The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-07-29

/ l walked to the sheriff. He was still
er's body, with his head bowed, sup
/ porting his chin with his left hand,
while with his right hand he support
( ed his left elbow.
The fact that Mr. Gordon was
wholly at my mercy was almost i'm
mediately forgotten by me. Indeed.
not until long after did 1 remember
Of il. when rejecting over my case
and endeavoring to understand why
l was called a murderer when 1 know
/ myself incapable of deliberately and
willfully take the life of a fellow be-
ing. This fact is a mere nothing ex-
cept when placed in its proper light
Says He Is Innocent.
Remember, honored sirs, that I am
called a murderer and am convicted
! HIalRIoqII7p puB kIInUUM S1IABQ 10
| taken the life of my fellow man. It is
absurd to suppose, for one instant, that
a person who values the life of his
fellow man more than his own, can
be guilty of the charge upon which
was convicted.
Would that 1 could place before you
the canvas of my memory that you
might read thereon the indelible proof
Of my innocence of the charge upon
which my life is forfeited Forfeited?
Yes. Because l was tried at a time
when the tide of public prejudice en-
comprised me. Engulfctf by a seeth-
ing sea of public passion, stood alone
without friends; but stood upon what
L then believed. and what l persist in
believing at this moment, is a substan-
| tial rock of hope, founded upon an in
nocent conscience.
Tho the roar deepen and the spray
/ blind me, those waves. as vet. have
not reached me; and to you, who are
exalted in your magnanimity far above
| the tidewaters of public sentiment, 1
appeal for my life with all the fer
vency and ardor of my youth
A R MAJORS.
Utah State Prison, July IA. 1900.
Falsehood is Charged.
In his closing statement to the board.
Attorney E. NJ. Allison showed some
acrimony and in referring TO Majors
statement charged him with absolute
falseheod. As to Fosgren's statement.
They ought to be lynched." he said
it was made before FoSgren knew the
/ facts and was d condemnation Of crime
in general; ii was not a prejudgment
Of Majors case.
The real question. he said. was. Is
Majors guilty? The board of pardons
is not a court of error. Majors did not
I take the stand in his own defense when
he could be oss-questioned. but
comes before the board with a commu-
nicatiOn.
Mr.. Allison scornfully denounced the
allusiOn in Mr.. Fitch's previous re-
marks that Judge Hart was a candi-
date for reelection. and must. there
fore. not weaken in favor of Majors.
Fitch denied the allusion, and Allison
reiterated II and stuck TO it.
When Majors says, continued Mr..
Allison, that Sheriff Carbon prevented
Belknap from killing him while he was
/ handcuffed he tells an unmitigated
falsehood. The story about his broth
er's revolver was discredited The
story of Majors attempted escape from
the court room during the trial was
reiterated and the claim made with
great emphasis that Majors had never
specifically denied that he fired the
shot that killed Captain Brown.
The statement Of Majors that he had
moved for a continuance of his trial
until the fury of the people had sub
sided. and that his motion was de-
MED was denounced as an absolute
falsehood. On the contrary. said Mr..
Allison. Majors attorneys moved for an
immediate trial before the California
evidence could be produced.
Mr- Fitch's Plea.
Thomas Fitch made the closing plea
for the prisoner. He opened with the
statement that the board of pardons
does sit as a board of review. The
board of pardons, it is true. cannon
send the case back for a new trial. bur
1t can moderate the sentence if il is
convinced that an error has occurred
He spoke of Fosgren and held to the
opinion that his prejudice vitiated the
trial He deplored bringing Majors