The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-29
BEG DOM PAUL.
Congress Humbly Beseeches
The Petty Potentate.
Of the Transyaal to Spare Ham
mOnd's Life.
-~ wzT1
HIS LIFE is SPARED
Before the Petition Leaves the
United States However.
Death Sentences of all the Pris-
Oners COMMITTED.

death imposed upon Mr.. John Hayes
Hamond, the American engineer, Col
Francis Rhodes, a brother Of the for
mer 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 commuted-
London. April 28.-The Chartered
South African company has a cable
gram from Johannesburg giving fur
ther 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 1000
and three years subsequent Danish
ment The dispatch adds:
There is great excitement in Johan-
nesburg.
The Times says in an article on the
judgment of the Pretoria court:
THE sentences were a complete sur
prise, but We're regarded with equan-
inaity solely because it was perceived
that they could not be executed. This
applied with equal force to the mon
strous penalties against the other pris-
oners Chose sentenced to death). We
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
i 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 TransvaaI, whatever its allegi-
ance is"
John Hays Hammond is an Amer
lean, but Mr. Chamberlain, when he
was first arrested, assured the Amer
Z lean state Gan9Ffu1a7f fhaT
ests would be looked after by Great
/ Britain as if he were q British subject
HAMMOND'S BROTHER INDIG-
NANT.
san Francisco. April 29.-Gen. r. p.
Hammond jr., brother OF John Hays
/ Hammond, was completely prostrated
! when he received the news that his
I 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
/ surprise to me- said Gen Hammond
The utter disregard of results on the
part of the officials at Washington and
/ the failure to impress upon the Boer
/ government the fact that we are a na-
I ton Of many millions of people and in
/ q position to demand protection for our
1 citizens abroad has dumbfOunded me
I and rendered me all the more misera-
/ BILE.
"A great outrage has been commit
/ ted. My brother was deliberately
] LLG RBE4 AAAAO HLGEQ1I5 SIllIN OF treason
/ he was given to understand that he
/ 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
/ reward2 He gave them the opening
1 they wanted and they imposed the ex-
4 treme penalty. By pleading guilty
/ they thought they had SO placed him
/ that he could not call upon his govern
4 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 hlch from him all he pos
sesses."
We PETITION DOM PAUL.
i Washington. April 29.-When Senator
1 Stewart, who is a personal friend Of
4 Mr.. Hammond, heard of his conviction
/ he Immediately set to work to prepare
/ a petition in Hammond's behalf which
/ he had circulated among senators and
1 members of the house
The petition is addressed to President
krueger. and is plea for pardon. It
/ sets forth the high character of the ac-
! cused and states that his family and
4 associations We're 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 a high regard, they still
ask as an act of clemeucy that the Of
! fense be cOndoned and the prisoner lib
/ Grated.
The petition was signed by all to
The petition is as follows.
President Krueger, TransvaaI Gov
/ ernment, South Africa-Sir:=Th ln-
derslgned. 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 hgh character connected with the
/ best families of this country and an en-
gineer Of ability We regret exceeding
ly his unfortunate connection with the
/ troubles in your country, for which an
our people entertain feelings of kind
/ ness and respect. In view of the unir1-
/ peachable 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 excellence
/ would extend to him a pardon for his
/ ouenses against your government we
/ would esteem it an especial commit
I ment to US as well as to the people Of
/ the United States.
Hoping you viii relieve Mr. Ham
mond from the penalty Of his assocIa-
tions, we are
Your most obedient servants
It is felt at the state department that
it has been criticised rather l1u5t1stIy ia
congress and elsewhere upon its con
Guct OF Hammond's case. The com
plaint that it has worked through
British officials to secure fair treat
said, is made in ignorance of the re-
quIrements Of International law The
United states has no diplomatic repre-
sentative. whatever, in the Transvaal
nor can 1t have so long as the foreign
relations of that country are confded
by reality in Great Britain and 1t would
be manifest violation Of proprety