General [35 items]

I. Baer Reinhart Jerome B Sabath Pres. & Legal Advisor Sec. & Treas

This Petition Circulated by the National Association 77 for the 77 Abolition of Capital Punishment National Headquarters 291 Broadway, New York

To His Excellency Governor Spry and the Honorable Board of Pardons of the State of Utah Honored Sires-- We, the undersigned, in no way affiliated with any Labor Organization and not being members of the National Association for the Abolition of Capital Punishment, believing that Joseph Hillstrom is an unfortunate victim of circumstances and further believing that there is a reasonable doubt as to his guilt of the murder for which he stands convicted and sentenced to die, respectfully beseech you to extend clemency and mercy and commute this sentence of death to life imprisonment, that he may yet have the opportunity to prove his innocence. Should he be executed and his innocence subsequently established nothing could be done to right the terrible wrong committed, and the stain upon the escutcheon of the state of Utah could never be obliterated. Name Address J Buttorf 4315 S [??????] W E Reed Kans Martin? [???? Ryan] So Chicgkos? JC Ro?ford Mpls Minn John Hogar?? Binghampton [????] Lewis Coleman KC? James Davis KC Miss. Frank Butte Toledo Ohio Joe McIntyre Oreilly Kas Jack C Hager Galveston Texas E. [Nelson?] 244 Main{O??] [Thos?] Smith? FE Griswold Kans City Mo P.A. Modes Kansas City Mo Gus Carlson St Louis Mo Toney Bo????? Kans City John Weaver? CC Moore EJ Bierce?

I. Baer Reinhart Jerome B Sabath Pres. & Legal Advisor Sec. & Treas

This Petition Circulated by the National Association 78 for the 78 Abolition of Capital Punishment National Headquarters 291 Broadway, New York

To His Excellency Governor Spry and the Honorable Board of Pardons of the State of Utah Honored Sires-- We, the undersigned, in no way affiliated with any Labor Organization and not being members of the National Association for the Abolition of Capital Punishment, believing that Joseph Hillstrom is an unfortunate victim of circumstances and further believing that there is a reasonable doubt as to his guilt of the murder for which he stands convicted and sentenced to die, respectfully beseech you to extend clemency and mercy and commute this sentence of death to life imprisonment, that he may yet have the opportunity to prove his innocence. Should he be executed and his innocence subsequently established nothing could be done to right the terrible wrong committed, and the stain upon the escutcheon of the state of Utah could never be obliterated. Name Address Jims Bo??? 658 E 18 St James Fox Mike ????? John Barr Stockton. Cal CJ Howard Kansas City John Barnaby [Frank?] Pitt????? John Mance J ?? ? ? Bryant James French Wm Noak Joseph Sharek? Warren LaBelle H G G Elling 4712 27? St C A [??????] Charles B???? ?????? hotel John [???????] 2410 [???????] John J Hayes Panama Hotel Henry Hoffman Frank Harris

Resolution

Whereas, we the Worcester Workingmens association in meeting assembled, have learned that one Joseph Hillstrom by name, is being unjustly held in jail in Salt Lake City, Utah, under sentence to die on Nov. 19, 1915

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

Whereas, Joseph Hillstrom 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 Hillstrom 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 Hillstrom 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 whom 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

Resolved, that these resolutions be immediately communicated to the President of the United States, and to the Governor of the State of Utah.

John A. Anderson Nov. 15, 1915. Chairman of Meeting

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 Hillstrom, (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 Judgment of conviction of said District Court by the Supreme Court of the State of Utah, hereby make appeal to your executive clemency on behalf 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 deprived 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 activity in the labor movement. Name Address Wesley Loyd Brown LaMoure N. Dak Chas Day Rewey Wisc C Cot???? Bellingham Wash. Jam? Yurk? [Crokston] [M???] M . Deady Chicago Ill Joseph Mi?ter So Omaha Nebask Harry Brown Gainsville Tex E F Ketner K C Mo Roy Sample Omaha Neb. E Phelps Denver Colorado R Steele H Halverson West Allis Wis Mingo Iowa Eddie Martin Chicago Ill A G [Ctanna?] Des Moines Ia Joe Williams Fargo No Dakota Caesar Tabib Brooklyn NY C ? Bolton [???????] N.D. Ed Gilbert St Louis Mo Fred Krause " Peter Fuchs