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Show Crime punishment usually meant vigilante action By BRANDY VOGEL The Daily Herald Smog was unheard of. more instead of less people were wanted to populate a new state and crime and punishment had far different meanings. Law in early Utah County only sometimes meant prison, court hearings or fines. More often than not. it was signified by vigilante action and unprecedented decisions which tried to best sere the rapidly growing settlements. ""Barns kept catching fire." said Wanda Petersen, local author and historian, describing one crime from early L'tah history. "No one could figure out why." Petersen said a tire brigade was established to try to put out the fires faster so that not so much damage would be done. On one particular fire, "the brigade arrived so fast, they caught the firebug running away." Petersen .said. "It was the deputy fire marshal s CATHOLIC: (Continued from Page 112) and under During the the leadership of Father Henry Stendenback. L'tah Valley Catholics built on top of the basement church the present building. On Sept. 30. 1945, the new church was consecrated by Bishop Duane G. Hunt, the only one in L'tah besides the Cathedral to merit that distinction. The church was then renamed St. rancis of Assisi. Thomas says in the years following World War II. the parish experienced it first significant growth and between 1955 and I95S. it built the St. Francis Catholic School sering children attending grades 1 2. During these years, the St. Francis parish was served by religious men and women whose efforts joined those of Catholic lay people to allow the parish to grow. Some of them were the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement, the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and the Victory Noll sisters. They worked with Franciscan Friars Arnold Paroline and Colman Colloty and Brothers Lavorin and Bernard Anthony Connolly. Thomas says the most traumatic-thinthat happened in the parish was the closing of the Catholic school in 1971. He says six of his eight children attended the facility along with more than 100 students. Thomas says the school was closed because of lack of funds. He says 17 nuns helped with the instruction of students, but when the religious order was replaced with lay teachers the school's tuition costs increased dramatically. The Catholic presence continued to increase in the valley. In the 1970s three other Catholic missions were 114 mid-193- F K-- himself." Petersen said the marshal was arrested and told he must leae town, never to return again. "This punishment seemed fair and sensible and was carried out." Petersen said. Other incidents are recalled by Madoline Dixon in Hctneeteet Town: Chili. A History of A family of four moved into Pavson who "were of questionable character." Dixon said. "They used to fight among themselves and make disturbances in the neighborhood." The wife and the two sons plotted to steal some horses belonging to residents of Pavson. but the settlers learned of the plan. The townspeople went to apprehend the horse thieves. When the thieves couldn't be halted, they were murdered. The townspeople involved were not punished because they were acting in self defense. No trial even took place to remedy the murder. The claim was accepted in for- - l'an. self-defen- established. One was St. Peter's Church in American Fork established in I974 and officially built in I9S5. The other was San Andres Church in Payson. established in I9S5. San Andres has its own Roman Catholic-missiocalled Our Lady of Victory in Nephi. There's no official building but Father Walter A. Riendeau is offering Mass on Sundays at the Juab County building. Another mission in Eureka called St. Patrick's parish is also administered by Father Riendeau. Another mission connected to St. Francis of Assisi Church is located in Flberta and is called San Isidro. Thomas says the San Isidro Church in Elberta was established in response to the Catholic presence in the area by migrant workers from Mexico and Central America. San Isidro was built and dedicated in 987. "We're a distinct minority group, but the largest of the minority reliThomas gious groups." says. "Because of that social fact, our parish also has a very high number of mixed marriages mixed as far as religion is concerned." Thomas explains the parish is diverse in national origin and race, with the Hispanic community dominating in total number, about 60 percent of the total membership. Todav. the St. Francis of Assisi Parish includes about 800 families from Provo. Orem and surrounding communities. "To be a practicing Roman Catholic in this L'tah Valley social environment today requires commitment, determination, perseverance and hope." Thomas says. "This is not appreciably different than it was 103 years ago when it all began. We believe St. Francis Parish has been a responsible and important part of the greater Church in L'tah." mally by the local people in Payson. But some murders were actually taken to court in an attempt to bring justice to a frontier town. A murder took place in 904 when two boys came to L'tah from the "old country" after inheriting a lot of money. Dixon said. Their bodies were found under the ice in L'tah tioned. Stanley Douglas said he found a man in a meadow who had hung himself by his necktie. The deceased family came in. ttxik the body home and buried him. On Christmas they got a call from the supposedly dead man, confirming he was really alive. Authorities figured Lake. Investigators found a hole in the ice nearby the bodies where the ice had been cut and the boys pushed under. Trying to bring about justice, a man was tried for their murder, but he was later released. Oftentimes the killer escaped punishment from a crime in the early days of L'tah County. Once an Indian was shot after he w itnessed the murder of another man. The Indian didn't die and was slowly recovering in a Payson member's home. One day the caretaker returned to tlnd the Indian shot again. Local residents believed he was shot so he would never reveal the name of who committed the first murder. Records do not show whether or not the murderer was ever found. This lack of justice in early Utah County often caused mistakes in the court and prisoner records kept. Sometimes deaths were even ques O the body found was placed by hitchhikers on the railroad which ran near the meadow clearing the body was found in. Unsolved cases became quite common as skirmishes developed between settlers. Indians and outlaws passing in and out of L'tah County. But by the 850s. law and order were beginning to prevail. In 185I a law was enacted establishing three judicial districts in the state of Utah. A court w as held once a year in Provo. Murder and treason were punishable by the death penalty. The person convicted of the crime had the option of death by a firing squad, hanging or beheading. With the punishment of crimes ang transferred into the hands of the state instead of local citizens, peace- - and order began to prevail in Utah County. Early law and order became the responsibility of the state instead of the settlers try ing to forge a path in a hostile land. 1 HAPPY BIRTHDAY 9UTAH 9? From Beyer Chiropractic Clinic Chiropractic has had great success in treating: Back Pain Neck Pain Stiffness Hip Pain Headaches Arthritis Numbness Bursitis Cold HandsFeet Painful Joints Shoulder Pain ArmLeg Pain If you or someone you know are experiencing one of these, or something else for which you've wondered if chiropractic could help, now is a great time to call us and schedule for a consultation and exam. At Beyer Chiropractic, we believe in treating the "whole , viimii is wny exams include: Range of motion check Orthopedic exam Appropriate neurological exam Chiropractic spinal exam Anemia screen i rnn.i v.wn.picic urinalysis Dr. SteDhen R. Beyer BEYER CHIROPRACTIC 2476 N. University Pkwy - Provo (Plumtree Plaza - Next To Movies Call 24 hrs. at: 373-868- 6 8) |