ENPages
Page 1
PETITION 9/22/1915 Hon. Wm. Spry
Governor of Utah.
This appeal is directed to the Board of Pardons in behalf of Joseph Hillstrom, 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 defeneant was practially 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 ase of Joseph Hillstrom be set aside and clemency extended.
NAME ADDRESS WH DeValk 28 E. 100 St. Chicago Gideon Anderson 11031 Mich ave " Herbert Olin 11 E. 110 st " Oscar Anderson 11031 Mich ave " Wiktor Nyberg 10545 Wabash ave Chicago John Carlson 214 so 113th st Chicago John E Frdell 11031 Michigan Ave Chicago Alfred Anderson 6733 Bishop St Chicago Peter S[?????????ier] 13813 Adeline st Chicago Victor Nelson 11037 Michigan ave Chicago Leon. Lundmark 10751 Michigan ave Chicago Oscar A Ryberg 10632 S. Wabash ave Chicago Ill C E Swanson 57 W 109 St Chicago Ill Peter Bergstrom 11327 Edbrooke Ave Chicago Karl Halldin 222 W. 108 Pl. Chicago
Page 2
Ludvig Carlson 10915 Wabash Ave Chicago AS Rosen 10712 Wabash Ave Chicago David Jacborg 111 W 111th Pl. Chicago Hans Anderson 11222 Tardrana Ave Chicago Gust Johnson 47 West 112th Str. Chicago JohnA Johnson 47 West 112th Str. Chicago David Johnson 10903 Wake Str. Chicago Robert Y Harlsson 10551 Lasalle St. Chicago Gustaf Linden 115 W 107th Pl. Chicago Oscar Forsberg 340 W 111 Pl. Chicago Axel Skild 104 W. 111 Pl. Chicago David Larson 3247 N. Clark St. Chicago Sigfrid Mortenson 11421 Prarie Ave. Chicago Fritiaf Carlson 28 W 112 Pl Chicago Hilding Ringstrom 11145 Edbrook Ave. Chicago Axel Johnson 11357 Indiana Ave Chicago A Norlean 47-90 109th Pl Chicago H Petterson6618 Rhodes Ave Chicago
Page 3
Resolution
Whereas, we, the Swedish speaking people of Chicago Ill. in massmeeting assembled, have learned that one countryman of ours, 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 consiracy, 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. should, contrary to our expectations, the sentence be carried out, we shall hold the whole American people responsible for such an outage; and be it futher
Resolved, that in such a case American citizenship has no longer any value to us, and that we forsware the loyalty and allegiance to American laws, government and institutions, which has heretofore characterized out people. For where law and government cease to be the instruments of justice and are used for the murder of the innocent, loyalty ceases to be a virtue. And be it further
Resolved, that these resolutions be immediately communicated to the press, to the President of the United States, to the Governor of the State of Utah and to the Mayor of our City
W. Wald.
Chairman of Meeting
Nov. 14, 1915
Page 4
PETITION
{Honorable} {William} 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 undersighned, demand that the death sentence in the case of Joseph Hillstrom be set aside and clemency extended.
Name/ Address Nic. Velthnijs 2617 Sheffield Ave G Butler 3815 Mansfield Ave W Zimmerman 164 W Clairmont St J J Leroy 849 Cass St R McMeans 1301 Wells St. George Alex 113 Chesnut St. Geore J Wiggens 1330 N Clark St B.H. Fichter 1138 Mills St. H Melville 777 Wells St Frank Bohlman 879 LaSalle St John Turner 917 Sedwick St John Favin 141 E Dearborn J Viola M hart 6646 Wentwartt J Coohman 1630 Blen[Tjlandeta] Henry Bachmann Chicago Ill. Lewis Mereuski 1935 Shefield Ave Leonard Nissilda 750 N Derborn St. William Nelburn C. J Rategan 4341 Jackson John Burdett 911 Well Edward Thorne 1028 Wells St C Ruff 126 Locust St Frank Johnson 515 W Madison St. Charly [Czilanten] North Court St 855 Flat 5
Page 5
To The Hohorable William Spry, Governor of the State of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah The undesigned, all being citzens 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 Dustrict 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 an appeal to your executive clemency on behalf of said Hillstrom, and request that you grant him 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 Uah, in that the said Court denied to him the privilege of being defnded by council of his own selection, or of conducting his own defence, and that he has therefore been deprived of the benifit of councel. 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 prdjudice prevailing in said Salt Lake County against Hillstrom because of his activity in the labor movement.
NAME ADDRESS Warffansen 148 Ohair St Robert Grimine 1448 Warren Ave. Frank Farnum 823 N Clark St. William Hentschel 162 W Chestnut Str Henry Sells 216 [Vll] St J B Marsteller 3034 Grovland Ave Chicago George Visetti 5611 N Franklin St E J Orin 106 W [Churg] W Charles Schroeder 22 E Kingston Ln Peter Magatti 320 W Austin Ave Chcago E Cirro 2244 Emerson Ave Roni Carselle 448 N Curtis St Dominic Parenti 448 N Curtis St Audulf Riloca 1912 Eddy St John Baugalyo 620 N Lotus Ave Austin Joseph Grando 326 W Erie St E Peterson 1525 Lasalle St
