The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-20
Provo. oct. 10. 1896.

ItuCdn EOlII IluIQtT ldulc. j lt
story of the crime for the commission
Of which he has been adjudged guilty
by a jury of his peers, is a most re-
voting one. Hayes. when free man,
was d resident OF Eureka, and had
farming interests near Pelican Point
in Utah county on the shores Of Utah
lake. The property belongs 10 his wife,
who, so Hayes says. intended il for
Albert Engstrom, a son by a former
husband A COLI roVersy arose over
the title to some OF the land claimed
by Mrs. Hayes.
Albert Engstrom, Andrew Johnson
and Alfred Nelson worked together,
and during one o. Hayes visits to the
property he ordered them 10 hold the
place at all hazards unless an officer
served proper ejeStnent papers.
In the mo1sth Of April, 1S9z, the body
of Albert Engs1 rom, riddled with
bullets and swollen and decomposed
beyond ply steal recognition. was
found on the shores of the lake and
several days later the bodies of
Andrew Johnson and Alfred Nelson
We're also found. They. too. had been
murdered before their bodies were
consigned to the lake and an investi-
gatien showed that the crime had
been committed while the boys were
occupying a cabin on the disputed
tract of land. The finding of the
bodies caused the
MOST INTENSE INDIGNATION,
and although Hayes was strongly sus-
pected by many ana openly accused
by some Of being the author Of the
murders his arrest die not follow until
months after the findirE Of the bodies,
and after a most scare sling inVeStiga-
ton by a grand jury. From the begin
ming Of the case to the present time
Hayes has stoutly prot ested his in
nocence, but at his trial the attorneys
for the prosecution forged, link by
link, a chain of circun stantial evil
dence so strong that the jury unanim-
ously agreed upon a verdict of guilty
almost without hesitation on the part
of any member of the panel. Hayes
was then sentenced to he hanged. but
the case was appealed to the supreme
court in an effort TO secure a new
trial. Only 4 few days ago the supreme
court decided adversely to the prayer
of the petition and it viii soon become
the duty Of the judge of this district
TO resentence him unless Hayes can
substantiate the declarations he made
TO me today.
Hayes, throughout the exciting ex-
periences of the finding Of the bodies,
Ii
court exhibited remarkable self-con-
troll. If guilty, no criminal ever be-
fore paved the way to acquittai with
such n plausible alibi; if innocent no
man has ever been
so GROSSLY MALIGNED.
He has been, by turns, aggpessively
defiant and morosely JacitaTn. He
has carried himself. until today with
the attitude of a man who. conscious
of his innocence, could exhibit oC suffer
no remorse. Today, in recounsing his
tIibulations, he wept like child, and
in a voice broken by sobs he could not
control. he protested his innocence,
solemly declared that he now Believed
that he knew VINO the murde rsrs of
the boys are; and expressed confidence
in his ability, If new trial were
granted him, TO prove to the Sat1sfac-
ton OF all the world his innocence of
the horrible crime which the law says
he must eXpiate on the gallows.
It was the first time since his arrest
that he has spoken of The crime freely,
and had his story been listened to by
one not conversant with the case. or
whose business it is TO learn both
sides of an issue before ventUring an
opinion, it would have carried convic-
ton to his mind and made him a
champion of the condemned narrator.
As it is Hayes made, am todd, sew
eral misstatements, and, as is natural
under the circumstances, confined his
narrative to facts that would place
him in the best light possible.
HAYES INTERVIEWED.
/ found him lying on his coucn in his
CELL dressed only In his understanding
wrapped in a blanket and pradfng a
newspaper. About five weeks ago. dur
srs1 L.
did not converse with MIN. At that
time he appeared hale and hearty
had a confident look in his eyes and
bore himself as one who was confident
OF winning his battle against fate. To-
day he presented the appearance of a
man who bad suffered deeply; his eyes
are lustreless and his countenance, then
so rudy is now of an ashen palior:
when talking his voice drembles and his |
actions are no longer aggressive. This |
change, / was told. has occurred since /
the decision of the supreme court de-
fslved him OF the hope Of escaping the !
gsllows.
1t is an accepted fact that the boys |
were murdered either on the 18th or
18th of February. 1894. Their bodies |
were found about two months later.
The body of Alfred Engstrom was first /
found and by a sheep herder * is |
claimed that Hayes was at the ranch |
at the time az the discovery, and that /.
h 1T Gree drove to his home in Eu- |
reka and arrived there in time to re-
DI..e = telegram announcing the ind /
ing IF the body Of his stspson. After |
the disappearance OF Engstrofa the |
story became current that he had gone /
70 Arizona and this story il is claimed |
Hayes affected 70 believe.
ACCUSES BY INNUENDo.
.aThey claim said Hayes to me,
s,tbar Alfred and the other boys were |
murdered on the 10th or 18th of Febru-
airy. ] was in Eureka and can prove
IL by several witnesses.
He then related the history of the |
trouble over the land and declared that |
the people living OF the shores OF the 1
lake were responsible for the killing.
i am sure" said he, that / now
know who killed them. and as soon as
I can see Judge Powers L VIII get his |
advice as TO how 10 act.
Then followed his theory as to why |
the lake people should want to rid the |
world Of the boys.
Have you any objection TO naming
thk people whom you susrect?D \
asked
yes was the reply, II would hate
70 accuse an innocent man. ard, be-
sides. / want to see Judge Powers be- /
fore do anything further
Later on Hayes. with considerable !
feeling. said: Peterson identified the |
first body found as that Of Alfaar.fss 1