The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1920-04-10
Senator Capper Instrumental
in Securing Fair Examination
Of Case.

The National Association for the
Advancement OF Colored People to-
night issued statement in regard to
the refusaf of Governor Henry J. Al
len of Kansas to extradite Robert L.
Hill, acussed of being the leader of
plot to massacre" whites in Phil
lips County. Arkansas. last October.
Whlch reviewed the legal steps taken
to prevent Hills extradition This
the Association regards as one OF the
| greatest legal victories won since the
Segregation Decision and since Cow
ernor Mccall of Massachusetts, denied
extradition to West Virginia of John
AT the close of a hearing which
lasted from two o'clock in the after
noon of March 22 until after mid
night. Governor Henry j. Allen of
dition petition of Governor Brough
OF Arkansas for the return of Robert
L. Hill. alleged head of the Progress
sive Farmers and Household Union
Hill was arrested in Topeka, Kan,
on January 20. as the leader of the
organization charged with planning
October 1919. AS soon as news of
the arrest was received at the Ma
tional Headquarters of the Association.
the Secretary got in touch with Sena-
dent of the Topeka Branch Of the
Association and at present a MEM
Der of the National Board of Di-
rectors of the N. A. A. C. P.), who
wired Governor Allen asking that
Hilrs extradition be denied until the
n. A. A. G. p, could be represented
by counsel to fight the case. The
Association itself wired Governor AL
len stating that the Association would
/ alleging that Hill could not receive
a fair trial in Arkansas; that this
fact was. conclusively proved by the
ing out of the Phillips County, Ark.
verdicts of last November rendered
by juries from which Colored men
were excluded the jury's verdict in
sentenced to death having been re-
turned in five minutes. Counsel for
the defense put no witnesses on the
stand in defendants behalf and did
not ask for a change of venue.
Senator Capper recommended Mr..
Hugh T. Fisher County Attorney of
Shawnee County Kansas to represent
the Association in fighting Hills ex-
terest in securing for Hill fair trial
is shown by the following extract
from his letter to the N. A. A. c. p.
in which he agreed to take up the
case:
Immediately upon receipt of the
telegram from Senator Capper 1 wired
him to the effect that 1 would take
the case upon his recommendation and
without compensation ana InaI ne
should notify you to that effect.
From this time until the decision
of Governor Allen was rendered Mr..
Fisher has worked untiringly and
with great legal ability in Hills de-
fense.
! TT was contended on Hills behalf
the Colored people arming themselves
that he had no direct connection with
| BY affidavits and dispositions 1t was
| shown that the testimony at the Ark
ansas trial was procured through tor
ture and that testimony offered by
Arkansas authorities. who were repre-
sented by Attorney General ]. d. Ar
buckle. was hearsay testimony. Mr..
Fisher forced the Arkansas Attorney
General to admit that o. S. Bratton.
a white man of Little Rock, Arkansas.
I was almost lynched and that a great
deal of feeling and prejudice against
! Hill and his organization existed in
Arkansas.
Of extradition. which was a great
blow to the Arkansas authorities,
counsel for Hill and the N. A. A. C.
p. Immediately took a train for Kan
, in time to present the Arkansas au-
thorities from securing a writ from
Federal Judge Pollock for Hills re-
moval to Arkansas on the ground of
counsel for the N. A. A. C. p. regard
as a trivial and inconsequential charge.
fudge Pollock refused to sign the
papers and has set April as the
! date for the hearing on the federal
] Indictment
Associated with Mr.. Fisher and
backed by the N. A. A. G. p, were
three Colored attorneys. of Topeka,
Messrs. Elisha. Scott. James II. Guy
and a. M. Thomas.
"The National Association for the
| Advancement of Colored People re-
CARDS Governor Aliens action as
deeply significant" said John r. Shil-
| lady, Secretary of the Association,
| Inasmuch as the Arkansas authorities
were represented by the Attorney
f, General of the State who appeared
In person, and is indicative. The AS
ISOLATION believes, of what would
have happened in Arkansas. had the