Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-06-23
). l.. RICHARDSON FREE.
Case Against Man Charged with Nu-
mernus FOrgcrics Withdrawn.
Especial to The State }

Union, who has been confined in the
year, was yesterday released from
the jail free man, his brother, Il. l..
Richardson, of Greenwood, having
arranged everything satisfactorily
with the banks and other institutions
from whom he is alleged to have re-
e3eised money by various methods
and means. 1t Is said that it took
something like $4,000 to secure his
release, and Richardson's brother,
who is young man Of pleasing ad-
dress and an eX-representative In the
Legislature from Greenwood county
and a man Of seemingly powerful in
fuence, has worked continuously on
the case since the day his brother
was committed to jail. To him S. l..
Richardson should be under lasting
obligations for securing his liberty.
The charge against Richardson was
&hat he secured various sums Of
money from different banks in this
SState by forging the names of promi-
nent men to notes. The name Of w.
j.. Brissey known the State over as
being the lumber king Of Anderson
county, and a man Of considerable
means, was used extensively. The
NrSt to detect that these instruments
TSere forged was the Citizens Bank
of Batesburg, from which Richard
son secured $1,000. Next was the
Carolina National Bank of Columbia,
from which he secured at one time
$4,000 and at another $1,000. 1t is
snid that he secured several hundred
dollars from the Farmers Bank Of
&entral, and also from an Augusta
bank. Besides securing this money,
1t IS alleged, he disposed Of stock
and other valuables that were under
mortgage.
1t is stated that a number of 9TH
rars were caught in his trap, and that
mad the matter not been settled other
warrants were waiting for him. A
peculiar circumstance connected with
Richardson's career is the fact that
b" experienced little difficulty in Sc
curing money from the uanks. Once
ne told his tale and produced the
notes the none was forthcoming.
He told such a straight story that
there was no thought of turning him
down." said one of the bank cashiers
soon after Richardson was arrested,
and we would have let him have al
most any amount he might have ask
ed tor Another strange coinci-
dence is that all of this money was
secured within less than 60 days.
Richardson belongs to the relig-
&ons sect known as the "Unknown
Tongue" and has confer led from
the first that he would never be tried
and that the Lord would take care
OF him and supply the needs Of his
family. lie believes now that it was
the work of God that brought him
safely through, instead of the work
OF his brother, IL is said. Since be-
&nS in Jail he has been visited by
''i'HS bN' SoilN lloHI lHS upper part
of the Statc-all believers in the
"Unknown Tongue" He has read
the Bible every day continuously and
mas prayed without ceasing. Dep
atty Sheriff Miller says that Richard
son has been an ideal prisoner He
has not been sick a day during the
entire period he has been in Jail.
and left the picture of health. He
would not partakc Of any hog meat
and was very careful about his diet.
flC would at times refuse to eat any
Jhing for more than day.
He refused 10 the last to have any
Thing to say TO the newspaper men
Tor publication, although he would
Elk freely 0m different topics; but
1cfOre he left he stated 10 your cor
respondent that he wished to thank
Sheriff Corley and Deputy Sheriff
H1ll"r for the kind treatment he had
received at their hands. and that he
would remember them always for
1hat they had done for him.
Neither Richardson nor his bro
fhcr would have anything to say
about the future plans of the former,
and they left, supposedly, for their
respective homes. 1t is rumored that
r. l.. Richardson confided to some of
mis- friends around the Jail that he
proposed to enter the evangelistic
field.