The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-03-22
said simply, "Oh, We were all glad,
T Think -
Living in Hopes.


I Think
Living in Hopes.
"When they told me last night
that I had been pardoned,' - said
Mrs. Carson, 'I was not so much
surprised, because I had been living
in hopes. But I did not know why
the captain of the guard came over
to the building. The women over
there had been making great deal
of noise and thought to myself
right away, He's coming to quiet
the women. They are making too
much noise.' Then when he told me
I had been pardoned, I was very
happy. I thought maybe I wouldn't
be pardoned, though, because the gov
ernor took long time. But [ ann
not so much surprised at being par
doned. I hoped for it a long time. y
On the books of the penitentiary
today there we're several entries op-
posite the name Of Fannie Carson,
in different volumes. Her number at
the prison was 1859. On the books
are shown the following facts; Fan
ME Carson, Spartanburg county age,
25; crime, murder; date Of entrance,
November 4, 1895. Then follows her
description. In the last column was
written today: "Pardoned March II,
1910, by Governor Ansel.''
Then om the Fdischarge" book it
was necessary to write the date OF
her releasd from the penatentiary,
and why? Besides these entries the
regular daily report of the sergeant
REQUIRED the facts of her release re-
corded again on the book for this
purpose. On the back Of the official
pardon is given the name, the crame,
the date of pardon, etc., and this is
fled away. Thus is kept the reconds
of the prisoners. And Fannie Car
sons number is taken out Of the
revolving case.
White Women Prisoners.
With Fannie Carson's departure
there is not another white woman
lifetime prisoner at the penlten-
tiary. There are only three other
white women at the penitentiary.
Minnie Hall, from Marion, is there
for manslaughter, for ten years
sentence. Lou Belcher is there from
Oconee for one year for being acces-
sorry to a killing. Salhe Hall was
brought in a few days ago from Lee
county on a chrage Of adultery, and
has to serve one year.
The only other white woman life
prisoner withln recent years to be
an inmat Of the penitentiary was
Blume Hall, who was sent up in 1896
for murder from Florence county.
She was pahdoned April %, 1908, by
Governor Hayward. Alexander Fer
rell, who is now life prisoner in
the penitentiary,> stated that he kill
ed the person for whom Blume Hall
was imprisoned, and that Blume Hall
had nothing to do with it, so the wo-
man was pardoned.
The pardoning of Fannie Carson
is the third for Governor Ansel this
year. He has commuted the SEN
tences of some others, but this is the
third pardon. Robert Green, the
Orangeburg negro, convicted of rape,
was pardoned a few days ago, and
". D. Burnett, of Aiken, breach of
trust was pardoneH.
"How do you number the prison
ers out here?'A was a question that
brought out some interesting matter
at the prison today.
The First Prisoner.
Sam Cooper, of Williamsburg, is
fNo. l" on the penitentiary books.
John Flowers is "No. 2.'' These
men we're sent up the same time for
assault and battery and larceny. They
were sentenced to serve on year from
the 18th Of April, 1867: In January,
1868, they were pardoneH by Cover
nor Orr.
The present peniteutiary then is
43 years old. There have been 49,
158 prisoners. There are now 800
prisoners altogether.
There are some interesting entrles
on the old books For instance one
man is sent up for hog stealing, and
got one year in the prison.
Fannie Carson was not the only
happy person at the penitentiary to-
day. D. ". Bollen, a young white
man, from Greenwood, has served out
his sentence for aiding prisoners 70
escape and was released. He caught
the union station car and left at 1
o'clock today.