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Show PLEADS FOR HIS LIFE. Peter Mortensen Makes Passionate Appeal to Judge for New Trial. Before Judge .Morse In the district court In Salt Uke City on S.ilunlny. Fetor Mortensen. convicted of the murder of Jnn.es K. Hay. was sentenced sen-tenced to bo executed on Friday. November No-vember Soth. when, unless a further stay Is granted, he will be shot to death, the condemned man having chosen that mcsle of execution. When the Judge commanded the prisoner to stand up and receive sentence, sen-tence, and asked If ho hnd anything to sny as to why sentence should not be passed, Mortensen replied that he hnd. and for an hour and five minute addressed the court, niiiking an earnest earn-est appeal for another trial, declaring that he hnd been unjustly convicted. Unit lie was tho victim of prejudice uud manufactured sentiment, mid that he wns entirely Innocent of the crliuu. Ho mndn the declaration that the press and Hbarp's revelation were responsible re-sponsible for thu public sentiment agnlnst him which resulted In his conviction, con-viction, and di-clarcd that If given a new trial he would surely prove his Innocence. In his opening; statement he said: "I have the best reason In the world to offer why I should be granted a new trial. Tho best reaeon In the world that a man can offer for a new trial Is that ho la Innocent of the crime charged. I have that reasoa ' and I have other reasons. In tho first place 'I have not had a fair trial. Thn presumption of Innocence la with a man until ho Is proven guilty, but not once during my trial waa that pre sumption given me. In speaking of the revelation tontl-mony tontl-mony of James Sharp, fnther ln lnw of th murdered man, he scored the district dis-trict attorney for allowing the witness wit-ness to have been placed iiNin the stand. Ho snld he saw the face of .tho Jurors, Mormons and uon Mormons Mor-mons allko. light up whon the revelation revela-tion testimony was given, itldlculou It seemed to him that a man should have a revelation from (lod as to where the murdered body of his sob was lying, and then not go at onee to the spot. Sharp, he sold, bnd taken a atreet car and gone up town with hla daughter, Instead of going to lb grave. In closing Mortensen said: "My life Is at stake and 1 ask yon as a Christian man to glvo It onnKld-oration. onnKld-oration. I ask you In all candor to give me another chance to prove my Innocence, and I say I'll do It." lie -asked the court and tho people of the state to remember Mrs. Hny aud ber parents, but at the same time not ts lose sight of bis wife and little children. chil-dren. "The blow falls harder oa them than on me. I can dlo but onee. and I am ready to meet my maker. I have harmed no man. I say, do mot lose sight of those Ave little children who 'joar my name tho name of a muraerer. I ask you, In all fairness, to give me another trial. I am aa in- I nocent of that crime aa you are. That Is all I have to say." ' On the day set for the execution. Mortensen will pay the penalty bar s the crlmo of which he baa been asa- , vlcted, unless a certltlcato of probable cause la Issued by Judge Morse or one of the aupreme Justice, and this la not l-garded as probable. |