The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-11-21
GLOOMY DAY SEES S0MBER SCENES
PRIOR TO THE TIME FOR THE EXECUTION

The day itself was in harmony with
the nature of the task to be performed.
A heavy mist hung over the valley
which excluded the rays of the sun and
lent a most gloomy appearance to the
outside world. A strange stiffness per
vaded the atmosphere which, together
with the gloom Of nature and the
thoughts of the approaching execution.
had a marked effect upon the men at
the penitentiary. The TRUSTEES went
about their work silently, and the
guards passed each other with a brief
nod Of recognition instead of the usual
hearty 'goOd-morning." or the happy
jests- And TO add still more to the
cherries aspect Of the situation, the
bloodhOunds kept up a dismal howl un-
Ill they had been given their morning
meal.
The first persons to reach the prison
were the relatives Of the condemned
man. David MOrtensen came first. and
then NJ. +. MOrtensen, the father and
Mrs. Henry MOrtensen and her small
son. While they were standing on the
walk outside of the prison entrance a
carriage containing the firing squad
drove up. The blinds Of the vehicle
were carefully drawn to hide the iden-
tity of the men inside, and in addition
each man wore a black cOWI that COM
Dletely Obscured the face and upper
portion of the body.
The carriage stopped in front of the
door and the six men who were to shoot
Peter NOrtensen were about to aHght
when some one remembered the con-
demned mans relatives. They were
standing near the doorway, and TO en-
ter the prison through the main en-
trance the men would have been COM
PEELED to pass within a few feet of them.
Thinking Of the effect this would prob
ably have upon MOrtensen's aged IA
Their and his other relatives. Clerk
Stowe Immediately ordered the men to
remain in the closed carriage and hal
them driven inside the walls through
the large gate.
One by one the men who were to wit
ness the execution began to arrive
They stood out in the yard or near the
main entrance COnversing in subdued
tones about the man who was soon to
go to his death. ''Wiil he confess %
and DO you think his nerve will hold
out?' were questions asked by the ma
jority Of the spectators. The general
belief was that he would not confess
and that he would exhibit the same
spirit when led to the death chair that
he had shown since his arrest.
Not a word was spoken for fully a
minute, when six prisoners wearing the
convict stripes filed out Of the prison
ard made their way down the hill TO
the prison cemetery where they were
to dig MoTtensen's grave. The sight
seemed to impress upon the minds Of
me assembled group the gravity Of the
situation, and a painful silence ensued.
prisoners as they made their way 20 the
graveyard.
BY $3.50 a. m. fully 100 persons were
gathered about the main entrance to
the penitentiary waiting to be admitted
to the scene Of the execution. The
crowd was composed Of physicians.
sheriffs and deputy sheriffs from all
over the state, members Of the police
department and a few public officials
Fifteen minutes before the hour set
for the execution the gong over the
main entrance rang, announcing that
some one was coming out from the in
side. In an instant there was a rush
for the doorway and a craning Of necks
to see who was coming out A moment
later everything was hushed and the
crowd parted. Those who crowded and
pushed a moment before to get near
the gateway backed slowly away as the
father and brathers of the condemned
man emerged from within.
The sight Of the aged father with his
red eyes and drawn features, plainly
pOrtraying the agOnies of the last part
ing with his son, was more than many
Of the crowd could bear, and most of
them turned away after a single glance.
Another painful silence ensued. when
was not broken until the relatives had
passed down the corridor and into the
visitors waiting room.
About this time the large triangle on
the outside struck and the TRUSTEES
formed in line to go to their cells. They
wereNfoIlowed shortly afterward by the
six prisoners who, under the direction
Of Guard Hilton, had prepared the final
resting place for the remains of the
murderer.
The prison clock had scarcely ceased
striking the hour Of 10 when the outer
gate swung open and the crowd flied
in. They were pilOted to the spectators
ground by Guards Davis and Fisher in
groups Of about twenty-five. On ac-
count of the number Of people present
he crowd was not an inside until about
1920 a. m.
A wait Of eight miDuhes followed.
during which the spectators silently
observed the death chair, the canvas