The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-07-06
EXECUTIVE CLEMENCy
Governor McSweenoy..g Has Acted
Upon II Largo Number of Petitions
for Pardon.

|
Governor Mcsweenoy.I Has Acted
| Upon u Largo Number of Petitions
| for Pardon.
The Columbia correspondent of the
| news ana Courier says that whom Gov
ernor blcSweeney went into office ho
| found quite an accumulation OF peti.
! tlons Tor pardons. There were cases
that deserved attention, and Governor
hcSweeney took them up and has
acted on most OF them. Governor
Ellerbe, during the last months of his
lie, was unable to consider petitions
OF this character, and, therefore, there
are moro than usual on the list for
consideration.
Governor McSweeney has pardoned
General Evans Davis, u negro from
Clarendon, who was convicted OF man
slaughter In 1896 before Judge Bonct.
1t appears that Davis was at hot
supper and that there was general
iracas. The man who was killed hit
Davis, and Davis used his knife on his
assailant. Davis has now served over
three years OF his sentence.
Solicitor Wilson wrote to Governor
tllcrbc that he would recommend the
pardon after Davis had served two
years OF his term. Judge Benot re-
commended the granting OF the par.
don. All tho members Of tho Jury
signed the petition, and several hun
area cltlZens joined In tho prayer for
pardon.
Governor McSwaeney has refused to
pardon II. Ezell Thackston, who was
sentenced to imprisonment from Groen-
Vllle County. Thackston IL IL young
white man, and his pardon WAS recon-
mended by tho directors OF tho peni.
nd Nf
SWccney has recoivcd letters from the
homo OF Thackston suggesting that he
40 not grant tho pardon. 1t IL stated
by ono OF the parties who signed the
application that Thackston had pre-
vious to this affair killed man In a
house OF ill-fame, and that the woman
he killed, for which he was convicted,
WAS also In house OF ill-fame, and
that there was no special reapon for
tho pardon.
Governor McSweoney has refused to
grant q pardon to Robert Crockett Of
Lancaster County. 1t was urged as u
ground for asking the pardon that
Crockett WAS wanted as u witress In u
case soon to he tried. Solicitor Henry
stated that he did not noed Crockett
as a wltnens, and the pardon WIS not
granted
AZ thcl instance Of Judge Buchanan,
Solicitor Thurman and Cashier Sawyer,
the Governor has commuted the son
tence OF young Erwin Williams to six
months on tho chain gang. He has
just been convicted Of forging Il check
on the Central Bank for $l2 and con
iessed bis crime. He was given the
hghtest possible sentence. He ia ,
mere lad and is cripple.
a pardon has been granted to Dav!,
Murdoch, OF Marlboro County. Muir
dock was convicted Of assault and bat
terry, and was sentenced to two ycar,
on the C hain gang. His sentence will
run out In October OF the present yoar
Solicitor Johnson, eleven OF Jurors who
convicted him, tho county officers and
tho delegation signed tho application
and recommend the pardon. Murdoch
ls In bad hoalth. Murdock got into a
difficulty with his father ;n-law about
domestic troubles and tho case excited
considerable comment at the time.
Governor McSweoney has granted q
pardon TO Robert Witherspoon, Of
Lancaster County. Solicitor Henry re-
commended that the pardon be granted.
There is u long petition, but tho prin-
clpal reason Tor granting tho pardon
ls that Wltherspoon is in bad health,
ana his torn expires In October, and
he cannot get well by that time.
There will be delay in Issuing the
pardon, because the application and
papers on flo do not show OF what
crime WitherspOOn was convicted, be-
lore whom he was convicted and the
dates OF his sentence. a pardon can
not be Issued unless this Information
10 available, and when tho prisoners
are on the chain gang and the data is
not to be had here thoro is q delay in
getting tho information, and it Ia re-
markablo that such infor nation should
not be Incorporated IN tho applica.
tions.
John Dill, OF Spartanbure, killed
some one In Spartanburg in 1895. He
hae, therefore, spent over half Of his
term OF seven years In prison. There
WAS long petition for his pardon filed,
and with the endorsement OF Solicitor
Schumpert, Judge Withorspoon and
tho jurors who tried tho case Cover
nor McSweenoy granted tho pardon.
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a NOVEL, WAY 10 CA,rf,u ,TItIrE,