Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-11-02
l.W. w. Leader Will Face Firing
Squad Nov 10; Says He's Innocent
Hilstrom Silent in Face of Ev-
cry Accusation Made Against
Him

Salt Lake City, Nov. 1.-Unless
some authority other than Governor
spry or the Utah board of pardons in
tervenes before Friday, November 49,,
Joseph Hillstrom, composer of I. w.
W.'s campaign songs and strike po-
ems, will on that day at the state pen
itentiary face a firing squad of five
men, he having elected this method
of paying the death penalty for the
murder of j. G. Morrison and iMorri-
sons son, Arlin, on January 10, last.
apparently nerved for the execu-
ton that awaits him, Hillstrcnl, who
has protested his innocense from the
start, even now declares that he
doesn't want pardon nor change
of his sentence to life Imprisonment.
What he wants is new trial, pre-.
dieting that if this were granted him
he could easily demonstrate that he
was framed up by five perjurers. :.
Utahs board of pardons considered
Hillstrom's case in September and de-
cided not to interfere with the SEN
tence of the trial court Previously
the supreme court had refused to or
der a. new trial for Hillstron. whose
friends have declined to present de-
fense to the crime charged because TO
do so would involve the name OF g
woman.
hiIlstrom Keeps Silence.
Hillstrom's silence in the face OF
every accusation has been only one
of a series of strange incidents CON
nccted witl his arrest. trial, conVlc'
tion and the campaign now in prog
ress to save his life. Moneyed sym
pathizers of the 7. W. w. have con-
tributed generously to his defense
fund, Virginia Snow Stephens. m
structor at the University OF utan
has championed :lis cause. Yet the ell
forts Of Miss Stenhens and numerous
other adherents Of Hillstrom 10 nave
him, Law bare "a story that, it has heeN
predicted. would free him, nave
brought repeated refusals from t1e
man. =,
81 will not implicate the namo or
an innocent woman" ;Hillstrom haS
y.epeatedly said. "Jf ! get q new tr'a
T will prove my innocence. } don't
want the bumiliation Of life imurls-
on en-, J. or even a, pardon. 4 want q &C.
quittal. S NJ
There was a hint even at the atrlh'
that Billstrom was maintaining 81
lenjce to shield woman. After th'
states witnesses had Described now
IN the night of Jan. 10, 1914. two
men entered the store Of Morrison
and. with no apparent intent to ROB
shot down the father and son Dh'-
sician was called to the stand. ThiT
physician, whose Offices were nV'
miles by trollev from the scene OF tho
SHOOTING. testified that on the night ~
the double murder Hhe attended NV
strom for q bullet wound through his
chest.
Shot by an lrate Husband.
The physician testified that Hil'-
strcm's explanation of how he came
by the wound was that he hal been
shot bv An irate husband. 1t w''
not until two days after the murders
that the physician, recalling Hill
strom.s conduct informed the autnor1-
ties. ?, .--
Then fIillstrc,n was arrested. j. "@1
learned that IIillstrom's close friend
and associate, Otto Apn'eouist, nroml-
nert in TIE ]. ". w., disappeared the
night Of the murders. He has never
been found
zoe Hill'' is the name under which
,Hillstro,n has written songs and no.
ems for the ]. w. w. propaganda. his
most famous song is, ="Oh. Mr.. Block
;,ead,''' sung by strikers during rlots
here a few years ago.
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