Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-06-28
BROWN REFUSES REQu1s1T1oN.
Request from Governor BIease Held
Invalid by Georgia Executive.
(Atlanta Journal, 22d.)

Governor Brown refused the Eel
der requistion at LAS o'clock Thurs
day afternoon, Immediately at the
conclusion Of the hearing.
In stating his refusal the Governor
said that he had referred the pa
pers soon after he received them
from Governor Blease, of South Car
oiina, to Attorney General H. A. Hall,
OF Georgia, and that the attorney
general discovered practically the
same defects In them as were pointed
out by the opposition Thursday.
At IL O'Clock Thursday morning
Governor Brown began his hearing of
the pros and cons upon the requisi-
tion fromthe Governor of South Car
olina for the custody Of Thomas B.
Fielder. member of the Atlanta law
firm Of Anderson, Felder, Rountree
& Wilson. 'gN N% II Ia.
The charge against Mr.. Fielder, as
stated IN the 'requ!s!tion. Is that IN
1904 he attempted to bribe Hub H.
Evans, a member OF the board of
control Of the South Carolina dis
pensaryycommisston. and in so doing
conspired to cheat and defraud the
State of South Carolina HEA Gsa
Fielder ~ answer was a, fat denial
of the charge, and the offering of a
counter charge that Governor Cole l..
Blease is actuated by malice and
spite. The defense was further that
aYSouth Carolina grand jury has
been in session in Newberry county
since the requisition was granted,
refused to indict Mr.. Fielder for the
offense charged, and that the reGuisi-
tion Is based solely upon an unsup-
ported warrant.
Some weeks ago Governor B!ease
announced that he would honor no
more acquisitions from Governor
Brown, Of Georgia, as they were be-
ing made simply to enforce the pay
ment Of debts.
The hearing began by S. r. Atkin-
son, one Of the attorneys represent
ing MI Fielder, introducing A. King,
who presented objections to the re-
QUESTION papers against Mr.. Fielder.
Mr.. Kings Objection.
Among the prime requisites to
the removal Of man to another
State for trial." he said, "is an affi-
davit setting forth the offense alleg-
ed against him. This Is necessary for
the Executive authorizing the requi-
sition to know that the charge that
has been made is based on a certain
unequivocal allegation.
The warrant that has been issued
against Mr.. Fielder Is merely vague.
1T rec1tes that Mr.. Kelley, on in
formation or belief, charges that Mr..
Fielder was gully Of bribery. mo in
dicatlon is given Of the source of this
information or belief. The date Of
the offense Is Indefinitely given as
some time In October, in 1904. The
amount Of the bribe is not indicated
and the p"rpose Of the alleged bribe
is almost as indefinite. It is stated
merely that this supposed bribe was
to induce II. II. Evans to vote or
pass Judgment or take other action
the warrant never says what.
THE entire charge is based mere
ly on conclusions"
He read several decisions to sus-
tain his contention to show that the
charges against Mr.. Fielder are in
sufficient to warrant Mr.. Felder's be-
ing removed to South Carolina for
trial.
Holman Employed by Blease.
Mr.. Holman stated that he was
employed by Governor Blease to rep-
resent South Carolina, but that he
didn't know who caused the charges
against Mr.. Fielder.
The seal Of the State of South
Carolina, he maintained, was sufl-
cient to establish the authenticity Of
the rcquisition papers, and, in face
OF this seal, the contentious that the
requisition papers were not properly
attested were not justified. He in
sisted that sufficient afIidavits were
contajned In the papers.
Several times he declared that, as
lar as he was concerned, there was
no personal feeling in the case.
In reply to question from Mr..
Atkinson, he answered that since
warrant was sworn out at Newberry
the county grand jury has met there
and adjourned without indicting Mr..
Fielder.
Mr.. Atkinson was followed by
George JOhnstone OF Newberrv who