Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-04-29
Striking Life Story Of Bibiano Gil,
The Unfortunate Spanish
Friar
SON OF A FAMOUS BANKER.
Driven from the Homes Of Relatives
Ia Search Of Hi Wealth lie Was
Cruelty AssasSluated,
Special Correspondence.


n n ADRID, April 19.-In real lfc
IN 1t Is generally sordd story
that is laid bare by murder,
But the murder Of a poor
Spanish frar Bibiano Gil, has revealed
a tale Of blended pathos and tragedy,
Of sorrow and herolsm. Of sin unatoned
and OF a noble purpose frustrated that
recalls some Of the most moving ro-
mances OF Victor Hugo, 1t has fur
nished Spain with something more than
2 nne-days sensation. His Fathers
SIN might well be the title Of this his
Tory, for Us most pathetic chapters and
the terrible crime which ends It were
The fruits Of proud mans nfamy.
As usual, II was the innocent who suf-
Tered through it,
Senior Antonio Gil y Iacota was n
parsonage much esteemed i'm Madrid.
tie had the knack Of making money
and the stu rarcr knaCk of keeping
What he made, lie accumulated "A
arge fortune in the banking business
md doubled It by successful COM
nercial ventures. lie took an active IN
Ierest In local politics, was member
,f the common council and ultimately
lose to be president Of the municipal
government Of Madrid, The king con-
lerred on him the order of Charles II.
md Of Elizabeth the Catholic. A man
" austere habits, who lived frugally
md was seemingly entirely free from
The prohigate Vices of society, he was
regarded as a fine type Of the model
Dtisen.
All his life Senior Gil remained n
bachelor. In his household was a
naidservant - Josephine MenandcZ--
Eho. 60 tho misfortune Of poverty, add
ID that OF n pretty face. II is said
mat Gil promised to marry her. To
Escape a scandal, however, that might
fave involved awkward results for a
nan who prded himself on his reputa.
Jon as a pattern Of virtue and proprle-
Y, he turned her out Of the house. lie
made no provision for her support-hc
Eas opposed on principle to investing
honey In anything that did not prom
pc good pront-and the poor girl hid
Ter shame in garnet,
LEFT IN A FOUNDING ASYLUM.
There. In 1870 was born the man
whose tragic death and pitful story
las caused so profound sensation
throughout Spain, The poor mother
wrote repeatedly to the Childs father
mplorinR him TO take pity on their
labe and out Of the abundance of his
wealth make some allowance that
you'd afford the little waif something
Ike fair chance in life. TO these ap-
)eals GIL returned no answer. He was
concerned only that he should run no
nsk of besmrching his own rcputa-
Ion.
Life went hard with poor Josephine.
Morn out by the struggle 90 support
herself and her infant she was smit-
ZEN with fatal disease, When 1t he
ame apparent that she had only a lit
pe longer 10 live, she left her child al
} founding asylum, pinning to its
jagged dress a card on which she had
written;
This infant is named Biblano Gil
ind has been Christencd, He Is rs
hlnths old and has not been acknowl-
ldged by his father
To the one friend who had not abau-
loned her in her trouble--Mark Coma
fz, an old man--she connded the story
y her ohlld's parentage and eXacted
rom Gonzales a promise that when
NE boy had reached his fifteenth birth
lay he would tell him the whole sad
tory Perhaps she said, his fathers
leart might be softened by that time
nd he would do something for the lad
ehcn she returned to her garnet to die
hut holding by the simple faith the
Priests had taught her that to obtain
forgiveness for her own sins she must
lrst forgive all who had wronged her