The State of Utah vs. Joe Hill

ALVA A.SWAIN 409 ERNEST AND CRANMER BUILDING DENVER,COLORADO

November 19, 1915.

Hon. William Spry, Governor of Utah,

My dear Governor:—

Personally, I do not believe in capital punishment, but I want to express my appreciation of the way you executed the laws of Utah in the Hillstrom case. I also want to congratulate you on the call down you gave President Wilson. The President has developed a regular streak of "buttinskyism". There was no occasion whatever for him to interfere the second time in this case. I think your telegram to him was apropo and just.

Mrs. Swain joins me in sending her kindest personal regards.

Yours very truly, Alva Swain

To The Honorable William Spry Gobernor of the State Utah. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. The undersigned, knowing that Joseph Hillstron has been trial by a packe up jury and tribunal partial against him thereof. I demand a new and impartial trial, wich is guaranted to all United States Citizen by the Constitution, if you do that will mean Justice. NAME E. B. [Brespord?] ADDRESS 2016 Chapin St Tampa Fla

To The Honorable William Spry Gobernor of the State Utah. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. The undersigned, knowing that Joseph Hillstron has been trial by a packe up jury and tribunal partial against him thereof. I demand a new and impartial trial, wich is guaranted to all United States Citizen by the Constitution, if you do that will mean Justice. NAME G. W. [Gilmit?] ADDRESS Franklin St 1915 Tampa Fla

To The Honorable William Spry Gobernor of the State Utah. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. The undersigned, knowing that Joseph Hillstron has been trial by a packe up jury and tribunal partial against him thereof. I demand a new and impartial trial, wich is guaranted to all United States Citizen by the Constitution, if you do that will mean Justice. NAME N. J. Weintre ADDRESS 2023 Gordon St Tampa Fla

[date?] Gov. Spry Salt Late Utah Dear Governor I wish to congratulae you on your courage to do your duty without fear from the J.W.W. Now is the time we need men of courage and I was very glad to have you take the stand for law and order. I had a brother murdered by just such a man who termed himself a socialist but was really an anarchist. With best wishes Yours truly C.L.Whitney

Springville utah Nov 27 1916 Govener Wm . . Spry Salt Lake City utah Dear governer Springville . . Post utah indian war vetrans sends greeting and that they fully endorce the action you have taken in the hilstrom case and to Bid the state of A Lawless element. That is more than the Border Baffians of old Teritorial days when vigilance [comettes?] had to be formed to protect the lifes and righs of Law Abiding citizens and we Pledge you our loyal support with all other good citizens in upholding the laws of our state very . Respectfully Springville. Post utah indian war vetrans

[12/3/15?] Gov. Utah. Salt Lake City. Dear Sir, I want to congratulate you personally, [&?] the enture Citizenship of your state, for the nerve [underlined] you manifested in the recent trouble with the hanging or shooting of the famous anarchist. If you had them all shot [them?] Pris-Willson had issued a general proclamations (orders) & had every one on am-soil shot to death. Our country might have some [peace?] & safety

2 of life & [existence?] I hope & wish you god speed in exterminating them from your state - I never was in you State, but I want you to know there are others out side of your own state who indorse your [official?] acts - I wish every state in the Union had a gov. with same nerve & determination. I think I would scratch Wilson to vote for you for Pres. Yours Most [Respt?] [JM. L. Wren?]

Letters of Congratulation Great [?] [?] 12/4/15 Hon [?] Spry. Governor of Utah. [?] It is an honor to a state fr its executive to enforce its laws. it will [endear?] him to his constituite. even to the viscious elements feel the respect of a determined governor and will respect laws. I arrived at [Carson?] City Nevad August 1861. Those there were on law or order [existed...?] murder and [disperadoes?] intimidated. We tenderfoots stood in awe and fear, until we became accustom to every day occurrances. Being [peaceably?] inclined I saved many a life in [any?] 22 years in Nevada as only a brainless luck saved one. I voted for Judge [Bradlebough?] for congress latter for Nevada the [battled burn?] state in in 1864. Many were killed at the Polls. With a stern Judge Battey law became supreme did we have safety. Being sick I was in San Diego in 1812 I stopped at the Richmond Hotel a week later the J. W.W. [?] a reading room I was in

2 midst of all that trouble I wondered the mayor was so lenient. I knew trouble was [brewing?] they lacked my experience with viscious idle element adter a few were killed did [?] arrouse the [people?] they soon cleaned up the rifraf. I became acquainted with the J.W.W. the [four?] imbeciles, most of them [?] peaceable people, ignorant, and idle and the 'shouters' excited them. There would not be an J.W.W. if Emma Golman and Bill Hayward, and their likes, was driven off the Range they are a pestilence to society, and tens of thousands of lives saved. Corrupt politics the whole cause. the severe enforcement of the Laws, promptly, will corect our liberties safely. You are honored, the Gov of Georgia eternally disgraced. If you will pardon one, I have phenumonia for only four weeks I am very weak but I am anxious to applaud a just act. I started to write [several?] times but had to give up. I will inclose a few [excerpt?] [?] beings to tired. But you go for them [of seek peace?]. Pardon the [assination?] [J.E.] Williams

too, many half baked citcians idiots lose that delight to get in the ;lime light; by murder and assination to gratify a sensational press.

I have paper of 19 with Joseph Hillstrom's defiant picture as tho he was a hero, after murdering: no doubt innocent people without cause as justification. The highminded Swedish Minister intercedes and implases our tender harted Prisident, to ask the Governor of Utah to reopen the case; after every avenue had been sifted to clear the murderer. I am sorry President Wilson lend an ear, making him self accesaary after the fact, to gratify a Swedish Minister: If said Minister dont want his viscous subjects executed, keep them at home; are hade to many crazy [?] skills of our own to case for. If Hillstrom had been executed a [barrier] the sensational press would not have disgraced common decency now.

Petition

Hon. Wm. Spry Governor of Utah.

This appeal is directed to the Board of Pardons in behalf of Joseph Hillstrom, a member of the Industrial Workers of the World, under sentence of death in the Utah Penitentiary. We have read and heard something of the case: 1st. We do not believe Joseph Hillstrom guilty of the crime for which he has been convicted. 2nd. We do not believe that he had a fair trial. 3rd. We have learned that the jurors were not selected in the usual way. 4th. The defendant was practically without council when he was on trial for his life. 5th. No motive was shown for the crime of which he was convicted. 6th. The conviction was found upon the flimsiest kind of circumstantial evidence. Believing these to be the facts, we the undersigned, demand that the death sentence in the case of Joseph Hillstrom be set aside and clemency extended. Name Address W. E. Graves Tampa Fla. Mitz Rose Edwards, Tampa Fla. Lawrence Johnson, 46 Parsons Albertis Johnson, H.G. [] Karl L. Harlin, Tampa C.H. Landra, 1310 [] Tampa Fla. A. Geiger, 2410—6th Ave Tampa Fla. H. L. Hurrell Edward S. Burke, Gainseville, Fla. Franklin Primbley, Tampa Fla. [W-?] E.P. Snell R.P. Nelson Shoo Huleu[k]ley G. Muldales B. Thompson, Tampa J.L. Cribb[a?], Tampa C.A. McMaster, Tampa S.A. Allen, Tampa