The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-08-22

SSAAANS@-S-S~-
ton, and though he was absent from
Columbia at the time of the commuta-
ton and had nothing whatever to DO
with it, he did not think it would be
showing the Governor proper courtesy
to sign an affidavit virtually criticising
his action.
Some time ago the Governor heard
the rumor that he (Mr. AulI would
possibly be punished politically for this
matter, and sent him the following
statement:
GOV. M'swEENEY's LETTER.
Columbia, S. c., July %, 1902.
To Whom it May Concern:
Pleasant Gillian was convicted OF
murder in Newberry County and
sentenced to be hanged. His SEN
tenee was commuted by me to life
imprisonment at hard labor in the
State penitentiary on the 27th OF
August, 1901, and the petitions, with
the reasons asking for commutstion'
were presented by R. q. Welch, ESQ.,
of Newberry. Judge Townsend en-
dorsed the petition for the commute
tion Of sentence. The statement that
is being circulated that my private
secretary, Col. E. e. Aull, had some
thing to do with the communication is
absolutely without foundation. Col.
Aull was not IN Columbia when l
ccmmuted the sentence Of Gillian
and had 10 connection whatever
with it.
/ make this statement in simple
Justice to Col. Aull, and to show that
the responsibility of committing the
sentence rested on my view of the
case as presented by the Attorney
and Judge Townsend.
(Signed. M. B. McSweeney,
Governor.
Mr.. Aull said that was all he had
to do with the matter. If the case
had come before him for action, he
would have investigated the facts
and taken the action which seemed
to him just aud right, and he felt
that when Governor McSweeney took
action he (the governor) thought he
was doing the right as between hin
and his God.
The question was put to Mr.. Aull
"Did you say anything for or against
the petitions''
Mr.. Aull: "No."
The questioner was sorry Mr.. Aul
had not done what these people con
sidered his duty in the matter.
Mr.. Aull in reply said that being
absent from Columbia he knew moth
ing of the facts in the case, and tht
responsibility rested entirely upor
the shoulders of another. He sym
pathized with the grief stricken fam
lily as much as any one, but did no
feel that he should be held RESPONSE
bic for the action Of another. II b.
was, he could only regret it. In the
position he held he would not sigr
any affidavit virtually criticising ths
governor for his action.
Continuing, Mr.. Aull stated his
position. He favored one mill taz
for building good roads, taking same
position as at former meetings.
He favored a Child Labor Bill
that would be just to the mills, just
to the operatives, and just to the
children. Child labor in the mills
II hours day, 66 hours week fol
81 weeks in the year is injurious, and
being injurious, the State has the
right and it is its duty to come
in and protect these children
II the children were needed in the
mill, they were either required to
work there or their parents were re.
quired to leave the mill, which the
most of them were not able to do
That was why the mill people them.
selves wanted legislation. At pres,
ent, they were not in control of their
own children. There was nothing
in the compulsory-educstio leading
to negro supremacy bugaboo. The
negroes, as statistics show were even
now reducing their illiteracy faster
than the whites. 1t wont affect the
white man who is sending his chill
dren to school, it would have little