Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-19
]. W. W. POET
CONTINUED from page IL


tested his heart. II was pumping
hard. They pinned the white target
above his heart and the white mark
stood out boldly against his black
prison shirt.
Sheriff Corless shouted Aim"
The Ave rifles steadled from the
portfolios.
Fire. Let-er-go." shrieked Hill
strom. mockingly. He was plainly
grinning, horrible death grin, II
seemed TO witnesses.
Fire." commanded Corless.
Five rifles spoke. Hillstrom's body
sagged down In the chair and then
straightened out stiffly, as the head
sagged down on his shoulders. Ply
slcians stepped qsickly to Hillstrom's
side. They applied the stethoscope.
In one minute IL 2/5 seconds they
raised their hands.
"IIe In dead" they said solemnly
The corpse was taken to the prison
hospital. No one claimed Il at first.
An eleventh hour attempt to save
Hlllstrom failed. "A Seattle man
named Busby was reported to have
signed an afIidayit furnishing an
alibi. claiming he was in Hillstrom's
company elsewhere than at the scene
on the night the murder Of J. G.
Morrison and his son Airing was COM
United.
Hilistrom himself swept even this
small hope OF life aside.
II don't know Busby," he said In
his cell when officials questioned him.
! That settled Hilistrom's fate. The
Intervention OF President Wilson and
the Swedish minister had failed.
Hillstrom's own words crushed his
last chance.
j Governor Spry and the pardons
board who sent Hillstrom to his
death. despite countrywide protests
and the ofiicial interference, did not
witness the execution.
Ed Rowen, secretary OF the local
I. w. W., applied for admission as
a witness because he was friend OF
Hillstrom. but he was not allowed
within the prison walls.
Probably $50 persons. including q
score OF women and a number OF
I, w. w. members. were outside the
prison walls In the public street al
dawn. They heard the five rifles
crack.
Despite threats OF death sent Gov.
ernor Spry. coupled with letters say,
Ing buildings would be wrecked. the
city was quiet. No disorder occurred
during or after the execution as fai
as I. w. W. sympathizers we're CON
cerned.
Scarlet letters, Goodbye Capitol
were found painted near the state
capitol building. Guards watched Il
closely. This and similar legends
were placarded In several sections Of
the city during the night.
4 The marksmen's aim was perfect
The four bullets entered over HILL
strom's heart In a space that could
be covered with silver dollar.
Doctors said OF the shooting that
II was most humane" and obvious.
ly superior to hanging"
Last night Hillstrom scoffed al
death. To reporters he declared he
was not afraid to die. He wanted a
new trial. he said. Out would not 90
on his knees" to get II: nor would he
give them a dying statement"
They would call me liar, any
way" he said.
Asked for something concerning
his family, he smiled bitterly.
II guess the family will go out
when l pass on" he said.
Answering President Wilson's re-
quest for stay, Governor Spry de-
clared no fair-minded person had any
doubt OF the prisoners guilt.
II am fully convinced that your
request must be based on a miscon-
ception OF facts. or that there is some
reason of an international nature
that you have not disclosed" the
governor wired. He declared further
that he could not lend himself nor
his office to interference with JUS
tice."
Seattle, Nov. 19.-Only few
hours from the time Joe Hillstrom
was shot at the Utah penitentiary
this morning. William Busky.. 81
years old, q German-Amerlcan. was
swearing before members OF the
INV, w. here that Hillstrom was not
near the scene Of the murders at the
\ hour they occurred. tgs .o.t ti