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TO THE HONORABLE WILLIAM SPRY,
Governor of the State of Utah,
Salt Lake City, Utah

THE UNDERSIGNED, all being citizens of the United States, and whose addresses
are set opposite their names, having been informed concerning the recent trial and
conviction of one Joseph Hillstom, (also known as Joe Hill) by the District Court
of Salt Lake County, Utah for the alleged killing of J. S. Morrison, and his son,
Arling Morrison, in Salt Lake County, Utah on January 10th, 1914, and of the
affirmance of the Judgement of conviction of said District Court by the Supreme
Court of the State of Utah, hereby make appeal as to your executive clemency on be-
half of said Hillstrom, and request that you grant him a pardon, for the following
reasons, to-wit:

That the said Hillstrom was denied by the Judge of the said District Court of
Salt Lake County that fair and impartial trial which is guaranteed to all citizens
of the United States by the Constitution thereof, and the laws of the State of Utah,
in that the said Court denied to him the privilege of being defended by counsel of his
own selection, or of conducting his own defence, and that he has therefore been de-
prived of the benefit of counsel.

Because the conviction of said Hillstrom was obtained upon flimsy and wholly
insufficient evidence, the said trial being a mockery of justice and the verdict rendered
therein due wholly to prejudice prevailing in said Salt Lake County against Hillstrom
because of his activiy in the labor movement.