The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1901-10-18
HENRY SoMERS DETAINED.
Habeas Corpus Proceedings Prevent
His Return to Face the Crime
of Murder for which He is
Indicted.


days ago for st. Paul, Mimi, to
bring back Henry Somers, colored,
indicted for the murder of William
Lewark, returned Monday morning
without his prisoner. He furnishes
the BULLETIN with the following in
formation:
"Somers was first arrested in ST.
Paul, Mimi, by a detective and
tried in the municipal court, but for
lack of sufficient evidence was re-
leased. Shortly afterwards l ar
rived and arrested Somers on req
uisition from the Governor of Ten
nessee. A hearing was had before
the Governor of Minnesota, at
which Somers was represented by
negro lawyer, who claimed that it
would be unsafe for his client to re-
turn to Tennessee that he would
be lynched. A continuance was
asked for and granted, to show cause
why Somers should not be returned.
In the meantime the negro popula-
ton of ST. Paul held mass meeting,
presided over by Somers' lawyer,
where, | learn, incendiary speeches
were made, protesting against Som
ers' return on the grounds mentioned
above. | at once com municated the
above facts TO friends in Bolivar. A
petition was Immediately drafted,
signed by about $40 of our best cit
liens, including county officials,
members of the bar, members of the
county court, the business men of
the town and number of negroes,
setting forth the facts that after a
thorough and exhaustive examina-
ton Somers had been regularly in
dicted for murder that should he
be returned he would be given fair
and impartial trial, and that there
was positively no danger Of his being
Iynched. This petition was for.
warded to me and arrived in time
to be used at the second hearing
before the Governor, and upon this
petition principally the requisition
was honored. | expected to leav e
for home at once with my prisoner;
but, under the laws Of Minnesota,
twenty-four hours are allowed in
which TO institute habeas corpus
proceedings, and few minutes be.
fore the expiration of the time, the
necessary papers were served to de-
tain Somers. The case was to have
been tried Tuesday in the lower
court, and in the event of an adverse
decision to the accused an appeal,
| understand, was 10 be taken to the
Supreme Court; hence, the final re-
suit will not be known for several
weeks. The County Attorney of
St. Paul, who is conducting the
prosecution, is confident that Som.
ers will eventually be turned over
to Hardeman county officials.
"The negroes of ST. Paul are
greatly interested in Somers' behalf
and are exerting every effort to pre-
vent him from being brought back
TO Tennessee and have raised fund
to fee his lawyer. Somers admitted
to detectives and police officials of
ST. Paul that he committed the MUIR
der of which he is accused, but to
me he denied being guilty, claiming
that a show man committed the
bloody deed"
The following telegram appeared
in the Commercial Appeal of We'd
nesday:
ST. PAUL, Oct. 15th.-Judge
Charles Otis quashed the writ of
habeas corpus issued in behalf of
Henry Somers, wanted for an al
legged murder at Bolivar, Tenn,
for whose extradition a warrant has
been issued by Gov. Vansant. The
fight in behalf Of Somers is being
carried on by colored citizens of
Minnesota, who claim he is being
taken back to a certain lynching.
1t is said an appeal will be made to