MORMONISM.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1859, 17 December 1874, Page 2

MORMONISM.

Ann Eliza, the nineteenth wife of Brigluun- X<mng, the great Mormon, .ar-. , rived here from Virginia' City yesWdaJrft and took apartjnenjfcs at the Cosmopolitan* HoteJ. . A-'G&lVtepDrhrt'oifoiSl'at the hotel last evening, and sent, up a note intimating his desire to inte ffriew Heron the Mormon problem, and regarding.her intending course in the divorce suit now pending between her .and the, great Salt Lake forefather. After waiting'-a litt|f while he was informed- that the* lady would receive him in her apartments, and" ihe proceeded thither. Mrs, Young was I alone and she greeted our reporter wifctf a cordial shake, of ■ the -hand., / ,Bhs answered all the questions put to hlf readily and clearly, and never, appeared as though she wished to conceal.-any-thing. She stated she, was anxious to know how people would receive nerin^ this city, tund- referring to the prejudice which exists in the East against Mormon women, explained that she was born in Navoo, Illinois, among the Mormons, aad of Mormon parentage, and was taken to Utah when only four years old. We will give her story in her own language. !'I was taught to believe,that Brigham Young was a prophet, and that his word was the word of God, and t« look upon him with great reference,, and fear, mingled with awe; and iff cannot be wondered at that, being brought up from infancy in such a belief, I should have married him. I left his house on he 11th July, 1873." Reporter: What were your reasons for separating from him. T , ; Ann Eliza (poutingly)—He never paid irie any attention and seldom used to come near me. He took no care, of me what- - eveir. I had a"very""p6or "Tsußsisfence besides, as all of his wives had, except, his favourite wife, and she had everyC thing she desired. He was, nothing to' me, I was nothing to him. Amelia Folsom i 3 his favourite wife; Sb,e is an old maid from the East about forty years of age. . •'.' ■'.-,:"•.:,. ",\ ■ Eeporter: Is she good-looking. ? Ann Eliza (uncharitably)—-I never heard anybody say she was handsome. She is a fine looking woman—a large woman, taller than I am,

Beporter—ln what style does Brigham Young treat his wives ? Ann.|Jliza—l had about 30dols. a year from the co-operative store for clothing, and he has on his premises a family store, frora which liis wives are supplied with the poorest and the plainest provisions. Anything further we wanted in the way of food we had to earn by keeping boar* ders or taking in : sewing. He can well afford to keep his wives decently, because his income is 40,0Q0dols. per month, according to his own statement, though I belief it is much greater than that. . Eeporter—Since you say you were ediW cated in the Mormon faith; how did you come to abandon it ? ,

Ann Eliza—About two> year* ago I began to get acquainted with two or three Gentiles, and I got m*y; eyes opened. Before I was married, I thought he was so perfect! But; when'-1 saw- hiss daily life I saw he was a very wicked man, and I l«sc faith in him, and of course*! lost faith in the religion. I believed polygamy to be very wrong and unnatural,' and I was Very unhappy in every way. .Itiwas a great struggle for me when X felt myself losing faith—giving upthe faith of a lifetime. I had a great many fears about it. , ; s t

Reporter—What was the immediate cause of your separation ? Ann Eliza—l have tiro little boys— (quickly) but Brighain Young was not their father. They were the\fruit of my first marriage.' One of my boys displayed a great taste for music, and I wanted to buy him a musical instrument, but in order to do so, it wasneeessary for me to earn the money. I asked Mr Young if I might take in borders but I did not tell him my object. He said yes. I went to him for some things one day, and be refused to give me any^ money, and told me to use the money I earned from my boarders and buy what I wfcnted with it. He said I coald use that money to take care of, myself;, for he could not afford, to keep me any more. Albert Hagan, a Californian lawyer from, Santa Cruz was boarding with me at the time, and he advised me to get a divorce Eeporter—Do the Mormons themselves believe in "divorce? .> . tJ » Ann Eliza—Oh, yes, Brighani, Yomng grants .divorces, and charges- lOdols. apiece, You may .think it strange that the Mormon women endure such a kind of existence, but they believe in polygamy

because they believe it is for their internal salvation. Ofc^JL cannot imagine why any woman who marries her first' love' could consent to share her husband with another woman. They would not d» it if they were not driven to it by the fear of eternal damnation. At this juncture Mrs Young's agent and another,gentleman came into the room, and after chatting for a few minutes our reporter withdrew. —San Francisco Morning Call. ', " •..-■'