Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-25
JOE H|LLSTR N
SHOT ACCORDING
TO LAWS DEMAND
Stoutly Protested He Was limo.
cent until the End-Gave
the Word to the Fir
ing Squad.

Salt Lake City, Utah, Nov. 19.-Joseph
Iiillstrom, condemned murderer, whose
case attracted attention throughout the
country and prompted this intercession
OF President Wilson, the Swedish minis
ter to the United States and the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, was put to
death by firing squad in the State
prison here at 1:42 a. m. to-day
Hilstrom was convicted of the murder
Of John G. Morrison, grocer. and his
son, Airing. Under Utah law he was
allowed to choose between shooting and
hanging.
At six o'clock this morning, Governor
Spry and the members of the board of
pardons received kilograms from Seattle.
Wash. saying that William Busky of
that city had sworn to affidavits saying
that he was with IIilstrom all of the
night on which the Morrison murders
were committed and that Tillstrom was
innocent a similar message, it was
| stated, had been sent to President Will
son.
| Although Hilstrom continued to pro-
test that he could prove his innocence If
granted a new trial, Hilstrom remained
silent about how he received a bullet
wound, or where he was on the night
| Morrison. of whose murder he was con-
victed, was shot and killed at his grocery
| In Salt Lake City. ITS nobody's bust
ness where l got that wound" Hillstrom
said. ut is only public curiosity that
wants to know that. l am not here to
crafty public curiosity
A chair for Hillstrom was placed
against the inner wall of the prison fac
| ing barricade to conceal the five men
Of the firing squad from the condemned
| man and the spectators. Three of Hill
| strom's friends were invited at his re-
| quest to witness the execution. The
| number Of spectators is limited by law
| and was small, including certain officers
and press representatives. The prison
! physician placed a paper target directly
| over Hillstroms heart to guido the men,
bers of the firing squad, who selected
their rifles by lot. The execution was
under the direction of Sheriff ]. S. Cor
less Of Salt Lake City county
| When the officers came to get fiillstrom
he broke down and started to struggle
with them but when he saw the sheriff h.
became calm and threw up his hands.
Accompanied by the officers he walked to
the death chair. After he was seated they
asked him IL he had anything to say. He
said
Gentlemen. / die with a clear con-
cience. never did anything wrong in my
life. I die fighting, not like a coward.
Well. I'm going. Goodbye"
When the officer started to give the
command to fire Hillstrom yelled: Fire"
The squad fired and the bullets pierced
his heart. He was dead in one minute and
10 seconds after the volley was fired.
Seattle Wash. Nov. 19.-William
Busky. 81. the German American who.
in an affidavit sworn to before a no
tary public declared that Joseph Hill
strom was not in Salt Lake City on
the night of the murder for which
Hillstrom was put to death to-day, to-
night made the following statement
"On the day of the murder Hillstrom
and I applied for work at the smelter
at Murray. Utah. seven miles from
Salt Lake City. Our names should
, appear on the books there as we were
given employment and told to report
that night at IL o'clock.
We remained at Murray and I did
not leave Hillstrom until ten o'clock
that night. Hillstrom was not wound
ed then
, When Hillstrom was given his pre-
, liminary hearing before Judge Richie
in Salt Lake City I was a witness for
the defense. l told the Judge about
Hillstrom and l being together all
the time but he cut me short and said
my evidence wasn't any good.
wasn't put on the stand again. but
was sent back to Jail"
Il had been arrested previously by
8 detective" he continued. who heard
5 me talking about the Hillstrom case
E on the street. l was in jail Al days
& Finally they turned me loose and told
me to leave the State and never come
= back"