Spencer Heath Archive

Item 2244

Penned notes by Heath for a plea to the governor of Massachusetts from his daughter’s, Lucile Annette Heath’s, Columbia University Class of 1927, regarding the case of Fernando Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti.

1927

I am one of the New Youth. I speak for the generation that will follow you. Soon we must take up the administration of affairs. We look to you for a heritage of equal justice for the wise and for the foolish, for the approved classes and the unpopular. You owe it to us to purge the good name of Massachusetts of all suspicion of having connived with Federal communist hunters to send two stupid foreigners to the electric chair without much regard to their guilt or innocence of serious crime.

Issue a writ or whatever is necessary. Do not let these men die till the Department of Justice files have been opened and every scrap of evidence brought clearly to light.

The new generation is learning to look Truth — All Truth — in the face. Give us cause to honor you for having done so in this case.

Columbia University New York Class of 1927