The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-11-01
q AM INNOCENT"
SAYS M0RTENSEN
In the FacB of His Pending Fate
He Denies the Crime.
ASKS BROTHERS FOR MONEY
WANTS TO TAKE CASE TO THE
U. S. SUPREME COURT.

IT am innocent of the crime. II I
am executed-and il begins to look as
though l viii be-they VIII be taking
the life of an innocent man."
Peter AOrtensen. who is TO die FRI
day Nov. 20. for shooting and killing
James r. Hay. made that statement
yesterday TO one OF his lawyers, At
tOrney c. B. Stewart. The latter had
gone out to the penitentiary to appriSe
his client OF the decision Of the state
supreme court and explain to him What
the consequences may be. The con-
demned man was told that his only
hope lay in an appeal to the United
States supreme court at Washington
K viii cost about $500 70 take the
case to that tribunal, with no assur-
ance that the fling of the appeal pa
pers win give the defendant standing
in court
Mortensen told Attorney Stewart that
he had written 20 his two brothers, Hen
~ AIortensen at Cedar City and a young
er one in san Francisco, telling them OF
his condition and appealing TO them Tor
money with which 20 take his case 10
the United States supreme court at the
national capital
Mortensen Begins to Worry.
II am certain that Mort enseu. yester-
day. for the first time since his arrest.
seemed TO fully realize the seriousness
Of his DOsitiOn'' said ATTORNEY Stewart
10 be I'm his usual spirits, but had wOr-
ried EXPRESSION upon his face. After we
had talked toget..es awhile he lost his
accustomed StOlid demeanOr, grew 1T
tie more nervous, and the worried eN-
preston increased.
''4Iortensen assured me in most posi-
tive terms that he is innocent Of the
crime. As you know, the only evidence
against him is circumstantial. No, / do
not look for him 10 confess: He may
break down, as other men have done,
which would be nothing against him, but
i do not look for a confession
Acting Warden Wright broke the news
to MOrUenSen of the supreme courts de-
,cision. The condemned man expressed
surprise only at the quickness Of the de-
Il am glad they did not keep me wait
ing any longer for the decision than they
did. said MOrtensen. II am surprised
that they handed il down as quickly as
they did he added.
Besides discussing the matter in an
informal way with the acting warden.
NSOrtensen acted anything but the man
who had heard the word tnat sealed his
fate.
A short time after Mortensen had been
told Of his fate he was taken from muir
derers' row and placed in another cell
on the ground floor Of the south cell
house. He will probably remain In that
cell until he Is taken out TO be executed.
Death Watch Has Begun.
The transfer OF cells was followed by
the establishment of a death watch
the day and night until the end comes
The three men who viii keep constant
vigil with MOrtensen are Edward Nay
Tor, a. @. briggs and W. s. Ferrin. They
were selected yesterday by Acting War
( den Wright They are considered among
the most trustworthy guards at the pen
itenuary, and the utmost confidence is
repOsed in them by the authorities.
Guard NaylOr was the first man to take
the watch He went on at 10 o'clock yes
terday morning and sat near the con
demncd mans cell for eight hours be
iuE relieved at o'clock last night by
Guard briggs. The latter kept watch
Until . o'clock this morning, when Guard
Ferrin went on duty. At 10 o'clock this
morning ne viii be succeeded by Guard
NaylOr. In that manner those three
men viii watch MOrJensen until the
death watch is doubled q few DAYS before
the date set for the execution. Then
their hours may be changed little and
they Will have the company Of a second
guard.
Mortensen IS now denied all visitors
excepting the members of his family.
which includes relatives. and his attor-
neys That order will be enforced until
the hour Of execution. In cases of
emergency others may see the man. And
upon those occasions they will not be
Permitted to approach the condemned
man close enough to hand him anything
with which he might attempt TO take his
life.