the finest drees he ever gave her after their marriage was one of a common material which would probably cost about a bit a yard now. One of his wives finally brought a suit for divorce against him, which was settled by compromise, and the result of the present suit will be watched with interest by some of the others, will follow suit ’if Mrs Raleigh succeeds.

As an evidence of the love felt for him by his children, it is said that when he had been abseut in . England on a mission and was returning, they saw him, and one of the boys exclaimed: “There comes that old scoundrel,” whereupon they all hastened to conceal themselves. He was called by some lajs tender and respectful names at other times, and all in all his life as a husband and father seems not to bays been a happy one,

rgggctr inspired taW. Subsequent to the separation from her husband, Mrs. Raleigh was questioned ae to tbe illicit distillery which his Is ■aid to have run in the cellar of his house la this city a* one time, but of this matter she professed to be in ignorance. The story goes that one of the mental charge being drinkinw with some companions ana not Uking the quality of the tanglefoot offered him, told the crowd that if they would come to the cellar he would give them some that was genuine, as he had helped to make it himself. These are but the merest scraps from the history of the eminent Council man, who is so bright and shining a light in the circle of Latter-day Baints, and the trial promises some exceedingly interesting developments.