The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-11-22
WILEY [. BROWN
Is FOUND DEAD
Body Discovered by Hunters on Ridge
in City Greek Canyon.
PERlSHES FROM EXPOSURE
HAD BEEN MISSING FOR PAST
THREE WEEKS.


THE body Of Wiley L. Brown,
prominent in Utah politics at
the time statehood was grant
ed, instrumental in the organic
ing Of the Republican party in the
state and an attorney who achieved
considerable prominence at the bar,
was found yesterday morning on Pine
ridge. five miles up City Greek canyon
and three miles to the left Of the can
yon The discovery was made by F.
w. Dover and Robert Mcclure while
hunting chickens. For three wears Mr.
Brown had been demented. Frequently
he wandered about in the hills for days.
The corpse was stripped save for an
undershirt and lay not Tar from a trail
leading over the ridge. The flesh was
drawn and pinched, which made il evil
dent that he had died from exposure.
Dover and Mcclure brought word or
their discovery to the police. They be-
lieved the man had been murdered.
Justice of the Peace Dana T. Smith
sent two men with Dover and Mcclure
to bring the body 10 the Evans morgue
The body was identified as that OF
Wiley Brown.
Was Once in Asylum.
About three years ago Mr.. Browns
health failed him and he became a ply
steal wreck. For some time he was
mentally unbalanced. Shortly after
wards he was committed to the mental
hospital at Provo and remained there
until year ago when he was released.
h
courts on account Of deafness, but did
some work in the offices of several law
firms.
His mental alteration became notice
able again when he read an anti-tith-
ing resolution in the Republican city
convention this fall. He wandered
away several times up City Creek can
yOn after this and grew steadily worse.
About two months ago he was found
on the fourth floor Of the city and
county building suffering from a stroke.
He was taken to the county jail and
when arraigned before Judge q. g.
Armstrong was committed a second
time to the mental hospital His
friends had the commitment suspended
during good behavior and talked or
sending him to private sanitarium.
Missing for Three Weeks.
For nearly three weeks Mr.. Brown
had been missing. John Z. Lynch, the
real estate man. received Il letter from
Mr.. Browns eldest daughter in Santa
Fe New Mexico, about her father Mr-
Lynch went 30 Mr.. Browns room at 216
West Fflst South street, buJ all nis
effects were removed from the room.
Upon inquiry Mr.. Lynch learned that
Brown had not been seen for over a
week. When his case was further in
vestigated it was learned that he had
not visited his customary haunts for
days. Nothing was thought about it.
for often he went away and remained
for days. His trips to the mountains
were frequent and while out alone he
would sometimes deliver addresses to
the rocks and mountain scenery which
consumed hours.
Story of His Career.
Wiley /. Brown was born on a
farm not far from Wheeling, ". Va.
i'm 1861 He spent his bOyhOOd on the
farm and graduated from the public
schools. His father sent his son TO
the Bloomington, Ill, law school and
he was graduated from his class with
the highest hOnOrs. At college he met
Lettie Means, whom he afterwards
married. He visited his home in West
Virginia and then moved 10 western
Kansas. There he participated in the
county seat fights and gained consid-
cradle prominence as a politician. In
1883 he went to Indiana, where he took
part in the Republican campaign. He
remained there uINn 1890. when he
came TO Utah and tried 10 make
living in the real estate business. He
failed at this and then went back 10
practicing law. He moved his family
here and in a short time won some
prominence at the bar. During Presi-
dent Benjamin Harrison's administra-
tiOn he conferred with him personally
about the affairs Of Utah in the terri
toTial days.
Later he conducted Judge Q. ". Ben
netts campaign for senator and until
I broken in health was more or less in
politics. Since his illness he was
cared for by the Utah Bar association.
II is probable that the association viii
take charge Of his remains. but so far
no arrangements have been made for
the burial.
Mr.. Browns family is at present I'm
Santa Fe. -. NJ, where his elder
daughter received an appointment I'm
! the surveyor generals Office. He had
a family of four children-Uhree girls
aud one son. His son was drowned
about a year and a half ago in the
( Aume at the head Of Main street. The
4 mother and children were informed OF
( the fathers death last night by wire.