155 years ago today - Jan 28, 1862

[Wilford Woodruff]
[See entry for Jan 27, 1862 for context.]The Poliece took up Baptiste to the grave yard to day to point out the graves which He had opened. But there were many persons in the Grave yard who felt Exasperated in there feelings and He did not point out more than a doz graves which He had opened for fear he would be killed. No Estimate Can be made of the Number of the dead He has robed. I would probably range from One to three Hundred. Some 10 graves were opened to day. Several of them were found robed. He gave a list of some 15 Names which he had robed of late. Some of those graves have been opened & the bodies found Naked. John Baptiste was Born in Venace in 1814. What will be done with the man I do not know.

It was afterwords reported that John Baptist was branded in the forehead as A Robber of the dead, & Croped & placed upon Millers Island, & he undertook to Cross the Lake on a frail Raft & was drowned as supposed as he never was heard of after. He robed the dead in Australia to such an Extent that he built a methodist meeting house with the avails of his robery So he testified. [ ]

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

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