70 years ago today - Mar 7, 1944

Coordinated raid by FBI and local police to arrest polygamist men. Two heavily armed FBI agents and two Salt Lake City police enter Joseph W. Musser's home at 6 A.M. After placing Musser under arrest, they began to search his office for records. They present no search warrant but continue to search, despite Musser's numerous protestations to stop. Musser is taken to the county jail where he finds "a large congregation of my brothers. Of the Priesthood Council, were John V. Barlow, myself, Charles F. Zitting, LeGrand Woolley, Louis A. Kelsch, also Guy H. Musser and Rulon T. Jeffs." Musser is charged with federal conspiracy, state conspiracy, and cohabitation. Sixty years previously his father, Joseph White Musser joined the "honor roll" of Mormon men imprisoned for their belief in plural marriage. The First Presidency issues a statement about the case: "We commend and uphold the federal government, in its efforts through the office of the United States district attorney and assisting agencies to bring before the bar of justice those who have violated the law." Apostle Hugh B. Brown writes of the case: "The Church has in fact assisted in obtaining the information leading to the indictments, and a 'Mormon Elder' is the prosecuting attorney"