The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-04-22
BANISHED FOR LIFE.
THE oUTcAsT or CHURCH ISLAND M
GREAT SALT LAKE

Rrnndsd FOR Rebblng the Dead by Order
OF GowurBsr Brigham YeunE.
In the center Of the Great Salt lake
In Utah is q large body OF land known
as Church island. This land consists of
mountains and valleys. with trees and
vegetation. and has always been used
an n herding ground for cattle belonging
/ 60 the Mormon church. Several years
ago the water on the east side Of the To-
land was shallow and cattle could be
driven across easily. but now the water
In deep and everything must be convey
/ ed 60 and from the land in boars. A dis
tMnce Of about i've miles covered with
salt water must be gone over by canoes
/ 90 get 10 or from the island. On this
famous spot, amid millions Of pelicanE.
sen gnlla and other fowls. wanders .
lonely old man. without clothing and
devoid Of language or any Of the in
stincts Of humanity. He was haniShed
years ago by the Mormon church on the
charge of robbing the dead.
Jean Baptiste was a Frenchman who
came 10 salt Lake City a young man
nearly 40 years ago. He grew mp among
the saints. and. after marrying. was
made sexton Of the small cemetery. His
duties were light and his remuneration
correspondinRly small BE resided in q
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 n few Jewish secondhand
clothes dealers who had the hardihood
20 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-
ci0us man and was noticeable because
Of his picking up every cast away Arti-
Gle and carrying 10 20 his home. Old
dry goods boxes. barrels. tin cans and
other packing articles cast away by the
soldiers were especially well cared for
by Jean Baptiste, the sexton He dress
ed as n scavenger and resembled the
modern saloon loafer. who is always
searching the slnms for barrels and box
es Of garbage and cast OF garments.
The actions Of the sexton created some
comment, and not q 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 hroadcloth.
A few days before n wealthy stranger
had died and was buried in the GENE
terry. The suit in which the body was
dressed resembled ttat worn by the sex
ton. An examination was ordered. and
the corpse was found to have boen rob
bed Of its clothing. A committee wait
ed upon the sexton and made n most
startling discovery. The grAvcclothes
Of over 200 persons were found i'm tie
baskets and boxes slowed away la his
gh0ulish cabin. Excitement ran high in
Salt Lake City. Tho boxes uf clothing
were emptied and the contents taken 60
the city hall. where many fond moth
er identified the burial robes Of her
child Elegant silk dresses. At that time
a luxury even 90 the rich. We're found in
the various bundles The man was ar
rested RDd 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
hanished 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 F" 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 De
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 a. 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 al
] was that those unfortunates drifted tc
; the island and were devuured by the
A 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
sen gulls and other birds find home nm.
disturbed ON the deserted shores. AL
the natives. including Indians. warn
, newcomers Of the fate Of scores os
pleasure seekers who have been drifted
upon the shores Of the fated island. The
n crags, bluffs. dark caverns and lonely
. canyons warn every boatmAn nearing
the shore to keep away from the hidden
dangers
In q dark cave about half a mile
from the shore lives the wild man Hi,