The State of Utah vs. Joe Hill

Minneapolis, Minn. November,3. 1915.

Honorable William Spry Governor State of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah

Sir:,,,

I wish to again bring the fact before you that you have in jail in Salt Lake City one who is innocent of any crime whatsoever and you know it. That man is Joseph Hillstrom. He has been sentenced to be shot for a crime which he never commited and as yet the State of Utah has not proven him guilty. Hillstrom was convicted on the most flimsiest circumstantial evidence possible and thousands of citizens all over the U.S. are arising in protest against this damnable unlawliness of Utah. Again I say Utah must be going backward instead of advancing as other states are doing at the present time.

I again ask you to use your executive power to get Hillstrom a new trial which is also being demanded by the people of the whole country and I am sure if it is done Hillstrom will prove himself Innocent which he of course is.

Are you going to let the State of Utah commit this crime on the 19th. of November by letting Joseph Hillstrom be shot to death without giving him a fair and impartial trial? The proposition of having the state militia in readiness and also having a double guard around the State Prison is proof enough that the State of Utah does not want to deal out Justice to its citizens but just wants to remain in the same Despotic state as Lords and Barons did in the Feudal state hundreds of years ago. To tell you the truth I am ashamed of the State of Utah.

You want to use your utmost influence to let Hillstrom have a fair and impartial trial on the 19th of Nov. instead of bringing him before a firing squad. I am a man who believes in the Freedom of the human race and therefore I write these lines for that purpose to urge you to do likewise. If you use your influence to get Hillstrom a new trial you will be a man amongst men but if you don't then I must say that Utah Justice is hopeless and rotten. A Million citizens of the U.S. are waiting for you and Utah to act intelligently by obtaining Hillstrom a new trial and I therefore leave you thus awaiting your Progress in this matter.

Do something quick in Hillstrom's behalf.

I remain

Your to PROGRESS

C. W. Anderson

(By a man who believes in Freedom and Justice.)

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BATTLE CREEK, MICH.,

Nov. 6th., 1915.

Governor of Utah. Salt Lake City.

Deax Sir:- I have read considerable about the trial of Joseph Hillstom, and am wondering if you are going to allow him to be Murdered by the State of Utah.

To my mind there has been no case made out against him whatever. As I understand the Laws of this Country- A man is inocent until proven Guilty, and from this stand point he should go free. I hope you will at least give him a Jail sentence in stead of the Death Penalty. I can not understand how you can do other wise, in a case like this, and continue to have self respect. I could not sit still and be silent, and maintain my self respect, and this accounts for my letter. I don't believe in the Death Penalty for any offence. The State has no more right to Murder, than the individual, and in the sight of God- I believe the State is more to be condemed as they kill in absolute Cold Blood, while the individual usually does so in the heat of passion. But I dont believe with his faults, Joe Hillstrom, is guilty.

Yours very truly, - - -

E.C. Adams

30 Pullman Street, Jamestown, N.Y. Nov. 10, 1915.

Hon. Wm. Spray Governor of Utah.

Governor:

As Joe Hill (or Joseph Hillstrom) has not had a fair trial, in that it has not been proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he is guilty of murder, I most respectfully ask that you see to it that he is granted a new trial. -

Very respectfully,

Frank G. Anderson.

Resolution.

Whereas, we the Jewish speaking people of Workmen's - Circle Branch 497, in massmeeting assembled, have learned that one comrade of ours Joseph Hillstrom by name, is being unjustly held in jail in Salt Lake City, Utah, under a sentence to die on Nov. 19, 1915;

Whereas, we from all accounts of his trial have become convinced that the said Joseph Hilstrom is innocent of the crime of which he is accused and is merely a victim of a conspiracy, due to hatred and prejudice of account of his activity in the labor movement;

Whereas, Joseph Hilstrom never had a fair trial;

Whereas, he has been denied a new trial in spite of the gravest errors in his trial; and

Whereas, this innocent man is in immediate danger of being judicially murdered, due to the stubborn prejudice of his judges, and

Whereas, these same judges in the Board of Pardon

have tried to justify their position by slandering the character of the man they unjustly deliver to death, by falsely imputing to him a criminal record;

Therefore, be it,

Resolved, that we, one for all, and all for one, demand that the execution of Joseph Hilstrom be stayed, and that he be immediately liberated or granted a new trial.

The sentence has been pronounced by men, and it can be set aside by men as long as Hilstrom is alive. Law was made for the sake of man and not man for the sake of the law. And be it further

Resolved, that we condemn as cowardly the action of the Board of Pardons in falsely imputing, through the press, a criminal record to a man when they deny the chance to defend himself; and be it further

Resolved, that should, contrary to our expectations, the sentence be carried out, we shall hold the whole American people responsible for such an outrage; and be it further