The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-02-07
BANISHED FOR LIFE.
THE OUTCAST OF CHURCH ISLAND IN
GREAT SALT LAKE.

He Has For Years Lived the Life of q Wild
Man and Rarely Sees a Human Being
Branded For Robbing the Dead by Order
of Governor Brigham Young.
In the center Of the Great Salt lake
in Utah is large body of land known
as Church island. This land consists of
mountains and valleys, with trees and
vegetation, and has always been used
as herding ground for cattle belonging
to the Mormon church. Several years
ago the water on the east side of the is
land was shallow and cattle could be
driven across easily, but now the water
is deep and everything must be convey
ed to and from the land in boats. A dis
tance of about five miles covered with
salt water must be gone oTer by canoes
to get to or from the island. On this
famous spot, amid millions of pelicans,
sea gulls and other fowls, wanders a
lonely old man. without clothing and
devoid of language Or any of the in
stincts of humanity. He was banished
years ago by the Mormon church on the
charge of robbing the dead.
Jean Baptiste was Frenchman who
came to Salt Lake City young man
nearly 40 years ago. He grew up among
the saints, and, after marrying, was
made sexton of the small cemetery. His
duties were light and his remuneration
correspondingly small He resided in a
little cabin on the mountain side over
looking the city, and spent his time,
when not employed in the cemetery, in
collecting junk and trading and traffick
ing with a few Jewish secondhand
clothes dealers who had the hardihood
to engage in business among the Nor
mons. A regiment Of United States
troops was then camped near the city,
and the gentiles engaged in business
were assured protection.
The little Frenchman was an avari-
cious man and was noticeable because
of his picking up every cast away arti-
Gle and carrying it to his home. Old
dry goods boxes, barrels, tin cans and
other packing articles cast away by the
soldiers were especially we'll cared for
by Jean Baptiste, the sexton. He dress
ed as a scavenger and resembled the
modern saloon loafer, who is always
searching the slums for barrels and box
es of garbage and cast off garments.
The actions Of the sexton created some
comment, and not little curiosity was
aroused among people who had occasion
to visit his residence on the mountain
side, over the city.
One day Jean appeared on the streets
dressed in an elegant suit of broadcloth,
A few days before wealthy stranger
had died and was buried in the ceme-
terry. The suit in which the body was
dressed resembled that worn by the sex,
ton. An examination was ordered, and
the corpse was found to have been rob-
bed of it's clothing. A committee wait
ed upon the sexton and made most
startling discovery. The grayeclothes
of over 200 persons were found in the
baskets and boxes slowed away in his
ghoulish cabin. Excitement ran high in
Salt Lake City. The boxes of clothing
were emptied and the contents taken to
the city hall, where many fond moth
er identified the burial robes of her
child. Elegant silk dresses, at that time
a luxury even to the rich, were found III
the various bundles. The man was ar
rested and cast into Jail, pursued by a
mob who sought his life.
Brigham Young, then governor and
general dictator in Utah, ordered the
man to be branded with hot iron and
banished to Church island. During the
quiet hour of midnight Jean Baptiste
was taken from the Jail, and his whole
forehead was scared with the following
inscription: Branded For Robbing the
Dead" Two men escorted the CULVER
ing, naked form from the city of venge-
ance. A canoe was entered near the
city, and the doomed prisoner was taken
in chains to the island which in future
was to be his home. Without clothing
or food he was landed upon the shore,
the boat returned to the mainland, and
the ghoul remained a hopeless exile. He
could not leave the island, because in
slant death would follow should he be
seen by any Of the inhabitants of the
Mormon land Of Zion. He was forced
to seek food and shelter amid wild ami
mails, the birds and reptiles.
The island was soon known as the
land OF Punishment People Stunned its
shores as they would haunted house.
Many persons were lost upon the lake
while rowing in canoes against heavy
winds. The general supposition of all
was that those unfortunates drifted to
the island and were devoured by the
wild man. Even the fearless cowboy
has ever refused to intrude upon the
home land of the exile. Wild horses
roam over its acres of broken canyons
rugged cliffs and grassy meadows The
sea gulls and other birds find home I'M
disturbed on the deserted shores. All
the natives, including Indians, warn
newcomers Of the fate of scores of
pleasure seekers who have been drifted
upon the shores of the fated island. The
crags, bluffs, dark caverns and lonely
canyons warn every boatman nearing
the shore to keep away from the hidden
dangers.
In a dark cave about half mile
from the shore lives the wild man. His
home is strewn with the wrecks Of