Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-12-08
PRICE, FIVE CENTS
STILL TRYING TO GET.
NAV FROM MASS.
West Virginia Makes Another At
tempt to Get John johnson.

Boston, November 27,-John John
son, the West Virginia colorcd man
whom Governor Mccall last week do
clincd to surrender to the authorities
OF that State on cXtraditiOn papers,
gave himself up to tho Federal au-
thorities here today and was held
fox hearing December on Il charge
OF being fugitive from justice. His
counsel, William II. Lewis, former
ly United States assistant attorney
general, a colorcd lawyer announced
that the defense had tho backing of
the colored people of Massachusetts,
and that the case would be fought to
finish. Bail of $4,000 was furnished
by the pastor and treasurer of a
Cambridge church.
FEDERAL GRAND JURY ACT
The indictment against Johnson re
turned by Federal grand jury in
West Virginia charge violation Of
the Mann white slave" act through
the transportation of Edith Godbey,
white girl, from Charleston, w.
Va, to Catlettsburg, Ky, in Novem-
Der, 1916, for alleged immoral pur-
poses. In the cXtladition proceedings
OH which the Governor acted last
week, Johnson was charged with as
Sault on q child.
Governor Mccall tonight gave out
letter written by him t. Governor
Cornwell, Of West Virginia, in which
he defined Nelson p. Blown, the
assistant attorney general cS this
State, who conducted the d. 'tiga~
4 ~, - y, 80 s.af.S
! der the prisoner. After describing the
ed at the conviction that the defend
ant had not committed the crime with
which no was charged Governor Nc
Calls letter continued
GOV. MCCALL SPEAKS PLAINLY.
II need hardly say to you that a
failure to honor q requisition is no
now thing, nor does II constitute any
affront to a State. Precedcnts exist
in great numbers. Only short time
ago this Commonwealth denied re-
QUESTION in a less serious cause up
on somewhat similar grounds. but for
reasons less strong than those exist
ing here. In that case the defendant
happened to be a white man.
"Justice should not use two scales,
but If two measures arc employed
then the more lenient measure should
be melted out to the poor and weak
rather than to tho rich and strong A
white man would be tried by white
men, but black man in case like
this would rarely If ever see at his
trial member of his own race upon
the bench, among his prosecutors, or
in the jury box.
at seems proper for me to add that
a Governor OF Massachusetts, who
would refuse to apply to the meanest
black man in the land the same rule
he had just applied to white man
would be unworthy to represent the
Commonwealth and would dishonor
all the traditions OF her glory.
The decision, Your EXcellency, was
reached in no spirit of hostility to
West Virginia nor was it general
arrangement of her Jurisprudence. It
related only to the facts as they ap-
peared in this particular case. Massa-
chusetts has nothing but warmfricnd-
ship for West Virginia. The inesti-
mable service which your Common
wealth rendered in the struggle for
the Union the hearts Of the people Of
Massachusetts will hold in imperish-
able remembrance.
Standing at the gateway between
the North and South and the East and
the West, and with her great history
and the sterling character Of her peo-
pie, may I suggest the noble oppor-.
tunity before West Virginia to render
a still moro splendid service to the
country? When we are nobly contend
ing to make the world safe for democ-
racy, she can help us show our spirit
ual fitness for tho task by leading the
way to make America safe for common
Justice. And by the inspiring Influence
Of her example she may contribute
greatly to the doing for ourselves OF
what we are striving to do for tho
world, and firmly to establish here
the way Of Justice and the law"