Brigham Young Uses Illegal-Marriage Defense

In 1873, a woman named Ann Eliza Webb sued American religious leader Brigham Young, the second president of the LDS Church, for divorce and alimony five years after becoming one of his plural wives. Webb alleged neglect, cruel treatment, and desertion, seeking $1,000 per month before trial, $20,000 in legal fees, and $200,000 for her maintenance. A court initially ordered Young to pay $500 per month and $3,000 in costs, but he refused, prompting a $25 fine and one day in prison for contempt. The court later threw out the lawsuit because Webb could not legally be Young's wife, allowing him to avoid permanent alimony by arguing that their polygamous marriage had never been valid under U.S. law.

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