Joe Hillstrom

DESCRIPTION: "On January Tenth, 1914, Two men fixed some masks of red handkerchiefs" and when to rob the "Temple and South Street Store." Two Morrisons die; one of the robbers is shot. Joe Hill, who has a bullet wound, is arrested and executed for the murder
AUTHOR: Words: Woody Guthrie
EARLIEST DATE: 1947 (recording, Woody Guthrie, according to Lingenfelter/Dwyer/Cohen-SongsOfAmericanWest)
KEYWORDS: labor-movement robbery execution trial | Joe Hill
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
1879-1915 - Life of Joel Emmanuel Hagglund, known as "Joe Hillstrom" or "Joe Hill."
1902 - Hill emigrates to the United States
Jan 10, 1914 - The Salt Lake City robbery/murder for which Joe Hill was arrested
Nov 19, 1915 - Execution of Joe Hill for the murder
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Lingenfelter/Dwyer/Cohen-SongsOfAmericanWest, pp. 551-552, "Joe Hillstrom" (1 text)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Joe Hill's Last Will" (subject of Joe Hill)
cf. "Joe Hill" (subject of Joe Hill) and notes there
NOTES [79 words]: For background on the life of Joe Hill, see the notes to "Joe Hill."
Woody's song is mostly correct on the facts, including Joe Hill's somewhat irrational behavior in ignoring his lawyers, refusing to supply an alibi, and insisting on what he called a "fair trial." I think Woody under-played Hill's erratic and self-defeating behavior, and of course Woody is very pro-Hill, but it's not a bad summary. On the other hand, it's not one of Woody's better bits of poetry.... - RBW
Last updated in version 6.6
File: LDC551

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