22 July 1885

A REVOLTING CASE

_______________

Thomas Porcher’s Polygamous Love Unveiled

_______________

An Incestuous Alliance With His Own Niece.

________________

With Death to the Progeny and Misery to the Mother.

_________________

At an early hour yesterday morning Deputy Marshal Greenman arrested Thomas Porcher, or the Twenty-first ward, on a charge of unlawful cohabitation, and at 10 o’clock had him, his brother Robert, and his two wives, Ann and Eliza Porcher, before Commissioner McKay. The complaint was read to Porcher and he pleaded not guilty. He explained that his polygamous wife, Eliza, had been an invalid for the past four or five years-ever since she buried her baby. When asked if he had counsel he replied that he did not know that he needed any; had not thought anything of it, said when told by the Commissioner that he had better take time to consider it he said he had nothing to think about. He was then asked if he belonged to the church and was in good standing, and he answered in the affirmative. He was then informed that Bishop Sharp was at the head of a committee who had ? the legal decision ? polygem?, and that he had better consult with the bishop, but he did not seem inclined to do so, whereupon Judge McKay went to the telephone and ? the Utah Central office. The Court end of the conversation was as follows:

“Hello; is Bishop Sharp there? McKay wants to talk with him at the ? [pause.] Hello, [Another pause] Hello, Hello; yes, what? Well say, tell him that there is a man of the Twenty-first ward here on a charge of unlawful cohabitation, and that he has no counsel, and don’t know whether the church will defend him or not. Well, we’ll wait to see what the bishop does. [Another long pause] Hello! Yes, Well, I am waiting.”

To Mr. Varian: “He says he will send somebody right down.” Judge Bennett put in his appearance within five minutes and held a brief consultation with Porcher, after which the examination began.

ROBERT PORCHER

Testified that he was an elder brother of the defendant, and lived in the Twelfth ward; he knew Ann Porcher; she was the smaller woman of the two, and was defendant’s first wife; he had known Eliza Porcher, the polygamous wife, ever since she was tow hours old, some thirty-four years. Defendant lives in Bu-ville?-Twenty-first ward-where he had known and visited him frequently; the last time last week, when a niece of his was buried. He did not know if any relationship existing between the defendant and Eliza Porcher other than that of uncle and niece, and never did know of any other. She had been living with him thirteen years, to his knowledge. When she came to Utah two or three years ahead of witness, she went to live with her uncle, the defendant, and had ever since lived with him. There are children in the house, those of Ann Porcher, who had lost two or three. The other woman, Eliza, had her babe six years ago. Witness did not know that she was or ever had been married to defendant. She is reputed to be his niece, and he knew of no other reputed relationship between them. He knew she had borne children, but did not know where they came from. “She is my own daughter, but has not lived with me since she left England.” She had lived with defendant ever since she came here. None of her children are living. There are four rooms in defendant’s house, all on the ground floor, and witness ? to know as little as possible about the occupancy of these quarters. If a testimony, however, v?ly showed that the women and defendant all lived there. Going back to the question of the paternity of Eliza’s children, the witness said that he never knew, never heard, never surmised, nor did he ever have an idea as to who their father was. He might have picked up an idea on that point, for we sometimes pick up curious things. But this was a thing that ? ? too unknowable, in which Mr. Varian concurred as far as Utah is concerned.

ELIZA PORCHER,

The niece and the polygamous wife of the defendant, ?. Are you the wife of the defendant? I don’t know what to say to that, not be legal wife.

Porcher-Say the truth.

Were you ever married to the defendant according to the rite of the Mormon church? Yes.

And borne him children? Yes.

How old is the youngest? It died six years ago.

Where have you lived during the past few years? I have been in Elko, Nevada, the past six weeks.

When did you go there? Last fall.

What was the occasion of your going to Elko? I went as a nurse. I go out nursing as a means of ?ing a livelihood when my health permits.

Where do you live when not out nursing? I live here in the same house with the defendant and Mrs. Ann Porcher. I occupy the two front rooms and eat at the family table. I would pay rent for the two rooms if I could and it were demanded of me.

Your maiden name and your married name is Eliza Porcher, is it not? Yes, sir.

And you are known as one of the wives of Mr. Porcher, are you not? I am Eliza Porcher, but have not been called Mrs. Porcher of late.

Of late! What do you mean by that? I mean since I have been in ill health.

And how long has that been? For the last four or five years.

Then, commencing with that ? you dropped the Mrs. Part of your name? Yes, sir; in consequence of ill health. I have been afflicted with dropsy some six years-since I buried my youngest child.

What relationship are you to the defendant, other than his wife? I am his niece.

What does your husband do, if anything, as a business? He has no business that I know of; he works at whatever he can get to do.

What were you doing in Nevada? I was nursing. I have four sisters there, and all of them were sick.

Then you partly support yourself? When I am able.

You say you broke off with defendant as his wife because of your ill health-that is the only reason? Yes, sir.

And except as to that you have borne his name and remained his wife? Yes, sir.

Did you go out to nurse prior to your illness of which you speak? No, sir.

That is, you went out to work after you got sick? Yes, sir.

BY THE COURT.

How many children have you borne this man? Ten.

When were you married to him? Fifteen years ago.

When was the youngest born? Six years ago the 3^rd of last December.

A look of inexpressible agony passed over the faces of the spectators, and the Commissioner seemed to be wavering as to whether to hold the man or not. Finally the Judge held Porcher in $1,000 bonds to appear before the Third District Court and Henry James and Charles Dangerfield became his ?.

Eliza Porcher, the niece and polygamous wife of Thomas Porcher is thirty-four years of age; has born to him ten children in nine years, and not one remains alive; is suffering now from dropsy, and goes out nursing for livelihood. Of such is polygamy!