The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1910-06-03
urAH HAs REMARKAnLE law.
state Whore Condemned Man May
Choose Method Death PEN

Boston Globe.
An adherence to the old scriptur-
al idea of blood atonement on the
part OF the Mormons in Utah has
Biyen this State a unique law by
which man condemned to die for
taking the life of another uay
choose between being shot OF be-
ing hanged.
The provision of the Utah stat
utes regarding election as to Grim
malls manner OF death is as fal-
lows;
The punishment OF death must
be inflicted by hanging the lefond-
ant; by the neck until he Is dead
CT - shooting him, At ais e,ccti"n
II the defendant neglect or refuse
to make the election the court az
the time OF rendering the sentence
inpsl declare the mode aud enter
the same as a part OF this judg-
ment"
Eleven legal exec ,aops have TAX
en- place In Gtah since IL vas al
mitted as territory In 1850 All
OF these have been by shooting eN-
v.pt one, siuce the condemned men
ON being given their chol.e natural
ly prefer shooting.
One OF the most notable exeou-
tons in this state was that Of Pet
er Mortensen, who was shot N1yem-
her 20, 1903. for the murder Of
John Hay. The murder Was bru-
tai one for the sake OF robbery and
the body Of the victim vas conceal.
cd iu a neglected pas,rro The
death penalty was inflicted on Nor
Jensen in the yard OF the State
prison of Utah, in Salt Lake City.
A description of an execution by
al eyewitness will give a Sooi idea
Of the method OF carrying out the
death sentence in Utah .-.
The death chair was placed
against the east wall OF the prison
Enclosure, facing driveway, II
was comman office chair with
arms. II was set upon platform
about four feet square constructed
Of new boards Behind the plat
form was a box-like structure, five
fset high and two feet thick This
was filled with dirt, It's purpose he
ing to catch the bullets after they
had passed through the prisoner
body, to prevent their e'au ing from
,he wall and endangcring tie lives
OF spectators.
Just opposite the death chair
,crOss the driveway. which IL ~
fy feet wide IS a low brick build
\ ing, about 100 feet long north ant
/, south, used as the prison blacksmith
e shop. Double doors opened on III,
i driveway. These were pushed aside
: on the day OF the execution ant
a curtain of denim hung in theil
, place. At the height had been Gu
: at regular intervals. and foot Of
( so higher other holes OF irregular
}. shape appeared, Behind this cur
= tain we're stationed the execution
+ prs. Their identity was known on
, ly to the warden OF penitentiary
= the Sheriff and few trusted dep
p uties,
; "A wire at the north end OF tn,
e blacksmith shop, extending to tn
}; opposite wall, shut off the specta
d tors. Just outside of the wire wer
n tables and chairs for newspaper re
=, pOrters.
\ Before the arms OF the prison
n or were strapped to the chair wit
d new leather straps he shook hand
Il all around with the guards, but h
t could not see whose hand he wa
Ie shaking. His ankles we're the
u strapped to the lower rounds OF tn
- chair.
\. THE time OF the strapping seen
IN ed interminable. After final rel
It test of the straps TO see that the
IS we're securely fastened, the officia
d retreated to the south, leaving a
y open space between the chair an
a blacksmith shop, with Its sugge
tive black holes.
.. "Mortensen's head alone WI
N free. 1t was slightly inclined 70
Of ward. He could not see the Gu
ne tanned ambush with It's threatenir
o. black appertures. Perhaps h
m strained hearing may have eaugl
y, the sound as the black-nosed riff
I, five OF them pushe
a through the openings and levele
"a at the white piece of paper pinne
n over the doomed mans heart. tt
ID rifles had been loaded by II
tn Sheriff, four of them with fatal bu
4; let's and the fifth with blank ca
10 fridge. The executioners did n
know which gun carried the blar
W load On that mona wonld knO