The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-25
MET DEATH IN
FIERCE STORM
Body of Alfred Peterson Found
in City Creek Canyon.
MISSING SINCE FEBRUARY 20
PAINS IN HIS HEAD CAUSED
TEMPORARY DERANGEMENT.

/ His mind temporarily deranged and
/ his body weakened by sickness, Alfred
/ r. Peterson, % years of age, West
/ Jordan student at the Latter-day
! Saints university. wandered out on the
night of Feb. % and lost his way in the
/ binding snowstorm which came soon
after he began his fatal walk. His
/ body, from which life had long been
extinct. was found yesterday morning
about 1890 O'Clock by Lester Burton.
an 1S-year-old boy residing at the cor
ner of Main and Third North streets.
and Edward Pace of 81 Wall street.
The remains were found lying in City
Creek canyon, about 15e yards south
of the ridge that slopes from Little
valley towards the city and on a line
due north of the western boundary Of
the city cemetery. about two and one
| half miles from the city.
The lads Immediately notified the po-
lice of their disco. cry. but, owing to
the fact that the body was found so
far out. the remains were not taken to
the coroners office until late in the
afternoon. The body was fully identi-
fed as that of the unfortunate young
student by +. Maeser of the univ er-
sity preparatory. school last night Pc
terson was formerly one of Mr.. Mae
ser's pupils.
Had Note in His Hand
IF anything happens, notify Mrs.
Shaw Of Orchard court" was written
on piece Of paper found tightly
clasped in Peterson's hand. and. was
the sole clue that led to his identity
being established. He had roOmed with
Mrs. Shaw while attending school. In
I
a small red memorandum note book
belonging to Louis Shaw and filled
with scripturaI quotations Mrs Shaw.
when seen last night. said:
Albert has been missing since Mon
day night. Feb. % He left my house.
No. 5 Orchard court. where he had been
boarding. about o'clock. to take his
usual evening walk, which his mother.
Mrs. Hans Peterson, had recommend
ed for his headaches. He was suffer
ing not only from the severe pains In
his head, but also from consumption,
and had been in the custom of walk
ing for relief. il did not look like
snow a the time and he left without
an OvercOat or rubbers on.
Alarmed at His Absence.
He failed to return that night md
I became alarmed and notified MS
father at West Jordan. He called, ana
after learning the facts concerning his
son disappearance. did not show any
great anxiety, explaining that he hal
disappeared before and would proba-
bly, return. 1t seems that on )na
other occasion the son had left school
to go to work and had remained away
for several weeks. Mr.. Peterson SAID
that he would report the matter TO the
police"
There seems TO be little room for
doubt that a the time Of his disa9-
pearance young Peterson was labori1g
under severe mental disability. Only
a few days before his fatal trip he left
the house where he was boarding and
stayed away from his recitations Tor
a whole day. Upon his return he could
give no lucid account Of where ne had
been or any reason as 10 why he had
absented himself.
Was Ambitious Student.
Peterson's mental arrangement had
been brought on by hard study. 1t was
his ambition 10 get through with his
school work in the quickest possible
time. According To Mrs Shaw. he
would return from school early in The
afternoon and spend his time until
supper with his books. As soon as ne
had finished his meal he would again
take up his studies He was deter
mined to get the best out Of MS coll
Iege course, and cOnfided to Mrs Shaw
that # he did not make the most of his
opportunity this year he would never
gain an education.
MI. Maeser also stated that while
deceased had appeared an able and
ambitious student. ne had not enioved
full mental vigOr To Mr.. Maesar
Hans Peterson. father Of the dead
man, had stated that he did not feel
greatly worried over his absence. Mr..
Maeser. however had the missing lad
IN mind and when he learned through
a Herald representative that the =
mains of a young man bearing uDou
nm credentials from the Latter-day
SAINTS university had been found he
hastened to the mOrgue. The features
were, OF course, unTecOgnizab but he
made complete identification through
the dead mans garments
Peterson formerly resided i'm Tay.l,1,s
VINE with his parents, but moved about
SIX months ago to West Jordan. whore