A Call to Produce New Evidence Utah Governor William Spry was under a barrage of telegrams protesting the death sentence of Joe Hill in the fall of 1915. Convinced that Hill was rightfully convicted, and equally certain the telegrams were prompted by radical labor agitators who were not telling the truth about Hill's guilt, Spry convened the State Board of Pardons on September 28, 1915 to hear any evidence that might question the legitimacy of Hill's conviction. Not leaving the event to chance, Spry issued this modified summons to several of Hill's outspoken defenders. The challenge, in effect, was to present the evidence or hold your tongue. The confrontational meeting failed on both counts. No new evidence was introduced to cast doubt upon Hill's conviction, and the stream of angry telegrams aimed at Spry did not diminish. Read the text of Governor Spry's summons Read on for more                   About the Program || Joe Hill Home || PBS Home