The Arizona copper camp., 1915-11-26
A COURAGEOUS EXECUTIVE

Governor William Spry of Utah is
an executive who believes that he
was elected to enforce the law, re-
gardless of whether the law to be
enforced happens to coincide with
his personal views, or the personal
opinions of anybody else. This was
shown last week, when in response
to an eleventh hour request from
President Wilson that he again post
pone the execution of Joseph Hill
strom, the Swedish murderer, he re-
piled that he could not lend himself
to what clearly was an unwarranted
interference with the course of JUS
tice The governors reply, denying
further respite was transmitted to
the president after a most careful
consideration of the case, and of the
fact that there were no new facts
to be presented in Hillstrom's behalf
Hillstrom was executed the following
day.
After reviewing the history of the
case, and particularly the Presidents
action in connection with it, the gov
ernor says in his telegram:
September 30 you requested
stay of execution of the sentence to
give the Swedish minister an oppor-
tunity to present his view of the
case. Upon the same day, at your
request only on the assumption that
you were in possession of facts not
presented to the board, l granted
respite until October 16, especially
requesting that the Swedish min
lister personally investigate the case
and appear before the board. Under
date of October / you advised me
that your only reason for interced
ing was the request of the repre-
sentative of foreign government
the board an open hearing was had
in further consideration of the case.
Hillstrom's attorney advised the
board that there was nothing fur
ther to present and that Hillstrom
declined to appear before the board
again. The only representation in
the convicts behalf was a short
telegram from the Swedish min
lister requesting Communication of SEN
tence, not by reason of any new
thing in relation to the case, but, as
hn
manity and comfy usually practiced
between friendly nations Because
of the absence of any showing the
board terminated the respite and
again denied Communication. The
convict thereupon was upon the 18th
of October resentenced by the court
to be shot November 10. Forty-six
days after the granting of the res
pite, and at the eleventh hour, you,
as the President, without stating
any reasons therefore, again wired
urging a thorough reconsideration
e-of the case, because of it's impor-
tance and the justice and advisable
ity of such course.
Your interference in the case
may have elevated it to an undue
Importance and the receipt of thou
sands of threatening letters de-
manding the release of Hillstrom
regardless of his guilt or innocence,
may attach peculiar Importance to
it, but the case is important in
Utah only as establishing, after a
fair and impartial trial, the guilt of
one of the perpetrators of one of
the most atrocious murders ever
committed in this state. 1t is also
important by reason of the fact that
this case has had more careful and
painstaking consideration at the
hands of the proper officials of Utah
than any other like case in the his
tory of the state.
GAS to your suggestion that JUS
tice requires further consideration
of the case, 1 earnestly submit that
the imputation contained not only
in your message to me. but also in
your message to the president of
the American Federation of Labor,
that this convict has not had justice
in the courts of this state is not
justified. Three groups of attorneys
have represented Hillstrom in the
proceedings before the district court.
the supreme court and the board of
pardons.
"The first group was employed by
Hillstrom to conduct his defense.