The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-03-09
FREE MAJORS OR DIE
IS LETTERS THREAT
Joseph Belnap Of Ogden Re
ceives Strange Missive
Through the Mails.

Special to The Tribune
OGDEN. March S,--A rather crude and
dangerous effort TO secure the release OF
ABE Majors, conyict now serving a life
sentence In the state penitentiary for the
Killing OF William Brown, n former cap
tain OF the Ogden police. is the motive
behind threatening letter received by
Joseph h. Belnap of the firm of Ballard
Belnap Il few days ago. Belnap IS
threatened with death unless his father
Joseph Be,nap. II resident OF ReXburg
ldaho. signs a statement within ten days
10, To me s.,, eheet that Majors Is not the
man VINO Snot Brown. The letter has
noeen placed in the hands of the postof-
nee authorities and special agents are
at work on the case
Inc letter was received by Belnap last
TUESDAY and, as II bears the date Of
March 4. the limit OF time In which he
initiais IN daiie1 .1 upon to act is March IL The
but the authorities have better cIcw
70 the Identity Of the writer in that a
M l,ah GIVING what was probably an as
sumed name called upon Belnap in Rex
DurS IN connection with the matter about
shree weeks ago. This fellow represent
ed that he vas In The employ of Mrs.
wagner. the mother Of Majors. who Is
now residing in Salt Lake He claimed
to be representing a Salt Lake law firm.
de also stated that he was a detective
OF the capital city
80. leiiiap neu embodied his caller :
statements in an affidavit, Belnap re-
used 10 sign any kind Of a paper en-
onerating Majors and caused the arrest
OF the supposed agent on the charge
low gave the name OF A j. Roth After
serving brief sentence In the ReXburg
jail and remaining. about the city for
day. February 81 The following Tues
day the son. Joseph Beinap. Jr.. In this
city, received the threatening letter
through the mall. 1t was mailed in this
The shooting OF Captain Brown oc~
Cured about twelve years ago during
u siie :, az adminIstration of c. e. Layne as
accompanied by H. H Gordon. then
sheriff OF Box Elder county; Joseph Bel
nap, deputy under Sheriff Layne, and
Others. pr s.,tSe were pursuing Abe Majors and
berry They had followed the brothers
into ravine east OF the Utah Hot
Springs when the Majors secreted them
sci, selves ., behind rocks and opened fire on
less than fifty yards behind the pair.
was killed by the first voley and the
brother OF Abe Majors also was killed
Abe, the present convict. gave himself
An effort was made to clear Majors
by representing that Captain Brown was
shot from behind and probably by Dep
at the time Of the trial. but according to
those familiar with the details ample
proof was brought out at the time that
Deputy Belnap Was with Sheriff Cor
don on a ridge above and slightly in ad-
vance Of Brown and this. it is declared.
would have made 1t almost impossible
present attempt to lay the blame at the
door OF the Rexburg man is not the
first which has been made. but the pre-
vious efforts to secure the release OF
Ma inra h9e ta1ren ae
death threat such as received by the
former dsputy's son in this city.
According 70 Warden Arthur Pratt
Of enough crimes to keep him In prison
the remainder OF his life even II he was
exonerated OF the killing Of Brown, He
has been most unruly prisoner and at
fnement for murderous attack upon
guard and inciting the other prisoners to
attempt a jail break