I have worked hard for a living and paid for everything I got, and my spare time I spend by painting pictures, writing songs and composing music. Now, if the people of the State of Utah, want to shoot me without giving me half a chance to state my side of the case, then bring on your firing squads.
I am ready for you. I have lived like an artist and I shall die like an artist.
-Joe Hill
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Tuesday August 24, 1915
From the Salt Lake Telegram: Joe Hill Address the People of the State of Utah
In the August 22nd edition of
The Salt Lake Telegram, we find published a letter from Joe Hill to the editor. The letter was introduced:
From the death house of the state prison Joseph Hillstrom has written a letter to the editor of The Telegram laying his case before the people. It is the message of a man who is doomed and for whom there seems little hope. The date of his execution is little more than a month away.
Hillstrom closes his statement with this declaration: "I have lived like an artist and I shall die like an artist."
Letter from Joe Hill to The Salt Lake Telegram
State Prison,
Aug. 15, 1915.
Editor, Salt Lake Telegram,
Salt Lake city, Utah
Sir--
I have noticed that there have been some articles in your paper wherein the reason why I discharged my attorneys E.B. Scott and E.D. McDougall, was discussed pro and con. If you will kindly allow me a little space, I think I might be able to throw a little light on the question.
There were several reasons why I discharged, or tried to discharge these attorneys. The main reason, however, was because they never attempted to cross-examine the witnesses for the state, and failed utterly to deliver the points of the defense.
When I asked them why they did not use the records of the preliminary hearing and pin the witnesses down to their former statements, they blandly informed me that the preliminary hearing had nothing to do with the district court hearing and that under the law they had no right to use said records.
I picked up a record myself and tried to look at it, but Mr. Scott took it away from me, stating that "it would have a bad effect on the jury." I then came to the conclusion that Scott and McDougall were not there for the purpose of defending me, and I did just what any other men would have done--I stood up and showed them the door. But, to my great surprise, I discovered that the presiding judge had the power to compel me to have these attorneys, in spite of all my protests.
The main and only fact worth considering, however, is this: I never killed Morrison and do not know a thing about it.
He was, as the records plainly show, killed by some enemy for the sake of revenge, and I have not been in this city long enough to make an enemy. Shortly before my arrest, I came down from Park City, where I was working in the mines.
Owing to the prominence of Mr. Morrison, there had to be a "goat," and the undersigned being, as they thought, a friendless tramp, a Swede, and worst of all, an I.W.W., had no right to live anyway, and was therefore selected to be "the goat."
There were men sitting on my jury, the foreman being one of them, who were never subpoenaed for the case. There are errors and perjury that are screaming to high heaven for mercy, and I know that I, according to the laws of the land, am entitled to a new trial, and the fact that the supreme court does not grant it to me only proves that the beautiful term, "equality before the law," is merely and empty phrase in Salt Lake City.
Here is what Judge Hilton of Denver, one of the greatest authorities on law, has to say about it:
The decision of the supreme court surprised me greatly, but the reason why the verdict was affirmed is, I think, on account of the rotten records made by the lower court.
This statement shows plainly why the motion for a new trial was denied and there is no explanation necessary. In conclusion I wish to state that my records are not quite as black as they have been painted.
In spite of all the hideous pictures and all the bad things said and printed about me, I had only been arrested once before in my life, and that was in San Pedro, Cal. At that time of the stevedores' and dock workers' strike I was secretary of the strike committee, and I suppose I was a little too active to suit the chief of the burg, so he arrested me and gave me thirty days in the city jail for "vagrancy"--and there you have the full extent of my "criminal record."
I have worked hard for a living and paid for everything I got, and my spare time I spend by painting pictures, writing songs and composing music.
Now, if the people of the State of Utah, want to shoot me without giving me half a chance to state my side of the case, then bring on your firing squads--I am ready for you.
I have lived like an artist and I shall die like an artist. Respectfully yours,
Joseph Hillstrom
[Photograph added.]
~~~~~~~~~~
SOURCE
The Letters of Joe Hill
-ed by Philip S Foner
Oak Publications, 1965
https://books.google.com/...
IMAGE
Joe Hill
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Joe Hill, Chicago Day Book of July 20 1914
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/...
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Dear Readers of Hellraisers,
This year for my vacation, Hellraisers will not be as scaled back as it was for the past two vacations. This happy change is due to my new & much faster computer.
The big change that my readers will see, starting July 16th, will be the shorter length of the postings along with fewer links.
When my readers find unfamiliar names, places, or events, please use the tags along with JayRaye (in diarist section of search feature). Or just leave a question for me in the comments and I will get back to you.
When I actually leave for Minnesota, I'll let everyone know.
Solidarity,
JayRaye
Note: Vacation has started! Until Aug 7th, I'll be able to check in about twice a day. From Aug 8-30th, I'll be checking in only 2 or 3 times per week. Hope everyone keeps on Raising Hell (with the corporate powers, not with each other) until my return from Minnesota.
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The Ballad of Joe Hill - Phil Ochs
Oh, Utah justice can be had
But not for a union man
And Joe was warned by summer early morn
That there'd be one less singer in the land
There'd be one less singer in the land
-Phil Ochs
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