R. N. Baskin

En route for California, Baskin visited the Little Cottonwood mining district with Thomas Hearst and saw possibilities in the minerals of Utah Territory and decided to stay.

[3] Ignoring the advice from his wife he went with the person, but at the corner of Third South and Main in downtown Salt Lake he was beaten to death.

According to an article appearing in the Deseret News on August 26, 1918, "he did much to develop Utah mines, prosecuted John D. Lee, wrote his Reminiscences, exposed Mormon Apostle Orson F. Whitney, and was active in politics, especially against polygamy.

However, the editor also commented that the paper later "found itself able to conscientiously to support him for high public office, and to commend his official acts and policies".

[5] In his reply he says, "I assure the Mormon people I am not their enemy, but their friend...I openly, and above board honestly and untiringly strove to Americanize theocratic Utah".