As chief executive officer of the state, Governor Spry had the authority to commute the sentences of those convicted of crimes.
Correspondence is in the form of letters, postcards, and telegrams.
Many of the letters were from labor unions or members, including Eugene Debs, who felt Hill was being railroaded because of his connections with the labor movement. There is correspondence between President Woodrow Wilson and Governor Spry. A Swedish Minister made an appeal on behalf of Joe Hill, who was a Swedish citizen, to Governor Spry and to President Woodrow Wilson. When Wilson requested a second postponement, the Governor refused and Hill was executed by a firing squad on November 19, 1915. Several letters offered Governor Spry protection and investigation services.