Wilson Ends Involvement At the urging of Swedish Minister Ekengren, President Woodrow Wilson asked the Governor of Utah to block the planned execution of Joe Hill. Governor William Spry was furious, but agreed to postpone the execution as a courtesy to the President. The stipulation was that Ekengren produce new evidence immediately to cast doubt upon Hill's conviction for murder. When Ekengren failed to produce evidence, Hill's death sentence was re instated. Under pressure from the Swedish government, the U.S. State Department advised the President of the looming execution. Wilson, astonished by Spry's criticism of Wilson's action and the negative press reaction to his intervention, scribbled a response on the bottom of the memo: "I do not feel that I can do more than I have. Even that was apparently resented." -- W.W. (Courtesy: Library of Congress) Read this historical document's full text                 About the Program || Joe Hill Home || PBS Home