135 years ago today - Aug 23, 1882

Rudger Clawson convicted

Rudger Clawson became the first polygamist to be tried under the Edmunds Law.

· Jury of twelve Gentiles. Note that, according to the census of 1880, there were 120,283 Mormons, 14,136 Gentiles, and 6,988 apostates in Utah.

· Lydia Spencer, Clawson's polygamous wife, refused to be sworn as a witness and was committed to the penitentiary.

· There was an ex post facto application of the law to his marriage performed before 1862.

· Rudger Clawson was sentenced to three years and six months in the penitentiary and was fined $500 on the first count, polygamy, and six months & $300 on the second count of unlawful cohabitation. (Larson, p. 109-110.). This was a very harsh punishment for this crime.

[Source: Tungate, Mel, Mormon Polygamy, http://www.tungate.com/polygamy.htm]

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