Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-02-27
Utah Officials
Return Home
Back from Colorado. Where They Went TO Investigate
Claims as to Innocence Of KIM VINO Is Condemned
To Die for Murder May Not be Guilty.

County Attorney p Christensen
and Sheriff George II Naylor returned
from thelf trip to Colorado Last night
arriving IN this city at exactly ll;lO'
They Immediately Went 10 their homes
and to bed to seek rest
The visit OF these officials TO Denver
and Canon city to Investigate the alle-
cations made by John Mace IN his az
hdayit may mean much for Robert L.
King, and again It may not AZ all
events, II looks bad for John Strange,
the Colorado convict While the Of
0cers do not say they believe In
Kings claims to innocence Of the MUIR
der Of Colonel Prowse, they do declare
their belief that John Strange knows
more about the tragedy and the facts
which led UP to II than he viii admit
at this time aud a warrant charging
him with completely IN il Is TO be Is
sued and Strange VIII DE brought back
TO this city
The investigation of the county attor-
ney and shcnn does not tend to
strengthen their belief In the affidavit
OF Mace, nor that of WitJenburg's.
That Mace swore to the allegations in
his statement out Of revenge 70
Strange Mace admitted to Sheriff Nay
lor but some Of The statements he
made were corroborated by Strange
himself
That Strange and Lynch are known
to ouch other, and that they served
time In the Idaho state prison has. been
established BY Strange's admissions.
That Strange was IN Ogden the day al
ter the Sheep Ranch atair has also
been proved by his admissions; and he
travelled with John Mace from Ogden
TO Cheyenne and thence to Cripple
Creek where both We're arrested IT
was learned that Strange has a bad
record behind him and that he Is now
badly wanted by Colorado officers.
Mace also has bad record and served
time In Idaho. California and Colorado.
Sheriff Naylor declares that 1t would
not surprise him in the leas.
to learn that Mace, Strange, Lynch and
King and one other person
We're mixed up In the attempted rob-
berry and hoidup,
II now remains to be seen whether or
not the crime can be fastened upon
Strange, and If King can secure a new
trial upon the affdavits in the posses
sion of Attorney Wanless, and thereby
escape the death penalty The action
of the court yesterday places the ques-
ton Of new trial yet In the future
When seen at his office this afternoon
sheriff Naylor was requested by a
News reporter 70 give a detailed ac-'
count OF the inyestiga lions made by
himself ana the county attorney,
which he did In the following language
"Wc reached Salt Lake last night at
ten minutes after eleven O'Clock, and |
went right to bed. But 20 start at the
beginning we met Mace in Cuneo's Of
fee the day we arrived at Denver ana
had two hours talk with him, but with
little satisfaction. on Sunday we met
him az the ST James hotel ana he
wanted 70 know y we had seen Mr.
Reno When We told him we had not
he refused 70 saw anything We made
another appointment with him but he
did not keep IT, We met next morning
but he again refused to talk unless Cal
houn, Attorney Carwood's partner
was present. We finally talked with
him, but he did not say very much than
was in his affidavit Mace told us that
three prisoners at Canyon city Ken
nedy Collier and Mcdonald had heard
Strange's statement Mace admitted
10 us' that he had IT In for
Strange because he says. Strange
tipped him OF and got him settled at
Canon city. Mace refused absolutely
to say anything about his past life,
"On Tuesday, we went to Canon
CITY. and saw the prisoners Mace spoke
about. They denied his story at first
Mcdonald said Il was fact that
Strange aud Lynch had served time to-
gether In Idaho. Lynch going under the
name OF Welsh. Strange AT first de-
MED that he knew Lynch but after see
Ing his picture admitted H."
"Did Strange admit to you that he
was present when Prowse was shot
asked the reported.
"IIe did not, said Sheriff Naylor
"He denied all knowledge Of II, never
theless, ! believe he knows something
about II"
Continuing, he said strange od-
mltted ne met Mace IN Ogden at the
time stated by Mace, and travelled win
him from ogden TO Cheyenne ana
Cripple Creek one thing that convlnc-
es me that Strange was mixed up IN
the AFFAIR, or knows something about H.
is that the prisoners at Canon CITY
yay IL has been common talk among
them for some time that Strange was In
Il. They say that whenever the King
case was mentioned Strange was very
anxious to get a hold OF the Salt Lake
rapers. From the admissions he made
| think ne should be brought back, but
think II would lie hard matter to
convict him.
sheriff, does Strange resemble King
at all?"
Yes was the reply. "rhey look
enough alike to be twin brothers.
Strange Is tall like King. talks like
king-same eyes and complexion, but
he is not quite 80 heavy"
Would you say from your investi'