Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-01-23
LAST WITNESSES FOR THE STATE.

room ne approached Charles Watkins
and thrust out his hand The brother
in-law shook hands with him aud the
prisoner said something IN a low tone.
What he said could not be heard but
when he had finished speaking he
glanced over the court room and then
TOOK his seat, while O grim smile app
peared on HIS face for a moment
When court reconvened Mr. Sharp re-
sumed his story where he left of ut
noon.
Peter Mortensen had another terrible
/ ordeal TO go through when Mr. Sharp
resumed his narrative Of scenes and In
cldents on the day prior 20 and the day
/ OF the hnding OF the body OF his muir
dered sOn-in-law.
I ION the evening OF the nth" said he,
| Peter Mortensen came to my house,
/ answered the door bell and invited him
| 10 come IN We went into my sitting
room and asked him 10 take seat
/ He did 10 and then said Brother
sharp what have you done with the
receipt and note you goy from my
wlfeY | said to him. j gave them to
the officers Of the law ana when you
prove your title 10 them | VIII be
| pleased to turn them over TO YOU Then
| asked him II he knew that u was the
receipt that was signed In the office
OF the Pacific Lumber company on the
night OF December roth, and he said
he did. Then he said to me. Brother
sharp, II you want to continue your
search for james II. Hay will do all
can to assist you I then told him
would be at Forest Dale in the morn
ing
II VIII ask you II this Is the same
receipt and note Of which you have tes-
tihed?'
Eyes, sir; that is the same receipt and
note,'
Attorney Christensen offered the doc
uments In evidence "as part Of the evil
dence In this case 10 connect Peter Nor
Jensen with the murder OF James II.
Hay, and to show the motive for the
murder"
Another objection was raised but II
was overruled promptly,
Nov, then, Mr., sharp, when did you
next see the body Of James r. Hay2"
ION Wednesday, December 18th, at
Forest Dale IN the patrol wagon"
Was the defendant PRESENT.
YES"
Relate the Incidents as they occurred
there at that time"
II got on the steps Of the wagon
began blr. Sharp In a tremulous tone,
AMI rs eyes filled with tears as he
recalled the terrible sight that met his
gaze on that morning, "Ohlcer Brown
was on the forewhee Of the wagon.
There was black cloth over the face
Of the body ami ] asked Officer Brown
to remove the cloth. He did so and
say the face Of here Mr. sharp was
on the verge OF breaking down so in
tense was his grief, but by deter
mined effort ht continued as he looked
Peter Mortensen squarely In the face
81 saw the face OF my son, James II.
Hay, all covered with blood | said, My
boy' HE said you ran away with 49,,
500, but you did not, did your. HE
KILLED YOU FOR A PIECE OF PA.
PER REPRESENTING $780,"
did you go TO the gravel"
eyes, after the body and the prison.
err had been taken up town"
This ground had been trampled all
around. One set Of tracks led from the
fence TO the head Of the grave and there
was another set which were to the east
Of these and led to the foot"
Did you notice anything peculiar
about those tracks,"
yes sir, the tracks on the south were
straddllng and rather far apart and
the others were more natural just as a
man would naturally walk"
THE prints ON the south went past
| the imprint Of where the body had laid.
! between the fence and the grave, and
those ON the east went to the imprint
but ] couldn't see whether they went
i past or not"
Have You prior to this trial seen Mr.
Mortensen?"
Eyes sir"
"Where?
al the Jail"
When was that?"
THE Sunday morning Of Dec. END
the day my son was buried"
Who was with you?"
"Otncer Brown"
state the conversation you had with
him."
when | walked into the room Peter
Montensen turned and came forward
and offered his right hand and said
Good morning Brother Sharp. |
held up my left hand and
said, wait cannot touch
your hand, He said why not? / said
I don't want 10 hurt your feelings but
| believe that hand 10 be stained with
the blood of my son. He said 4 don't
blame you, Brother sharp
II then went over 10 him and said.
Look at me, Peter, you see ! have
been crying this morning what do you
think II Is for}' He said, 4 suppose It
Is for your daughter and children and
| said, Yes, that Is partly the reason,
but ! have this morning seen another
little wife and children crying for
tI..la hst. a..I a cal 4
ting for them, too He asked, Who are
they and I replied Your wife and
children He bowed his head and sob
bed and | turned and left the room"
During the recital Of his visit to Mr..
Mortensen in the jail. witness looked
steadily at the latter who met his gaze
without flnchlng.
Mr.. Sharp was then cross-examined
by Attorney Bernard Stewart
"You think. then" asked Attorney
Stewart, that Mortensen should have |
watched Hay until he left the gate?"
Eyes sir"
why did you say Il would endanger
ones life to take away S3S0O2"
Because II would and did"
did you ask Mortensen on this day |
the 18th Of December, where he last |
saw James r.. Hay?"
Eyes, and he placed his foot on a |
spot and said. here"
"When you first asked Mortensen TO
indicate the spot did he do 50 immedi-
ately2"
"No sir"
"Where was the spot?"
"Ten feet from the porch and 20 feet
from the gate"
did you say whether he said any
thing further TO James r. Hay?"
"IIe did not"
when he put his foot on the spot"
continued Mr., sharp, II said; Here Is
the spot where my son was killed
and | said he was responsible for It."
when did you arrive at this con-
cluslon?'
II had It all the time"
"Then, why did you send him and Mr..
Romney to the police9'
Because he said James r. Hay ran