Press Conference Outlines Church Cooperation in Bomb Investigation

President Gordon B. Hinckley, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Council of the Twelve, and Elder Hugh W. Pinnock of the First Quorum of the Seventy met with representatives of the news media October 23 to review information they had about a Salt Lake City documents dealer injured in a bomb blast one week earlier.

Bomb blasts had killed two Church members October 15—a Salt Lake City businessman and the wife of one of his associates. A bomb destroyed the document collector’s car the following day, leaving him hospitalized. Police are attempting to determine whether the bombings were tied to negotiations over documents offered for sale, some of which were called the “McLellin (or M’Lellin) Collection,” purportedly the papers of William E. McLellin, an early member of the Council of the Twelve who apostatized.

The press conference was called to “respond … to questions, speculations, and innuendos that have arisen consequent to those tragic acts,” President Hinckley explained. “Throughout the investigation the Church and its officers have cooperated with law enforcement officials, responding to every inquiry and request. We will continue to do so.” That cooperation was acknowledged by Salt Lake City’s chief of police during one of his own press conferences.