Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-10-13
WASHED ASHORE.
A skeleton supposed TO be That of J.
ID. Farmer Found Near TOOeIe.

Considerable OF a sensation was created
on the street last evening by the circula-
ton of the report that the remains Of a
man had been found on the shore of Salt
Lake near Tooele, and the immediate
connection of the incident with the
drowning of j. ID. Farmer, the wealthy
Jewish merchant, who lost his life at
Black Rock some three years ago.
Coin Bros, of this city, we're com
municated with, and from what they have
been able to learn so far, they believe the
remains to be those of Mr.. Farmer. They
are awaiting further word from Sheriff
Mcbride, who has charge OF the body,
and in case the Identification should
prove their belief correct, they will take
immediate steps toward informing Mrs.
Farmer, who is now in the East, and will
prepare for the burial of the bones.
itappears that early Sunday morning
man named Wan, who was duck hunt
ing along the shore of the lake, between
Tooele and Garfield, suddenly came upon
the skeleton laying in the grass a couple
of rods from the edge OF the water. Wan
proceeded to Tooele, where he told Sheriff
Mcbride what he had seen, and party
then went to the spot and took the re-
mains to Tooele.
One report had it that the body was in
Il perfect state OF preservation, but in
vestigation proves that this is an error.
There is still some flesh left, but in some
places the bones are perfectly bare The
only hair found was a part of the
moustach, which still clings to the
rti all Luz IN,
was found small piece of bathing suit
which will form the most important link
in the chain of the evidence of Identified
ton.
The Cohn brothers and Mr. Hyams,
OF this city, have made every effort DUR
ing the day to communicate with Sheriff
Mcbride, but at latest accounts they had
not been successful 1t is likely, how
ever, that the Sheriff will arrive in this
city on this afternoons train and will
probably bring the body with him.
The story of the death of Mr.. Farmer
will be remembered by most people liv-
ing in this city at the time, as it created
so great sensation when first circulated.
Mr.. Farmer had gone to Black Rock one
Sunday in August, 1888, and
had taken his family with him. In the
evening, after the bathing train reached
the resort, the gentleman. went in bath
ing with number OF friends, and was
last seen floating on his back in the
water. At the time OF the occurrence
there was q large pier at the Rock, and a
smaller board path leading down to the
east OF the pier. Shortly before the time
for the return train to leave the station
the gentlemen who were with Mr.. Far
mer i'll the water started for the bath
rooms, but he stated that he wanted
to stay in the water while longer, 50
they left it alone. When the train was
about to leave he was missed by his wife,
and the search instituted by his friends
proved fruitless. His bathroom was
entered and his clothes were found there.
The search was kept up during the entire
night, and for weeks and weeks after that
parties were kept on the lookout all along
the shore of the lake.
The fact that the gentleman's life was
insured for large sum, gave rise to all
sorts OF rumors and suppostions as to his
having left the country for the purpose of
getting insurance money, and for this
reason the policies were not paid for q
long time. At last, however, the insur-
ance companies took the affidavits
of several prominent business men as to
their belief in the matter, and the insur-
ance was settled upon the widow Some
months later Mrs. Farmer left for the
East, and the interest in the case died
out, only to be revived by the discovery
of the skeleton on the shore.
Further particulars will be given as
soon as they can be learned, but for the
present the general belief is that the re-
mains found are none other than those
OF the lamented j. D. Farmer.