Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-10-13
MASHED ASHORE.
A skeleton Supposed to be That of j.
ID. Farmer Found Near TOOeIe.

Considerable of a sensation was creates
on the street last evening by the circula
ton of the report that the remains of
man had been found on the shore of Sal
Lake near Tooele, and the immediate
connection of the incident with the
drowning of J. d. Farmer, the wealthy
Jewish merchant, who lost his life al
Black Rock some three years ago.
+ Cohn Bros, of this city, were 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
a 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 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
perfect state of preservation, but in
yestlgation 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
partially preserved lip. Under the body
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 MIR. 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 large pier at the Rock, and |
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 IN the water started for the bath
rooms, but he stated that he wanted
to stay in the water while longer, SO
they left it alone. When the train was
about to leave he was missed bv his wife.
md 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
he shore of the lake.
The fact that the gentleman's life was
insured for large sum, gave rise to all
iorts OF rumors and suggestions as to his
having left the country for the purpose of
getting insurance money, and for this
eason the policies were not paid for a
ong time. At last, however, the insur-
Lnce companies took the afidavits
# several prominent business men as to
heir belief in the matter, and the insur-
nee was settled upon the widow. Some
months later Mrs. Farmer left for the
CAST, and the interest in the case died
ut, only to be revived by the discovery
+ the skeleton on the shore.
Further particulars will be given as
DON as they can be learned, but for the
resent the general belief is that the re-
1alns found are none other than those
the lamented j. d. Farmer.