The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-06-07

10 GA.T 1'HE RAWARD
A Williamsburg Man swore away
the Liberty of q Eegro.
Peculiar Case Brought to Attention
Of Gov. Hayward in a Petition
for Pardon.
The State says Gov. Hayward has
been asked to pardon williamsburg
man who has served several years OF z
sentence after having been convicted
unjustly, II seems. The negro was
frightened into making a confession
by white man who wanted the re-
ward OF $500.
John Harrison was convicted OF
having killed Alfred singletary and
was sent TO the penitentiary for life
Now me several ah65anta who testify
t!,at Harrieon was at the store OF ]
NJ. Brown, 13 miles away, at the tine
OF the killing. MI. E. Barron Grier.
who represented Solicitor Wilson at
the trial, declares the negro deserving
of q pardon. Judge Gary interp ses
no objection alth, ugh the case is NOT
fresh in his memory.
But the singular part about this
case Is that one Geo. W. Arms tried
to swear away the liberty OF the &C
cused neesuse reward OF $500 had
been offered 1t is probable tnat
Arms will be indicted On his own evi.
dence against himself. His affidavit
IS IS follows:
George W. Arms, who being duly
sworn, says that he remembers TIE
arial and conviction Of John Harrison
fer murder, with a Recommendation
fpr mercy at the court OF genera: ses
sions for said county and State, and
that he Is now aware Of the fact that
she said Harrison Is confined in the
State prison for tie remainder of his
natural life
That at the time Of the trial OF
the said Harrison this Geponent work
i ed at the jail, and it YVES to him that
the said Harrison made his Confession
SEX. owledg:ng the murder OF Single
tarr; this deponeLt desires to state
how said confession was obtained in
order hat Justice may be done. Prior
to .:the trial Ct Harrision be was in
Ca accerated in the jail at Kirgstres;
5cis deponent, in order to geg evidence
on which TO conyict said Harrison,
appeared at night at the cell door Of
tie said Harrison aud then and there
with the use Of a chain tried to scare
ehe said Harrison into confession
After working this sche 1e for several
nights the said Harris , complained
20 this deponent OF / .culrence ano
this oepo2ent told tic said Harrison
that ne had best confess as sounds he
beard was the ghost Of Single5Gry.
Even with this pressure being brought
20 bear upon the feelings Of said Har.
rison, be still maintained his inno-
csnce. Finding that this procedure
would not work the results wished,
this deponent then appeared at the
cell door Of the said Harrison covered
With a white sheet and demanded
then and there that he make his con-
tessIon, and it vas upon this action
the said confession was made. This
deponent was witness in the said
case against Harrison on his trial
and told his confession In court, ard
he now hoaestly believes that Halri-
sen being an ignorant negro and be-
leg scared, made this confession
through fear and under dlress and by
being worked upon by the various
methods set forth in this affidavit.
After the making Of this confession 1t
was scattered and talked about
through the entire county and worked
considerable feeling against Harrison
on his trial.
The reason this deponent tried to
get evidence to convict said Harrison
was to try and get the reward OF $500
which had been offered by the COVER
nor for proof to convict"
The governor has written the fol-
lowing letter to Solicitor Wilson in
regard to the case:
II have before me petition asking
for the pardon Of John Harrison, who
was convicted in the court Of general
sessions Of Williamsburg county In
1895 Of murder with recommendation
to mercy.
I'm the record you will note that
there is an affidavit from George W..
Arms, wherein he states that the said
John Harrison was convicted upon g
confession obtained from him while
working in the jstl, by means that
scared the defendant into q confes
sion, assigning the reason that depon.
mt tried to get the evidence in order
to secure the reward Of $500 offered
5y the governor for proof to convict
And the deponent further alleging
that he honestly believed that the
said Harrison, being an ignorant ne
gro, sn3 being scared, made this con-
fession through fear and under duresS,
being worked upon by the various
methods set forth in this petition.
IT the effect OF the guilty comics
sion were obtained in such manner
and by such means as are alleged by
deponent, it is manifest that such is
not conducive to justice. And while
l appreciate the fact that you are
not the prosecuting attorney in this
case-beine i'll at the t!ne-as solicit
tor OF that circuit ] respectfully re-