The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-05-30
FICHNOR DEALS TERRIBLE
BLOW TO PETER MORTENSEN
In Outlining Jne Prosecution the District Attorney
DweIIS on Prisoner Finances.
How He Expects to Prove That Accused Murderer Did Not Have
the Money He Claimed to Have Paid Hay

would collect TO make the settlement.
Mr.. Romney made a memorandum Of
these parties, and here they are"
MI. EiChnor at this juncture pro-
ducod an exhibit in black and white.
giving the data referred to. which was
hung upon the easel in front of the
jury. The alleged assets totaled $3.50.
but tho state will show. according to
Mr.. Eichnor's statement. that Morten-
sen never realized but $546.10 on them.
Mr.. Eichnor said the state would
show further that on Dec. IA, MOrten-
sen having done nothing. Romney
again demanded a settlement, and Nor
Jensen said that he would have every
thing arranged the following Monday
Dec. Is. ON Saturday and Monday the
defendant made collections. and Mon
day evening at o'clock he visited the
Office of the Pacific Lumber company,
said he was ready TO make a settlement
and asked that Mr.. Hay come to his
house that night 10 get the money.
Turning to Mr.. Hay. Mortensen said:
Hay Made Out Receipt.
You bad better make out the re-
ceipt. Jimmy. and the secretary did
SO. making the receipt in Mortensen's
presence for $500, and taking an order
for sos on a customer named Brixen.
representing the balance of the &C
count Mortensen said he had the
money in his mouse and would be ready
when Hay arrived.
The states attorney then described
the car ride TO Forest Dale. Mortensen
and Hay going together; mentioned the
fact that MOrtensen was at home at
$40 2. m with Mr.. Rice talking business
and that Hay went home and took sup
per with his wife and children. After
the meal Hay told his wife that he
must go TO Peter Mortensen's to col
lect some money: that Ernest ROmney
had told him not to go, but MoTtensen
was going away next morning and he
would have to get it that night.
Hay left his wife, saying he would
be back in a Few minutes. Mrs. Hay
awoke during the night and discovered
that her husband was not home She
went to MOrtensen's to inquire about
her husband. and was told by the de
PENDANT that he had started up town
with the money and must have missed
his car coming back.
The next morning Hay was missing.
Alortensen went to ROmney, told him
Hay had got the money. and intimated
that the secretary had absconded. He
money in his cellar and they had
counted 10 out on a settee; that Hay
had put II in his trousers pockets, fill
ing them one by one with the money.
which, he said, was all IN $50 gold
pieces.
Defendants Story Of Transaction.
Dir. Sharp. Detective Sheets and 9TH
ers interviewed Mortensen the same
day. To them he said he had had the
money on the east wall of his base
ment. partly in a sack and pahly loose,
He then told James Sharp that when
Hay took the money, he put it, not in
his trousers pockets, but in sack,
which he deposited in an inside coat
pocket.
Mr.. Eichnor then spoke of the re-
ceipt and Hays instructions from
Romney that he should cancel the note
appended thereto. representing S150,
when he received the money. The dis
trict attorney held up both papers. the
note being unCanceled. Coming down
to the famous interview between James
sharp and the accused on the day be-
fore the discovery Of the body. Mr..
Eichnor said:
Mr.. Sharp confronted Peter Nor
tcnsen and asked: Where did you see
my son iast?' MOrtensen hesitated, but
finally pointed TO n spot. Then sail
Mr. Sharp. here is where my son was
murdered. Peter Mortensen spoke up
and asked: How do you know he's
dead?' And Mr. Sharp replied: The
proof will be that his body will be dug
M out Of the ground within a mile Of
these premises within twenty four
hours This is not a question of rev
citation. We viii show you by Nor
mons and -MOrmOus that Mr.. Sharp
made that statement
Finding of the Body.
The attorney then skctched the find
ing of the body by Torgensen in the
vacant field; the borrowing Of a shovel
from Mortepsen 70 make the eXcava-
ton. and the remark of Detective
| Sheets. after the alarm was general.
that IL was not a case Of robbery. as
Hay was still wearing the gold WatCd
and chain Of his wife. The most dra-
matte scene Of the trial then ensued.
James Sharp bent over the dead
body OF his sOn-in-law.' said Mr. EiCh-
nor, and, pointing TO Peter Mortensen
taud here the district attorney suited
the action to the world. exclaimed: He
murdered you for a piece Of paper rep
! resenting $500. You never received
| the money. You never ran And Peter
/ MOTtensen hung his head in silence"
Mr. Eichnor then went into the con-
| Trajectory statements of the defendant.
on Tuesday. he said, Mortensen
claimed to have had the money in a
sack and loose: on Wednesday he had
I il i'm two fruit jars. so stating to Chief
Hilton; on Thursday, he said it was in
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