Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1894-02-22
A Fra nd on the Gov. rncr.

A Fraud on the Gov rncr.
The Arheville Citizen states
that Mr.. Frank r. Hewitt, of
Hewitt, n. c., was recently put on
his trial in a criminal court in A t.
ianta, Co., for an alleged libel of
Mr.. Saul. The alleged "libel" was
contained in a letter written to a
gentleman in Atlanta. in which
Hewitt characterized Saul as un-
trustworthy and a 'God-forsaken
scoundrel.''
Hewitt was not in Georgia at
the time, nor afterwards. Notwith>
standing this fact, it was made to
appear TO the Governor of Georgia
that Hewitt was a fugitive from
the justice of ha: state, and the
Governor promptly made requisi
ton on the Governor of North
Carolina for the surrender Of Hew
itt. The requisition, based on the
false a!leg alton that Hewitt was
"tugitive," was as promptly hon>
ored by the Governor Of North
Carolina as it had been made by
the Governor of Georgia. and
Hewitt was carried in handcufs
from this State to Georgia.
1t is doubtful whether a greater
outrage has been perpetrated on q
citizen OF the state in the last so
years. Hewitt was not even a con-
structive fugitive, much less an acs
tnal fugitive from Georgia, and un.
der the Constitution of tie United
States and the act of Congress pro.
viding the machinery tor its en-
forcement, the Governor of Geor-
gia had no right whatever to de-
mand the alleged fugitive from
the Governor OF this State"
The above statement being true,
this is perversion of the ex'radis
tion laws, and one that calls Tor ac-
ten on the part of Gov. Carr who
was duped into honoring the requi.
sition, We $50 presume that the
Governor of Georgia was duped in
to making the requisition, aud we
do not doubt that he will be in
cllned tc manifest his displeasure
at the fraud practised on him. Al
though it is odd that Mr. Hewitt
should not have been advised by
his counsel to take proper action
TO secure his immediate release
when arrested as fugitive from
the State of Georgia, yet that is a
matter apart from this aspect OF
the case. If the facts be as stated,
we apprehend that it is not too
late for the Governor of North
Carolina, with the cosoperation IF
the Governor Of Georg;a, to have
Mr.. Hewitt relieved from the re-
suit of this fraudulent proceeding.
Ii no other way is legally open
now, the Governor of Georgia
should promptly pardon Mr.. Hew-
itt, if be has been convicted. At
any rate, it IL matter for the
Governor Of North Carolina to
interest himself in without delay,
The Citizen suggests that it was
the duty OF the Governor of this
State to have made inquiry as to
whether Hewitt was really a fugie
tive from Justice from Georgia or
not, before 'noriay tn, req 1isi
ton. Certainly had there been any
circumstance TO put the Governor
of North Carolina on his guard, he
should have instituted inquiry; but
otherwise, not. In the absence OF
any such circumstance Mr.. Hew-
tits friends should have speedily
notified the Governor OF North
Carolina of the fact lat he was not
a fugitive from Georgia, and thus
have put in motion the wheels o!
the Law that would have rendered
nugatory the fraudulent proceeds
ings.
Hewitt, where the arrest was
probably made, is on the Mnrphy
branch of the Western North
Carolina railroad, far away from
Raleigh and near Georgia, and
personal representation of the facts
in the case could hardly have been
made before the arrested man was
carried from this State to Atlanta;
but the telegraph annihilates space,
and even on reaching Atlanta j,
was not too late f,r Mr. Hewitt to
haye telegraphed the facts to Gov
ernor Carr. But even now, we as
sune that the Governor of North
Carolina will. if there be occasion
act with zeal to defeat the pro.
ceedings that were founded in q
fraud upon him, as we'll as upon
/ tho Gnvorpor Gaor;o Do3aoz