Hyrum E. Richards

Judge Not Hyrum E. Richards

I tell people that Judge Not is a story of murder and mayhem among the Mormons. It all happens in the late 1800's, when the Mormons are yet trying to find a way to live their religion and yet fit in. Ezra Clements is a strong, quiet, religiously skeptical man, with one wife, Matilda. His brother, Henry, is a strong willed, vocal, religiously zealous man, with four wives: Annie, Vera, Stella, and Maybelle. Hack McGrady is a talkative loyal friend to Ezra, cohabitating with one Indian woman, Running Louse. All participate in the Mormon migration to south Alberta in the 1880's. When the Indian, Red Crow, who has been adopted into the Clements' families, is killed by a Mormon in good standing, they learn that religious intolerance, racial bigotry, hate, murder, and injustice do survive; even among those who have sacrificed much to escape from the same.