"I am not writing under the very questionable shelter of a _nom de plume_, and have nothing but facts to relate, for which I hold myself responsible." The parties he indicted before the bar of public opinion made no attempt to refute his statements--a tacit admission of the truth of his charges. Judge McKean and his coadjutors, however, continued their lawless course. The judge entertained a suit for divorce and alimony brought into his court by Ann Eliza Webb, the plural wife of President Brigham Young. The marriage between Ann Eliza Webb and Brigham Young was not recognized by the law of the land. It was illegal, and therefore void from the beginning; consequently there could be neither divorce nor alimony. Still Judge McKean entertained the suit, and ordered the defendant to pay $3,000 attorney's fees to plaintiff's counsel, $9,500 alimony to plaintiff, and also $500 per month to her, pending a decision in the case. President Young, acting on the advice of his counsel, pending an appeal to the supreme court of the United States, did not obey the orders of the judge; whereupon he was found guilty of contempt of court, fined twenty-five dollars, and sentenced to one day's imprisonment in the penitentiary. In this James B. McKean displayed the petty, personal spite of a small man, instead of the courage of a dignified judge defending the honor of the bench. The rash and illegal act cost the Judge his official head. No sooner did the country become acquainted with the course he had taken than a storm of public indignation arose, and clamored loudly for his removal from office. Four days afterwards he was dismissed from the bench. The federal officers which followed the McKean ring were a better class of men; and for some years Utah had a period of peace. A circumstance which vindicated the wisdom of Elder Taylor's counsel to "Be quiet." CHAPTER XXXVI. INTEREST IN EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS--CHOSEN SUPERINTENDENT OF COMMON SCHOOLS--COMMENDED BY AUTHORITIES AT WASHINGTON--DEATH OF PRESIDENT YOUNG--THE NEW LEADER--STANDING OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES--ELDER TAYLOR'S PLACE IN THE QUORUM--THE HAND OF THE LORD. The interest which Elder Taylor had taken for some years in the educational affairs of Utah, resulted in his election, in 1877, to the office of Territorial Superintendent of district schools. His labor in that department of the public service, however, was considerably interfered with, at least as to details, by his being called to operate in a higher and more important sphere. Still school interests were, by no means, neglected. He called to his assistance the most competent educators in the Territory, and under his direction the work they accomplished, was perfectly satisfactory.