On 22 June 1959, Father Dixon contacted Dr. Charles Duguid, who ran the Aborigines' Advancement League, to discuss Stuart's situation. On 27 June, a meeting of the League, university teachers, clergymen and representative of the Howard League for Penal Reform was held in Duguid's Magill home, where Dixon and Strehlow spoke to the meeting. It was decided to mount a campaign to keep Stuart alive, and the distribution of petitions for Commutation of sentence was arranged. The meeting was mentioned in a small report in "The News", an afternoon newspaper, but didn't mention the participants. On 30 June, the morning newspaper, "The Advertiser", printed a letter expressing concern over Stuart's conviction. On 1 June, "The News" printed a small story with the headline, "Petitioners Run a Race with Death". By now supporters and opponents of the death penalty were debating in the two newspapers' Letter to the editor sections, but there was little concern expressed over Stuart himself.