The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-29
BEG DOM PAUL.
Congress HUmbly Beseeches
The Petty POtentate.
Of the Transvaal to Spare Ham
mOnd's Life.
HIS LIFE is SPARED
Before the Petition Leaves the
United States However.
Death Sentences of all the Pris-
Oners COMMITTED.

Pretoria, April 29.-The sentences of
death imposed upon Mr. John Hayes
Hamond, the American engineer, Col.
Francis Rhodes. a brother Of the for
1ner premier of Cape Colony; Lionel
Philips president of the chamber of
mines of Johannesburg, and George
Farrar, proprietor of Country Life, OF
Johannesburg, have been committed
London, April 28.-The Chartered
South African company has a cable
gram from Johannesburg giving fur
Their details of the judgment of the
high court at Pretoria, in case of the
members Of the reform committee.
This dispatch states that in addition to
the sentence of death passed upon the
leaders of the reform committee. sixty
other members have been sentenced to
two years imprisonment, a fine of $4,000
and three years subsequent Danish
ment The dispatch adds.
There is great excitement in johann
nesburg.
The Times says in an article on the
judgment of the Pretoria court.
1.-THE sentences were q complete sur
prise, but were regarded with equan-
unity solely because 1t was perceived
l that they could not be executed This
applied with equal force to the mon
I strous penalties against the other pris-
I
4 rely on President Krueger's common
sense. 1t is hardly necessary to dis
/ cusS the certain consequences Of the
execution of the sentences. The put
/ ting of one to death would kindle an
/ eXpiable blood feud between the Eng
/ lish and the TransVaal Beers. No sober
politician can doubt the ultimate issue
/ of a conflict between Great Britain and
! the Transvaal, whatever its allegi-
/ ance is"
John Hays Hammond is an Amer
1.rr+ 10th
/ was first arrested. assured the Amer
[ lean state department that his inter
ests would be looked after by Great
Britain as if he were a British subject.
HAMMONDS BROTHER INDIG-
San Francisco, April 29.-Gen. r. P
I Hammond, jr-, brother of John Hays
Hammond. was completely FRUSTRATED
4 brother had been sentenced to die. He
soon received another telegram telling
/ him that the sentence had been COM
| muted.
This whole transaction has been a
/ surprise to me, said Cen Hammond.
/ THE utter disregard of results on the
/ part of the officials at Washington and
the failure to impress upon the BOer
J government the fact that we are ma
! ton Of many millions of people and in
/ a position to demand protection for our
/ citizens abroad has dumbfOunded me
and rendered me all the more misera-
bic
A great outrage mas Deen commit
/ ted My brother was deliberately
! trapped into pleading guilty of treason
/ He was given to understand that he
I would be let off with a fine and in order
/ to have all the trouble ended, consent
/ ed to put in that plea. What was his
| reward? He gave them the opening
/ they wanted and they imposed the ex-
! IRENE penalty. By pleading guilty
they thought they had so placed him
! that he could not call upon his govern
ment to interfere Had he been a sub
ject of England he would be a free man
today The Beers hate the Americans
and the English, but they fear the lat
ter. The whole transaction was a
scheme to fitch from him all he pos
WE PETITION DOM PAUL
/ Washington, April 29.-When Senator
/ Stewart who is personal friend of
! Mr.. Hammond, heard of his conviction
I he Immediately set to work to prepare
q petition in Hammond's behalf which
he had circulated among senators and
members of the house.
The petition is addressed to President
Kruger and is plea for pardon. 1t
sets forth the high character of the ac-
cused and states that his family and
associations were of the best and while
it is conceded by the petitioners that
the crime to which he has pleaded gull
ty IS a most serious one, and directed
against a government for which the
signers have high regard, they still
ask as an act Of Clemency that the Of
tense be condoned and the prisoner lib
Grated.
The petition was signed by all to
whom it was presented.
The petition is as follows:
President Kruger, TransvaaI Gov
| eminent South Africa-Sir:@The un-
dersigned, members of the senate and
house of representatives of the United
States of America, respectfully repre-
sent that John Hays Hammond is a
citizen OF the United States and a man
of high character connected with the
best families of this country and an en-
gineer of ability We regret exceeding
" his unfortunate connection with the
troubles in your country, for which all
Z our people entertain feelings of kind
ness and respect In view Of the unim-
peacnaDle character of Mr.. Hammond
in his own country, and the high stand
ing OF his friends and relations we
earnestly ask for him your most kind
{ " consideration If your excelleuczy
would extend to him a pardon for his
would esteem it an especial compli-
ment to US well as to the people Of
! the United States
Hoping you viii relieve Mr. Ham
mond from the penalty of his associa-
tons, We are,
Your most obedient servants
Tt is felt at the STATE department that
it has been criticised rather unjustlv in
/ congress and elsewhere upon its con-
/ duct of HammOnd's case The com
plant that it has worked through
BRUSH Onlclals to secure fair treat
/ ment for the American prisoner it is
I said, is made In ignorance of the re-
/ quirements of international law The
/ United states has no diplomatic repre-
! sentative. whatever. in the Transva al
relations Of that country are conhded
I by reality in Great Britain and it would
be a manifest violation of propriety