The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1897-09-10
prLioAn poinr MYSTERY.
Harry Hayes May Prove 70 be an Innocent
Man.

Man.
Provo, Utah, Sept s.--Reoent devel-
opments In the Pelican Point murder
mystery. which stirred Utah county
40 much in 1895. make II possible TO
believe that an innocent man IL being
punished for the crime. The Pelican
Point murders occurred on February
! n. 1895. Albert Enstrom, a stcp-son
Of Hayes, was living ON the latter's
ranch on the shores Of Utah lake.
This young man was 20 years Of age,
and with him ~ companion were WI.
liam Andrew johnson, his cousin,agcd
81. and Alfred Nelson, aged -. The
boys were engaged In looking after
the few head Of stock, pigs aud some
chickens on the ranch. The last time
they were seen alive was on the after
noon Of February 10, when some men
driving by In teams saw the boys
standing near the window.
on February ~, 10 and 20, neigh
bors passed the place and remarked
that II seemed 10 be deserted. Some
Of these people visited the place and
discovered that the boys were gone
and the cabin locked. This soon he
came generally known, and ~ the
stock was running AZ large and there
were some suspicious circumstances,
II caused much comment Finally, on
March 4, the Enstrom family, living
near by, wrote 10 Hayes at Eurckn,
notifying him Of the condition Of af'
fairs. In response, Mrs. Hayes came
M, her husband declining 10 do 40,
and with Mrs Rasmussen, visited the
cabin. They found the boys clothing
and shoes there and Immediately sus'
pectcd foul play
Mrs. Hayes shortly nfterward went
TO Eureka. and her husband came up.
lie had very little to say about the
matter, but a climax was reached
when, on April 18th, the first body,
that Of young Hayes, was fourd
floating near the shore Of the lake by
shccphcrdcr. who was watering his
sheer. The body was taken TO Lohi,
where the inquest was held, and the
suspicion that had already been
aroused against Hayes was dccpcncd
by his singular conduct there. Two
days later the bodies OF tho other two
boys were found under the same con.
ditions, all having been shot 10 death
Hayes was extremely indifferent
from tho frat and did nothing what
ever 10 aid the officers lie had M
will towards the boys and had threat
ened them with violence. His only
theory regarding the disappearance OF
the yonng fellows, before the bodies
were fonnd, was that they had gone
30 Arizona
Al the trial Hayes was found guilty
OF murder and sentenced 10 hang, but
the board OF pardons committed II TO
life imprisonment, which he Is under.
going.
What became OF wagon and lot
OF farm implements was circum-
stance tho officers could not solve, and
this was about the only point In favor
Of Hayes Innocence. The officers
thought the implements had been load
ed into wagon aud sunk In the lake,
and much timo was spent In dredging
without results. A fcw weeks since
Sheriff Storrs learned whore some
property answering the description
had been sold by man known as
Weeks, who lived near tho mouth Of
Spanish Fork canyon. Upon inycstl-
CATION this proved 10 be the missing
property. Weeks trail was i'm
medlately taken and he was yesterday
arrested In Colorado where he Is known
as Chase. lie Is suspected Of murder
there, and isknown a. desperate and
lawless character. Rcquisition papers
have been issued FOR his return TO
Utah.