The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1916-01-05
JOE GRANT BROUGHT
BACK no THIS STATE

! l. L
Negro Who Resisted Extradition for
Years in Penitentiary ut Columbia.
Went to Highest Court,
Columbia, January Joe Grant,
the negro who is wanted for the kill
ing of a white man at Johnston in
1906, and who has been resisting ex-
brought to Columbia tonight under
heavy guard and lodged in the State
pcnitentiary. The negro arrived at
7:40 on special passenger train,
which was running in the place of 81,
the Augusta Special, which was in a
wreck yesterday morning. Grant was
brought from Pennsylvania to Colum-
bia by Sheriff Swearingcn. Of Edgefield
county. At the station he was met by
two guards and taken to the peniten-
tiary.
The fight 10 get the negro Grant
back to this state has been waged for
several years. He was accused of kill
ing Mr.. Minis at Johnston in Edge
field county, in 1906, and fed to Penn
Sylvana. \ reward was offered for
his capture and he was recognized by
detective while working in a barber
shop in Philadelphia. After his ar
rest he intcrposcd every legal obstacle
possible and fought eXtradition to
South Carolina.
The governor Of Pennsylvania,
Tener, honorcd the requisition papers
from the governor Of South Carolina,
but an appeal was taken to the courts,
the case finally reaching the United
States Supreme Court. That tribunal,
as all others, upheld the rcquisition,
and then the new governor of Pennsyl-
vania suddenly announced that he
would not hcnor the rcquisition. The
negro Grant, in his appeal to the Unit
ed States Supreme Court, made sensa-
tional charges to the effect that he
Icould not get n fair trial in South
Carolina, owing to race prejudice.
Attorney General Peoples and Solici-
tor Zimmerman made several trips to
PENNSYLVANIA TO get the negro, and
had used every effort to this end. Gov
crnor Manning took the matter up act
lively and in letter to Governor
Brumbaugh set forth that Grant could
get a fair trial in this state and he
called on the Pennsylvania governor
In the name Of justice to surrender tho
negro to the South Carolina authori-
ties.
Nothing was known Of the matter
again until Grant was brought here
tonight He was In the wreck Of tho
Augusta Special in Virginia Friday
night and his name as well as that OF
Sheriff Swcarngcn, Of Edgcficld
were sent out on the press reports as
among the number injured. Their in
jurcs are said to have been only
slight, however. Grant was very talk
ative when being brought from the
union station to the pcnitentiary and
mentioned his trip and the wreck. He
was we'll dressed, wore neat look
ing brown suit, ovcrcoat and ha,
with black shoes, which were freshly
polished. He wore gold spectacles and
appeared to be in good health. lie
complained of being tired from his
long trip
The governors office refused tC
make known anything regarding the
Grant matter or what developments
had taken place which resulted In
bringing him back to this state. The
governor Of Pennsylvania certainly
had to honor the requisition for the
sheriff Of Edgefleld to get the negro
but his reasons for doing so are not
known
Grant will be taken to Edgeneld
and tried on an indictment charging
him with murder, the indictment hav-
ing been returned against him several
years ago. 1t Is presumed that he
will be kept | the penitentiary until
Court Of General Sessions convenes al
Edgcfcld.