Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-08-02
Vass Defends Townsend
Held In PiersOn Murder
A. |. p. G. s Efforts
Stay Youths Hang

Philadelphia Pa, July The Amer
lean Interacial Peace Committee, with
headquarters at 20 South 18th street
Philadelphia, announces through the
Executive Secretary Alice Dunbar
Nelson, that its efforts to save the
youth, Theodore Russ, pf Woodside,
Delaware, from what was palpably a
legal lynching last week, were sue
cessful
Theodore Russ, youth of twenty
two years, one night last February,
dlovp with some other young men
to the home of white couple by the
name of Reed, for the purpose of buy
ing some liquor. The Reeds were
well-known boot-leggers, and were in
the habit of 81 selling liquor to every
zone. Russ descended from his car
leaving the other men, went to the
house alone, and obtained the liquor.
A dispute about the price ensued, and
in the scuffle to get the jug from hi
he and the woman engaged in tug
of war. Her husband and brother
came in, and free for all brawl en-
sued, in which knives were used, and
Russ cut the woman's brother slight
ly Dn the neck. RUSS fled, iwenf
home, and to bed. When he was
found and arrested later, he thought
it was for cutting the man. In fact
the question of assault upon the wo-
man was not injected into the case
for fully >twenty-four hours. Then
To-,
Russ was tried and convicted, chef
ly upon evidence so palpably false
as to stagger everyone. He was
condemned to be hanged, as rape is a
capital offence in Delaware. Efforts
to have the case retired were una
vailing, and thes Board of Pardons
refused recommendation TO the
governor for cSnmutation or light
ening of the sentence.
Two weeks before the time set for
the execution, July 25th, an appeal
was made to the Executive Secretary
of the American Interacial Committee
for help on the case, and whirlwind
campaign ensued! Letters, tele
grams, appeals, petitions, were sent
20 the Governor, C. Douglas Buck,
asking for a reprieve or stay of ex-
ecution. In view of the fact that the
Board of Pardons had not made a
favorable recommendation, though the
vote was three to two, the Governor was
disin lined to grant the request.
A mass meeting of the citizens of Will
mington was held on the night of July
%, and upon hearing that the Governor
was planning to leave the state next
morning to be gone over the weekend,
the entire meeting arose, and line OF
over fifty cars, containing over two
hundred people drove down the state to
the Governors Mansion, arriving about
eleven O'clock. A plea was made for
a reprieve until furthre evidence could
be found to prove the lads innocence.
The earnestness of the plea, and the
evident mass solidarity of the Negro OF
Delaware was impressive. The Govern
or granted reprieve of twenty-eight
days, until August 22nd. -
The American 1nteracial Peace Com
mittee is cooperating with other organ
izations now in an effort to find evil
dence which will establish the innocence
of the youth. Funds are being raised
throughout the state, as the boys fam
lily has gone bankrupt in attempting to
save him.
The interest of the American Interac-
ial Peace Committee in the case comes
from it's efforts to prevent racial fric-
ton, and to establich peace between
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