The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-15

FARR SAYS BODY
Is HIS SON.
Tells Strange Story of Young Mans
Disappearance.
GOOD NEWS FOR MOTHER
THE PORTLAND IDENTIFICATION
PROVES TO BE MISTAKE.
GOOD NEWS FOR MOTHER

With the body of his son George
FAR will leave salt Lake today for
CIaytsn Washington. He identified the
corpse last evening. To his old wife he
is carrying the news that their boy
whom they had believed dead during
nine years past, had begun life anew
instead of ending il in the waters of
the Willamette river.
Farr arrived in Salt Lake yesterday
morning. He went to the undertaking.
rooms of Joseph William Taylor and
saw Charles w. Fairs body
"That is my SON" ne said.
In an interview last evening Farr
cleared up the strange circumstances
surrounding his BELIEF that the corpse
he buried in Portland nine years ago
this month was that OF the man who
accidentally shot himself in this city
eight days ago.
Last Sunday j. +. Walling, foreman
OF the Utah Fire Clay company, at the
request OF Charles FAIR, whom he then
thought TO be dying in the l. D. s. hos
pital, wired George Barr the circum-
stances. il was the first time Charles
tarr had spoken OF his parents. He
lad never written 20 them nor heard
from them. He had a 81 GEO insurance
policy III favor OF his mother.
When George Farr got the message
IN Clayton, Washington. ne believed
some impostor was trying TO pass HIM
self of IS his son. But he came 10
salt Lake. Meantime his son died,
knowing that the father had identified
the body of another as his.
Story of the Father.
George Farr's story follows:
Years ago, before 1 went 10 Oregon,
my son came 10 Salt Lake City. He
worked here twice Both times l SEM
him money and ne came to me. L was
then in the state of Washington near
Gray's harbor, logging. In 1894 during
the hard times 1 started a logging camp
ON the lower Columbia. I was hurt i'm
an accident in the woods. l was finally
taken 10 a Portland hospital near death.
They amputated my leg. My son and
my brother were with me. Believing
that / was about 10 die, ana wishing
that my wife might enjoy am income
from my property / decided il 70
Charley and his uncle.
The two OF them then ran The camp.
After 1 got well / went to work making
money as best 1 could. They continued
90 run the camp. Charley was care
less about his money. He was not
keeping books. And he was going be-
hind. lie kept running behind. This
was in 1896. one day he went down 10
Portland and drew $500. Then he dis
appeared That was the last / heard of
him until l got this message from Mr..
Walling.
--.-r 6cdy Found in Portland.
1--WE thought he might gave gone TO
Alaska. But we had no idea where he
was. While I was in Portland looking
u3 his affairs about eight weeks after
under the Fourth street dock. / saw
that body. 1t was the same height and
weight as my sons. The hair was The
same color and parted as Charley part
ed his. The eyes We're ChaTley's. 1t
was a remarkable case of resemblance
That is the way I came TO make the
wrong Identification.
IN the years that followed we never
heard anything of my son. When / got
THAI message 1 was ON load of wood
coming into my place. l was unwilling
even TO take the message at first. But
my wife had never believed the boy
was dead. She persuaded me To take
the telegram, and / read IL. / believed
it concerned an impOStOr and said so.
But 1 went 10 Spokane. Through the
newspapers and through Mr.. Walling
got further details, and got The news Of
my sons death. Then l came ON down
here
"Now that I have seen my sons body
] know 1 was mistaken before. l am
thankful to be able 10 bring back the
news 20 my old wife that the boy had
made So good u name for himself here"
Air. Farr leaves this morning with the
body and his sons effects. The local
lodge of the WoOdmeu of the World and
J. +. Mailing had taken charge of the
dead mans affairs, and it was Waning
who brought 20 the parents the first in
timation that instead OF having leaped
from a Portland dock, their son had
come to Salt Lake and had made for
himself the name Of being an honorable