The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-11-20

eas in bis penitentary cen awaiting
s,s ina when Che bullets should pierce
These childish faces have smiled on
iAm day and NIGHT Just before lac has
closed mis- eyes in the evenlnr they
nave been The last things on which his
SAFE has fallen SIS he has tumbled
restlessly at night he has seen these
races ln The dim light from the cor
IlQQrs When DE has first reused
from slumber he has looked upon them.
ana dag after day. as fate has been
closing steadily. releutlessly fla on him,
~ mas sought surcease from anguish
by looking at the innocent counte-
nanees OF these children who know
nlm as their father and who, even IN
absence. even though the whole world
nay he against him, still give him
their trust and love.
Babe He Never Saw.
Directly above his cot, hung Just
above and below a small chrome call
enlitr were The photographs from
which tle enlarEemeuts were made.
Another photograph was there also.
il was tiny picture of "a tiny child.
~ cnuDDy face of babe in long
clothes looked from a pillOw-the like
ness Of the daughter born sixteen
months ago, while the father sat in his
cen 10 the penitentiary with sentence
OF death hanging over him. He has
never seen this little one. being obliged
o. content himself with studying the
Image caught by the camera when she
was two months old. and Specializing
as % how she has changed as the time
has gone by.
There was no picture of his wife Wis
iDie. She has not called to see him
since his conviction
Ihe gloom of a waning day had
crept into the prison. and che mean
descent lamps had been turned on.
Mortensen pulled forward the rough
bench and sat Just inside the door OF
his cell From the corner, within two
feet Of his head, the light streamed
upon his cOuntenance, iIlumining
brightly one side and leaving the other
dark He was clad in black trousers
and vest, with the striped shirt OF the
prison and a plaid tie. His wavy
blonde hair was neatly brushed. and
his face was smooth shaven except for
the yellow mustache, with its long
dropping ends.
Nerve Of the Prisoner.
IS he turned from side to side dur
ing the conversation his profile was
alternately in bright light and IN
shadow. and there was an occasional
CLINT az the rays struck his eyehalls.
Those eyes are gray, and they are not
Bhiftihg. They can look at one square
~ and steadily. They did not even
witch as their owner swOre his limo
ccnce
Does Mortensen keep his nerve?
mas been asked over and over.
The answer must be:
yes"
Less than half an hour before he had
received the news that the supreme
court had sternly refused his last plea.
and yet he was able to talk calmly
and even TO laugh and Joke. Perhaps at
liHes there were signs Of great nerv-
GUS tension. Of strong efforts at self
cohtrol, but his scandinavian tempera-
ment stood him I'm good stead and there
vas never suggestion Of collapse.
Victim Of Prejudice.
After some time spent in general con
Nersation the talk turned 20 the trial
ana conviction. Mortensen declared he
was the victim Of popular prejudice
do you think the statement Of James
sharp that ne had revelation from
coo that you were guilty was respon-
sigle 20 any degree for the result2" was
asked
II do not think it: know it. was the
prompt and feeling reply "That had
more to do with il than anything
else
did Mr. sharp really accuse you
tne day before Hays body was found
Yes. DE did, although he added a
little something TO the conversation
when he testified. He came to the
~ AauSe and asked me to show him where
I bad last seen Jimmie Hay. I didn't
remember exactly where III was at first
but ] went ont and showed him as
nearly az I could remember. He said:
Then this is the place where my son
was murdered 7 said. You shouldn't
say that Brother Sharp. because YOU
don't know that De Is dead ] spoke
kindly and gently 20 the old man. He
saic-let me remember mis- exact words
-he said, Yes. ne has been murdered.
and the proof of &c viii be that his
dead body viii be found within twenty
FOUR hours within a mile of this place.
And I hold you people responsible
Discredits the Revelation.
do you think Mr. Sharp had a rev
elation?"
no, L don't"
How did he come 70 say these
things?"
Wen. 7 wouldn't care to say. 7 have
an idea that he could tell a good deal
more about this and about the trail
OF blood he says he saw i'm a vision
leading 10 the grave"
Pressed 90 ten more. he replied as
previously quoted, stating that be be-
lcved there was more than one implf-
Gated and that he might tell his sus-
picions If given a second trial. ORA
maucaIy he affirmed and reahirmed
his Innocence.
Although of Danish birth, Peter Nor
Jensen has an excellent command OF
the English language and he used IL
with all the force that the emotions Of
Impending death can bring to declare
mat if he should die today justice would
miegarry and an innocent man would be
sent Go eternity
Where He Made a Mistake.
realize I made a mistake in not
going on the stand and telling my sto-
rs, be- said. There was no proof
against me, and had no idea such men
as there were on that jury would ever
consider the evidence seriously Nv
father and brothers thought the same,
ard my attorneys backed up my opfn-
ion. For that reason I did not make
more OF "a defense. and did not tell my
story And yet before that jury came
iu ] could not help thinking II wonder
IF after they come in 1 viii feel the way
King feels.
''Do you think King Is innocent2"
POI don't think 80, 7 know &c. He didn't
have any more to do with that than
you did. but he didn't so on the stand,
and DE was convicted.
I see now thauI made "a great mis-
take" he went ou. Some of the pris-
oners at The county JAN told me SO at
The time and said ~ ] neglected to tell
r1y own story Il might be sorry for IL.