Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1915-11-24
GOV. SPRY REFUSED WILSON'S
Request for Further Reprieve of Con-
victed Swcde Criminal.

Salt Lake City, Utah, Nov. 1S.-
! Governor William Spry, with the
unanimous concurrence of the State
board Of pardons, telegraphed Presi-
dent Wilson to-day that he would not
! interfere further in the case Of Jos.
1iIlstrom, a native Of Sweden. and a
member OF the |. w. W., sentenced to
! be executed tomorrow. The Cover
nor'S telegram was in answer to one
! received yesterday from the President
| regarding a reconsideration Of the
case. IIillstrOm was convicted of
numbering a grocer and his son in
1914. He will be shot probably early
tomorrow morning.
Governor Spry said in his telegram
he is satisfied the Presidents request
is based on misconception Of the
facts or that there is some reason Of
an International nature that the Pres
ident has not disclosed, and that fur
ther pOStDonement would be an un-
warranted interference with the
course of justice, and that he cannot
lend himself or his office to such in
tCrfCrcnce.
The five men appointed to execute
Hillstrom have been directed to re-
port at the prison at o'clock to-mor-
row morning.
History of Case.
JOS. IlillStrom was convicted Of the
murder Of John G.. Morrison. a gro
Ger. Of Salt Lake City, Utah. and his
son, Airing. II years old. at Morri-
sons store in the southern portion Of
the city about 9 o'ciu's on the even
ing Of January 10, 1914.
The shooting was witnessed by
Merlin Morrison, another son, IA
years old. According to this boys
story, which was cOrrobOrated on
many points by other evidence, two
masked men entered the store with
drawn pistols and, saying "We'vo got
you now" opened fire on Morrison,
who fell mortally woundsd with a
bullet through his chest. Airing Nor
rison ran to an ice box in the store,
seized 3S-calibre revolver and fired.
Before the boy could shoot again, he
fell pierced by three bullets and died
almost instantly. The men then ran
from the store. one Of them eyclaim-
ing that he was shot, and were OBJ
served to run SOuthward from the
store. The surviving son bent over
his father, who became unconscious
after having inquired where his as
SailantS were, ard died soon after
ward
Hillstrom, also known as Joe Hill,
was arrested three days after the
shooting on information given by a
doctor near Murray, Utah, two and a
| half miles south of the scene of the
crime. Hillstrom staggered into the
doctors home two hours after the
shooting, with large bullet wound
| through his left lung He told the
| doctor he had been shot in a quarrel
over a wOmar and requested that
nothing be said regarding his visit or
wound. The doctor, not having heard
Of the murders, treated the wound
| ana took HillStrom to a house where
| he had been staying for several days.
| News Of the murders recalled the case
to the doctor and he informed the
officers. The doctor found an auto
matte pistol. Of the same calibre as
shells found in the grocery after the
shooting, in HillstrOm's pocket Hill
Strom threw the weapon away after
| leaving the doctors home. Blood was
found at several places between the
store and the home Of the doctor, and
| members of the family where Hill
strOm lived said a companion had
visited him late the night Of the muir
ders. talked privately with him and
| let This man was not apprehended
and has not been heard of since