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Show SALT LAKE BUSINESS MAN MURDERED FOR MONEY. JAMES R. HAY, COLLECTS DEBT OF $3,800 AND IS SEEN NO MORE ALIVE. Body Found Burled in a Lonely Spot Near His Home Barely Covered With Earths Bullet Hole in Back of Head Tells Story of Crime Peter Mortensen, the Man Whc Holds Hay's Kecelps for the Money,' Charged With the Awful Deed. Tames R. Hay, secretary of the Pacific Pa-cific Lumber company, at Salt Lake, who disappeared Monday night after having collected $3,800 due from Peter Morteuseu, a contractor, was foully murdered His body was found Wednesday Wed-nesday forenoon buried in a shallow grave along- the right of way of the Rio Grande Western's Park City line, near Sixth East and Twelfth South, nay was shot in the back of the head twice, and his head evidently bruised with some blunt instrument. Peter Mortensen, the man who alleges al-leges he paid the money, and who has Hay's receipt for the same, is in jail charged with the crime. The story is an unusual one. Mortensen Mor-tensen was indebted to the Pacific Lumber company in the sum of $3,900. 'Monday after banking hours he called at the uptown office of the company, and stated that he had the money at home to discharge theobligation, and requested that Hay call that evening lectured and get it. ManagerGeorge E. Romney Mortensen for keeping so much mouey at home, and positively refused to .send for the money, and positively instructed in-structed Hay not to accept the mouey until the next morning. With this understanding un-derstanding Mortensen and Hay left the office and took a car for home, they living in Forest Dale, a few rods apart. What transpired on the way home to! induce Hay to disobey positive orders and call for the money at night is not known. About 9 o'clock Monday night Hay drew on his overcoat and left borne for Mortensen 's to get the money, telling his wife of his errand, and stating that he would not be absent long. Mrs. Hay retired and did not awaken until 3 o'clock, when she became apprehensive ap-prehensive because her husband had net returned, and hastily dressing herself, her-self, went across the street to Morten-sen's Morten-sen's house, arousing him to inquire about the missing man. Mortensen assured her that Hay had left his house with the' money about 10 o'clock to take the money up town to turn over to Mr. Romney, and that he probably missed the last car home and had remained re-mained up town with friends. As Hay did not appear Tuesday morning, an inquiry was set on foot. Mortensen told a straight story about Hay's having called about 9:30 o'clock, taken the money and given a receipb for the same, which he exhibited; that he had left shortly afterward with the intention of taking the money up town and turning it over to Mr. Romney for safe keeping. Putting these circumstances together the officers suspected flight, and sent descriptions of the missing man abroad in hopes of apprehending him. Hay's friends and associates, however, in-r sisted that he had either been foully dealt with or had lost bis reason, and their suspicions were verified by subsequent subse-quent developments. Upon the discovery of the grave the officers were notified. Neighbors of! Hay were soon on the ground, among1 whom was Mortensen, When the officers offi-cers arrived the body was soon uncovered. un-covered. The grave was barely eighteen eigh-teen inches deep, and scarcely covered the dead man's feet. The hands were folded across his breast, and his overcoat over-coat drawn over his face to hide it from the"assassin's view or to protect it from the dirt. After a short consultation, Mortensen Morten-sen was arrested on suspicion of having committed the deed, and is awaiting a preliminary examination. He stoutly maintains his innocence. |