Protests against the Execution and/or Conviction of Joe Hill; A: July, Sept. 1914; Aug.-Sept. 1915

July 29, 1914 To His Excellency, William Spry Governor of Utah. Salt Lake City, Utah. Honorable Sir:- Tonopal Local of the Socialist Party at their last regular meeting unanimously decided to protest against the legal murder of Joseph Hillstrom, who was convicted of murder in Salt Lake City on evidence that a savage would scorn to condemn his worst enemy on. If you allow this man to be murdered on such evidence, you will be remembered with scorn by the arouse working-class of this coutnry. The workers are coming to the point where they do not forget the crimes that are perpetrated upon them, and if you care to show them that you are working in the interests of all the people; use the power invested in you to give this man justice, and you will be greeted by us as a man who did not flinch from doing his duty when everything else was in the balance. Sincerely yours TONOPAH LOCAL, SOCIALIST PARTY Thomas Cannon Mrs Minnie Abbot William Davis Committee.

La Moure N. Dak Sept 1st 1914

To his excellency Governor Spry. Salt Lake City, Utah

Dear Sir,

As I have been apprised thru the columns of the Salt Lake press, that a young member of an Industrial organization Known as the Industrial Workers of the world has been convicted and sentenced to be shot for the awful crime of murder I refer to Joseph Hill according to press reports which I have read. It seems to me that one of the principle points in the indictment was the fact of his being a member of the said organization which as everyone knows has a very unsavory reputation tho I know not the reason why, but it seems to me and many more people I know that the organization and not Joseph Hill was put on trial and according to people present when the trial and conviction came off he was apparently convicted on the flimsiest kind of evidence

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As you know there is a saying that it would be far better to let the guilty escape than that an innocent man should suffer death for a crime about which there is a great doubt that he commited. I have no interest in the said organization except to raise my voice as an american citizen whose forefathers fought for the liberty of our country and against these sentences being carried out so if there lurks in your mind the shadow of doubt that the said Joseph Hill is innocent of the crime with which he was sentenced do not I pray you let a stain as the judicial killing of Joseph Hill blot the name of the fair state of Uah you by the scrape of a pen may send this young man's soul to the presence of his maker may ease him from the state of life one who has many years before him. he is only a young man and the suspence he now labors under must be terrible his having a bullet wound in his body the night of the murder of Mr Morrison

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may only be an awful coincidence stranger things have happened and tho the judge and jury may have done their duty as they saw it innocent man have gone to their death before this in our country on circumstantial evidence of the most convicing kind. "Think Sir" and think well before you take this irrevocable step Joseph Hill's life hangs in the balance for "God's" sake sir Justice in God's name give him justice

I remain in suspence Yours very truly

Michael John Allen

INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE 232 Cedar Avenue Minneapolis, Minn. Aug 13 1915

The Hon. Wm. Spry, Governor, State of Utah. Salt Lake City, Utah.

Your Honor:-

I am again writing you a few lines to protest against the false imprisonment of our comrade, Joseph Hillstrom (Joe Hill) whom I sinerely know is innocent of any crime whatsoever. You full well know that there isn't anything against our comrade to keep him in prison and also that the state truly failed to put up any evidence which would convict a man under ordinary circumstances. I say he is innocent and I plead with you to do your utmost to free Joseph Hillstrom, my countryman. Are you going to let him be shot because of his principals because he was a member of the I.W.W.? Where would this grand and glorious country have been, had

our forefathers killed such men and genius as Washington, Franklin, Lincoln, Bell, Edison, etc? I say it will be a blot upon the fair State of Utah if you execute our comrade. Hundreds, yes thousands of American citizens are protesting against this injustice and are pleading with you to release Joe Hill. Do it now. Don't let him be executed. Let him out and be free as the birds of the air.

"Thus drifting afar to the dim-vaulted eaves, Where life and its treasures are laid; The dreamer may gaze while we battle the waves, And see us in sunshine or shade." "Yet true to our course, though the shadows grow dark, We'll trim our broad sail as before, And stand by the rudder that governs the bark, Nor ask how we look, From the shore."

Hoping for an early release of my countryman and comrade I remain Yours for His Freedom,

C.W. Anderson