The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-11-05
READS LIKE ROMANCE.
How Convict, Convicted OF Forgery,
Secured Freedom,

JERSEY CITY. n. j., Oct. 28.-A
new and most remarkable feature in the
case of Charles B. Stoddard, how con-
fined in Hudson County Jail for forging
checks, has just come to light. y little
less than Two years ago Stoddard, then
masquerading under The name of Henry
B. Davis, was convicted of similar Of
fences in Nashville, and was sent to
Tracy City, branch prison in Tcnncs-
see, to serve term Of SIX years.
lie was put to work in the mines.
This year, however, he obtained his
freedom by one oI the boldest and most
lnyenluS ruSes that criminal ingenuity
ever devised. The discovery of the
! fraud has led Governor buchanan. of
tennessee, TO make Il rcuuisiton on
Governor Abbott, OF New jersey. in
order that the prisoner may be trcd Tor
the crime by which he secured his lib-
crty.
1t appears that Governor Buchanan a
few months ago received Il petition pur'-
porting to be signed by fifty Of the lead
ING residents OF Covington, asking for
St0ddard'S release, accompanied by Il
| letter, presumably signed by y. w,
| BnbtlSt, Olthe firm Of BabtiSt & Beallc.
| reputable and wcil-known attorneys of
That place. This letter Wcavcs story
! OF romance about StOdlard or Davis, as
| he was known III the Tennessee pris IN
and rccltcs III great detail how he was
the victim OF a conspiracy planned aud
engineered by a wicked and avaricious
stcpiathcr named JAS. Sheriff., and
abcttcd by the lattcr'S wicked brother.
This stcp-father'S cruel conduct, the
letter alleged, drove the prisoner TO dis
sipatiOn, and the stcp-fat Ter by fraud
had him convicted OF forgery so nc might
enjoy the estate oi Davis mother, some
| 500. 600.
Babtist was made tu say thal he had
secured the division oi Shrrril's estate,
which would give the prisoner the snug
sum Of $3IG 900 to be. in lie anew. The
letter also stac that a note OF conf
dental character had been sent to the
Governor to hand to StodlarG. because
the lawyer could not cons silently hand
1t 10 hm, and then continued: "Gire
him kindly admOnition and w0dspCCd.
lie has some money with him, ard should
he need more, and not be suitably clad,
kindly meet his needs and will send Il
check. lie is n Mason and a member o
tho Alliance, and his brothers here arc
very anxious to hear Of his prompt re-
, lease.
81 trust that the ACKNOWLEDGMENT o
this letter will be the news that Davis il
free"
! After this charming bit of naivct
=, which paved the way for StOddard L
, Hitch money and suit Of clothes from
! tLo Governor, the unique document say
that Day s and his friends will be salts
lied with the punishment of Sheriff., aut
that the signature of every citizen il
Topton County could have been obtain
ed to the petition. The "signcrs,'' il
goes on TO say, ''are all lirst-class citi
Hcns and deeply interested III the mat.
ter. Justice demands his immediate
pardon, and | ask it rs a personal favor,
and whatever l can do to render your
administration successful and for your
luture advancement in political life will
be done, as you know, chcerfully."
The signatures attached TO the pcti-
ton include the names offs. l.. Cock
roft, attorney general; II. ID. i'lippcn,
Judge Of the Circuit Court; Daniel Smith,
sheriff OF Upton county, and many
others, including the law firm Of Babtst
~ Beadle, to Which the writer Of The
letter was supposed to belong. S,oddard
was duly released, and the Governor
only discovered the fraud when he spoli c
to one OF ;hc supposed siSncrs of The
petition, who dcnounccd the whole thing
as a fraud.
Stoddavd'S trial will cemc Of in few
days, AMI under The laws Of New Jcrsc y
he can be sent 10 the State PRISON .or
ten years. After that he can be sent to
Tennessee, but not before.
r,r