T: Aug. 1914; Aug.-Sept. 15, 1915

Sept 9 -1915

To the Governor of Utah

Is there nothing you a man elected by the people for the people, can do to put a stop to the murder of Joe Hill? For its nothing mure or less than cold blooded murder, a blow at liberty and a crime against the working class of the United States. If the hired murderers of the law must shoot some one let them go to war where they have the same chance to be shot as to shoot. We the voters and farmers (working class) of N. Dak believe in fair play

The crying injustice of the [?] of the law are rousing the wage earners and farmers to revolt- and this case against Joe Hill is such a fraud that a child can see through it. In the name of the people let there be something done to save him.

Yours Turly Mrs. C. C. Talboth Forbes N Dak.

St. Paul, Minnesota, Sep. 10, 1915.

The Governor of Utah, Salt Lake City.

Honorable Sir:-

The news that Joe Hill is to be judicially murdered by the State of Utah, fills me with apprehension for the fate of my country. Crimes of that kind cannot be pulled off without the vengeance of God exacting the penalty such crimes demand. I believe Joe Hill innocent, and consider the plan to murder him, but a flimsy excuse on the part of grafters, to get rid of a man who cannot be terrified or purchased. Such a man is beyond the understanding of the lickspittles of Mammon. In their eyes a man who will not sell to highest bidder is a traitor to King Greed and all his hoary henchmen! "Preparedeness" is first in the heart, -the preparation that the spectacle of JUSTICE, administered honestly (and pitifully) to every member of the American family (and the world, as well). Where one's own country sets the example the State of Utah contemplates, will not LOVE OF COUNTRY become a hater, a detestor, of a country that will execute such a crime? When one loses faith in one's country, then, let the country take notice that she has commited the unpardonable crime in destroying that faith,- that she has sown dragon's teeth, and must reap the whirlwind of her own croping. "My country, first and last, and forever, as long as you shall be just and true", but, when you fail in this, GOOD NIGHT!

I pray you to do what you can to prevent this attack upon the toilers of this coutnry, this attack upon the American Spirit. Let not this SPIRIT be assassinated by the vipers of GREED that have instigated this devilish crime. The REVOLUTION is gathering force, it approaches like a tornado; the only power that can stay its progress is the power, NOT of FORCE and OPPRESSION, but the POWER OF LOVE OF COUNTRY, that ONLY the administration of JUSTICE AND TRUTH can sway.

Pardon Joe Hill, Honorable Sir, if you can possibly do so.

Most Respectfully Yours, H.R. Thomas.

Answered.

HERMON F. TITUS, M.D. (HARVARD) SEATTLE, WASH.

Detroit, Mich., Sept. II, 1915.

To Governor William Spry of Utah:

Please allow me to name a few good reasons why you should commute the sentence of Joseph Hillstrom.

FIRST REASON. Capital Punishment is itself growing in popular disfavor and will soon be out of date. You have the opportunity to put your state in line with the most progressive legislation in other states by commuting this man's sentence to life-imprisonment. Only a few years hence there is little doubt his execution will be reagrded as legalized murder. If you commute his sentence, as you can legally do, you will only be anticipating the people's yet unexpressed will.

SECOND REASON. There is not popular demand for Hillstrom's execution, as there was in Georgia for the death of Leo Frank, due to the fact that Morrison's murder had no such horrible accompaniments as that of Mary Phagan. Yet Gov. Slater courageously exercised his prerogative even in the face of popular clamor, and the calm judgement of the American public sustains his action. People have an increasing horror of executing a possibly innocent man.

THIRD REASON. The evidence against Hillstrom is circumstantial and there is always a possibility of innocence under such evidence. Thousands of tales men in the last few years under examination for jury-service in criminal cases, have been rejected because they persistently refused to say they would convict on circumstantial evidence. There have been so many fatal mistakes made in the past that most men prefer to take no chance of killing an innocent man.

FOURTH REASON. Hillstrom's defense was inadequate. He was too poor to secure the services of distinguished criminal lawyers and he seems also to have been too confident of acquittal, as was natural to a man conscious of innocence. The court had to appoint attorneys for the defence and their compensation must therefore have been only nominal. I do not know their record or ability, but it is matter of common knowledge that such cases do not call out the determined, prolonged and brilliant efforts that the best lawyers are capable of. Contrast Leo Frank's defence or Harry Thaw's defence or W.D. Haywood's defence with that of poor "Joe Hill". He was not allowed to dismiss these lawyers appointed by the court when he became dissatisfied with them during the progress of the trial. He was thus denied the privilege of conducting his own defence. To a candid observer, like myself, this trial of Hillstrom seems too much like that of the hobo in the police court: he is nobody anyhow and not worth a trial, or he is a dangerous character and guilty as such. "Away with him!"

FIFTH REASON. Joseph Hillstrom is a man valuable to society and therefore his life should be spared. He is no low-browed villain. He is an intellectual man and a poet. As he himself says in his letter to the "Telegram"; "I have lived like an artist and I will die like an artist." It will be as much of a loss and disgrace for Utah to kill this man as it would have been for Scotland to kill Robert Burns. Joe Hill's "Then we'll sing one song of the poor and ragged tramp" rings as true to life as Bobbie Burns' "A man's a man for 'a that."

SIXTH REASON. Joe Hill's execution will intensify the class-hatred that so many American thinkers and statesman regards as the most dangerous symptom of modern society. Whatever one may think of the "I.W.W", there is no doubt there are many thousands of them and many thousands more in sympathy with them. They give voice to the

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millions of unemployed that constitute the chief menace to industrial peace. Joe Hill is their beloved song-writer. I have travelled from end to end of the United States in the last three years and every where I find his songs in popular use among workingmen. To have this man legally shot, poor, alone and undefended, because as these workingmen will believe, he dared to voice their wrongs and chant their hopes, will surely arouse a storm of indignation and retaliation such as might have followed in 1907 if Haywood had not been acquitted by the Boise jury when he sood trial for the assassination of Gov. Steunenberg.

We are in the midst of crucual times when a Federal Industrial Relations Commission appointed to investigate the causes of industrial unrest, has just issued a most alarming report, startling the country with its revelations of distress and rebellion among the working classes. In my judgement this is no time to aggravate these poverty-stricken millions by shooting to death their most popular and loved song-writer.

Yours Sincerely,

Hermon F. Titua