The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-01

The Yeldeu Case.
Our dispatches yesterday stated that Gov.
Beaver, of Pennsylvania, had finally To-
cided TO deliver John YeldeH 10 the south
Carolina auth rites. He could hardly have
done otherwise with Ut an arbitrary exer-
else of power that would have been very
generally condemned No doubt ne woJlt
like t. haye gratifed the unthinking col Tel
people Of Pit,sburg by refusing an order
for Yeldelrs extraiitOn, but the way as
not clear for him u do so. The Piutsburg
judge. efore whom Yeldell was broug II %
test the validity Of the extra iitlon papes,
said that the governor could not honorably
resist Yeldelrs extradition.
The case was in some respects a remark
able one. not because there was anything
unusual in the course pursued by the gov
ernor Of South Ca DINA, but because Of the
extraordinary efforts made by the colored
people of Pittsburg and the republIca press
of t at city. TO prevent Ysldell from being
taken back to South Carolina. Reput lican
JOUR. ais outside Of Pittsburg we so far as
to say that it promised become a case Of
national impo lance, though on what
ground they based that assertion it is not
easy to understand
Yeldell is mul tito, and was born a
slave. He is under Indictment in Edgefield
county, South Caroina, for completely in
the murder Of John Blackwell, who was
killed in October, 1884 Blackwell was a
deputy sheriff, and was killed while assist
ing in arresting a number Of colored mer,
for whom warrants had been issued for
creating disturbance at a religious meet
ing 1t is alleged that Yeldell is one Of
those who shot him.
Soon after the Blackwell tragedy Yeliell
began ma ing preparations for becoming a
minister He seems to have led an honest
industrious life, and t. have met with
fair success. About year and a half ago
be went to PittsbIrg, and there kept a
corner grocery for awhile and for a few
months was a waiter in one Of the hotels.
He finally became a minister, and was
known as the Rev. Z. F. Flemon.
The mother of Blackwell, the murdered
deputy sheriff is wealthy woman, and
offered a large reward for the arrest and
punishment of the slayers of her son. The
chief Of police of Plttsburg, having heard
Of the reward, and h wing seen a Photograph
Of Yeldell, concluded that Rev. Flemon
was the man wanted. He arrested him on
July and notified the governor of South
Carolina of his action.
1t was never at any time denied tat the
man who passed as Flemon was Yeldell, nor
was there any denial that there was sufIi-
clent proof to hold Yeldell for trial for the
murder of Blackwell The republican press
Of Pittsburg, however, tried to make it APP
pear that if Yeldell killed any
body in South Carolina the killing
was done in defending himself
and other republicans against democra S,
and that the purpose of taking Yeldell
back to Edgefield county was to give his
political enemies chance to get revenge
1t was freely asserted that Yeldell would
not reach Edgetield coun y alive, but would
be taken from his guard d shot or hanged.
OF course, all tnis tended to bring the
Yeldell case into prominence, and doubt
less good many well-meaning people in
Pennsylvania were led to believe that an
innocent man was to be sacrificed to pri gate
vengeance. The governor of that state,
however, and the Judge who heard the
habeas corpus proceedings, and even the
supreme court, to which a fruitless appeal
was made in YeldelIs behalf, knew the
truth, aid SO the prisoner was sent back to
South Carolina. There he will be dealt
with fairly and justly. If he is found
guilty he will be punished. If not found
guilty he will be given his liberty.