The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-10-11
TURNED LOOSE.
Convicted OF a Crime OF Which
They We're Innocent.
SERVED OVER 4 YEAR
Ia the Penitentiary, and Was Pardoned
on Wednesday by Governor Hey.
ward. They We're Convicted
of Crime Which they
Did Not Commit.
Did Not Commit.

Convinced that three innocent mer
have been serving a sentence in the
Stste prison for a crime committed iE
town in which they claim they hao
never been, Gov. Heyward wednesday
issued a pardon setting at liberty b.
Cunningham, George 81. W.ring and
Leonard Htnkey. TIE three men
we're arrested in Snithfeld, N. c., OF
the 18th OF March. 1904, we're taken
70 Marion, S. c., a1d there, within
three weeks OF their arrest, were COZ
Victed OF having broken open and
robbed the hank and the postC fi:e at
Latta, S. G.
The State Says Gov. Hayward has
had this matter under ADJUSTMENT
since the first Of July. He submitted
the case to Soli cisor J. Monroe JohI-
son and to Judge e. G. Watts, and
each OF these msde an unfa 9orable
report on the petition for pardon.
But Gov. Hayward was convinced
that innocent men were being pun
ished, and he authorized Mr.. 81. T:
Gregory, the postofies inspector, tc
see Judge Watts in person and to lay
before the Judge the statement Of
facts which mad so impressed Gov.
Hayward.
This statement Of facts, remarkable
as it may seem, is to the effect that
two OF the parties actually guilty Of
completely In the L.tta robbery have
been convicted OF that and oshec
crimes and are serving sentence in
the federal prison in Atlanta, and q
third member OF the really guilty
party will be tried In Lancaster next
week on the charge Of having robbed
a poste IL ce at Heath Springs Tnis
sane party, John Fisher, alias 'Con
aecticut Shorty" was arrested the
very Gay that Cunningham, Waring
aud Hickey were being tried in NJ
rion. The ground on which Ins2ec
5or Gregory recommended the pardon
# these three men was not so muca
snat they has been falsely convicted,
as that Others had been convicted, aS
that others had been convicted OF the
same offence, one Of the party, noF
in prison in Vermont; having confess
ed to the Whcle sff,ir and having ex
oaeratea the three men in prison IL
Co:un bia. Tais man, Mccarthy, dEo
not even recognize their photographs
when presented to him, but designa5-
ad without hesitation the likeneSsas
OF three afterwards convicted ia
Charleston as his associates in the
suc ;esSion Of crimes in the nsighSor-
hood OF Lstta.
According to the statement OF Nj.
Gregory these men when convicted in
Charleston, King and Johnson, admit
ted that they had been the ones who
had robbed the bank aad the!postch &c
at Latba. There has been no proof
to show that there were more than
the four nen at Latta, namely Nc
Car5hy, King, Johnson and Shorty.
and the three men who were released
Wednesday dany stoutly that they
were ever at Marion; Latta CT Dillon
betors they were taken to Marion for
trial
The prosecution was pushed by two
other inspectors, Mr.. F. ) G. Pulsi-
pher and Mr.. W. J. Msries. These
firmly believed the three men under
indictment guilty and it wss largely
through the tenacity OF the postcfios
inspectors that Cunningham and the
other two were convicted. Bat since
that tine Inspector Pulsiphsr heard
the evidence which convicted Johu-
son, King and Rsoens in Charleston:
sad be is now satisfied that the three
convicted in Marion are innocent.
Urder date of October Isl, Nj. Pul.
sioner wrote strong statement which
no doubt Influenced Judge Watts very
much in his determination to IecGm-
mend to Gov. Heyward that the three
men bs pardoned.
Wednesday Gov. Hayward received
a letter from Judge Watts connuai-
eating the fact THAT the trial judge
had changed his opinion as to TIE
guilt OF the parties, and the pardon
xas issued Immediately. In his letter
judge Watts says: There is 20 much
reasonable doubt IL my mind thai If l
were governor I would at once pardon
Cunningham and the Others.
The pardon WAS turned o7er to q
reporter CT The State to be handed to
the superintendent OF the penitensla
nv. Tue three men wsre found at
their daily routine. Hinsey Is the
OILY one OF tie three who is disposed
10 be rebellious, and be has suffered
BE was found in the kitchen whare
be has been employed IS help. Ctn'
ninebam and Waring are painter:
snd were engaged in work on the ne~
building for prisoners suffering with
tuberculosis. Thar outdoor Work IL
the sunshine had given them better
color. bat Hinkey has pale, anaenic
look, an5 evidently is not well. Gun
ningham is limping as a result OF Z
recent fall.
Cunningham is the most intelligent
nan OF the three. Wsring is also
) very intelligent workman, but not a.
tslkatiye as his companions.
q. e. Cunningham is 33 years o.d
native OF Petersburg, Va., a s!Gi
! painter by trade, and a member o
the Catholic church. He is married
! man, his wife having been Miss NC
Henry Of Lexington, Va.
Waring is a native OF Mansfield, 0
J Is also sign painter-5aid to be oI'
: Of the finest IN the country. L. J
t Hirkey is native Of Philadelphia
? bis home being at 329 NORTH Tven:
Z sixth street. Ee is marice c2pper
Z smith by trade, and is 20 years o.o
Wnen arrested he was engaged !,