Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-21
BEAVER is BESIEGED.
Flemon's Friends Want That War
rant Revoked and Recalled.
LONG MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNOR.
Powers of Supreme Court, Executive and
Nation Are Called Upon.
JUDGE EWING GRANTS MORE TINE

James A. Beaver, Governor of this Com
monwealth, whether or not Preacher E. F.
Flemon is handed over to the tender mercies
of South Carolina justice, represented in
Pittsburg by the Southern State Marshals,
Lyon and Strom.
The friends of the colored refugee have
been indignant from the first at the ready
compliance of Governor Beaver with the
requisition issued upon him by Governor
Richardson. They now looked upon Gov
ernor Beavers action as grave mistake
due to the vague terms of the South Caro-
lima requisition, and also to the fact that
1885" was the year given--it is alleged
with fraudulent intent-when if 1884" had
been rightly set forth as the year of the
crime, the Pennsylvania Executive would
have put this and that together and figured
out the political status of the affair.
THE CHANGE IN DATES
is loudly denounced as fraud and a sham,
and now furnishes a presumably strong
reason for a vigorous demand that Governor
Beaver must rescind his action for this and
other weighty reasons Although Flemon
was given three days grace yesterday by
Judge Ewing, his friends feel that no stone
must be left unturned, for delay in deliver
ing him to the South Carolina deputies only
postpones the evil day. The committee of
colored ministers was bravely at work yes
terday, but no new plan was thought of
until Rev. J. j. Jones arrived at Hon.
Charles F. McKenna's Office full of an idea
L. tt e L.
law firm of Lambie & Brown. A hurried
conference was held and the following ring
ing telegram was drafted by the committee
and sent to Governor Beaver.
TO RECALL THAT WARRANT.
PITTsBURG, July 20 1882
General James A. Beaver, Governor of Pennsyl-
vania, Bellefonte, Pa:
Twenty-Five thousand colored citizens of Allie
gheny county appeal to you, though the under
signed committee, composed of the ministers
of all the colored denominations of Pittsburg
and Allegheny, to recall and revoke the requis-
ition and warrant of arrest in the hands of the
South Carolina Marshals now in Pittsburg for
the body of Rev. E. F. Flemon, the same hav-
ing been granted through fraud and misrepre-
sentation. the alleged crime being political. and
the result of total deprivation of rights of a |
colored voter in the Presidential campaign of
1884.
To thus surrender this wounded victim of
shotgun policy to his assailants will be an infa
nous blot on Pennsylvania.
The prisoner will be held by the Sheriff of |
Allegheny county until Tuesday at 10 AM.
As Union soldiers we beseech you, a fellow |
comrade, to at once stay and recall your war
promptly Notify Charles F. McKenna and
burg, OF hearing on rule to stay.
GSigned by Rev. John Halliday, Zion NJ. E; |
Rev. Geo w. Clinton, Zion M; E; Rev. John
Irxrar Av,fr noI, Rn-f ffoN n.r IL
A. M E; Rev. James McMuilen. Zion N. E:
John Turfiey, Grace Presbyterian; Rev. ]. j. /
Jones, Allegheny Baptist Committed
HE CAN REVOKE THE WARRANT.
"Can Governor Beaver revoke his war
rant and refuse to honor the South Caro-
lima requisition?" was asked Of Hon. G. r.
McKenna.
Certainly he can, and thereby save all
further legal proceedings. The whole case
of the South Carolina Marshals hangs. upon
their positive Identification of Flemon, but
that would be useless without the warrant
with which Governor Beaver equipped |
them. 1 fully believe that the Governor
was misled by the requisition and acted
hastily. He has the statutory right to re-
call and revoke the warrant which was un-
questionably obtained upon fraudulent rep
resentation. Even supposing that Flemon
is the man wanted in Edgefeld county
sonable jury would pronounce it murder
to resist butchery by kuklux? Black
well was killed while engaged in a
wanton midnight attack upon crowd
of poor fellows whose only crime was their
possession OF the franchise of an American
citizen. Even though there is testimony
upon record that the man the South Caro-
lima authorities suppose to be Yeldell fired
the shot which killed young Blackwell, the
,ral Ac !
from two men who had to shift response
bility to save their own life. Such evil
dence would not be worth a straw in
Northern court. IF Governor Beaver does |
not recall his warrant and thus give Flemon
his freedom, or at least suspend action upon
the requisition until an argument can be
had before him,
HE WILL GO sQUARELY BACK
upon the record of this glorious old State
and its Executives quarter of a century
since, when the lives of countless colored
people were trembling in the balance.
"Other important engagements prevent
my appearance in the case after
next Wednesday and I have urged
the committee to retain Hon.
John Dalzell to argue the rule to stay be-
fore Governor Beaver, and the committee
will wait upon that gentleman forthwith.
A number OF lawyers agree in pronouncing
it avery strong case for Executive interfer-
ence and revocation of action. The requisi-
ton charges Flemon with murder, but if he
was the man who received a bullet in his
hat on Sunday and gunshot wound in his
arm on Monday, October 29, 1884, it must
appear to Governor Beaver, or any person
north of Mason and Dixou's line, that he
il it was he-was more than justified In SELL
ing his life as dearly as possible. If Flemon
should be taken back to South Carolina,
and receive typical Southern trial in
infamed by the Pennsylvania
fight to prevent his extradition, it would
end only in one way, and thus reopen the
whole question of Southern election out
RACES. There could not be a stronger case
for Executive interference.
THREE DAYS GRACE GIVEN.
Flemon's attorneys presented themselves
in court yesterday morning and stated that
,hev had been unable to secure an allocatur
in the case, as none of the Supreme Court
Judges were accessible. They therefore
.sked for three days delay, and Judge
Ewing stated that he would not make the
,rder for Flemon's delivery. to the South
Carolina officers until next Tuesday at 10 A.
n. The plans of the attorneys, Messrs.
Marshall and McKenna, were subsequently,
ormed and stated to a DISPATCH reporter
ate last evening. Both gentlemen will
cave for Philadelphia tonight and seek
me of the Supreme Court Justices, and, if
.gresable, the matter will be argued in
Judges Chambers on Monday morning. A
labeas corpus from the Supreme tribunal
will be asked for in order to have /.
Elemon taken to Philadelphia, the
egal battle to be fought out in
hat city. 1t is a pure matter of grace
yith the Supreme Court, as it is not prob
bile that Judge Ewing's opinion will be re-
'ersed. But time may be gained in which
o present the case in the proper light to
Governor Beaver. as well as to make sure
hat the Federal Government has taken cog
Iizance of the case. A small satchel will
e filed with the papers in the case and affi-
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