The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-20
EDWIN 0vERBEY
GRANTED PAROLE
Leaves Penitentiary At
ter Serving Half Of
Sentence.
--------- 4,
REL EASED ON
REL EASED ON
SEPTEMBER /
Fact Kept Quiet SO as to Shield
Former Bank Cashier From
Unpleasant Notoriety - No
Hope of Pardon After
Ruling by Governor
Swanson in 1909.

Edwin w. overbey, cashier OF the
Bank OF Mecklenburs. who was sem
fenced in the spring of 1909 to a term
OF three years In the State Pentten-
tiary. for wrecking the institution with
which he was connected, has been re-
leased on parole. after serving one
half of his sentence.
Although he left the prison on Sep
tember ], the fact did not become
known until yesterday. Overbey's
friends. for obvious reasons, being
anxious to shield him as far as pos
sible from any additional publicity.
| When questioned about the report
Superintendent Wood said that Over
hey was released on the first OF the
month, and that according to his in
formation he had gone to Randolph,
! Charlotte county. to be with some OF
his relatives.
was a Model Prisoner.
| "overbey was sent up for three years.,
4 said Mr.. Wood. "and he had served
/ one.half Of that time. He was tho
] best prisoner ever saw. AS clerk In
/ the store room he always knew what !
1 he was expected to do, he knew his
/ place, he was polite and attentive and
/ withal a model prisoner. The board
had passed on his case and decided to
/ parole him. II being vested with pow
| er to do that when half or the term
| has been served. OF course. he was
not pardoned by the Governor. over
bey,s parole is conditioned upon his
j good behavior, but I don't expect TO
ever see him here again"
When Governor Swanson declined on
/ March IL, 1903. TO pardon overbey, the
Ilatter's friends did not abandon hope.
many OF them expecting that the
executive would issue the pardon TO-
ward the end of his term. But none
came. Sub seauently, some effort was
made to have Governor Mann eSercSss
cienency, though no formal or dirscs
appeal was made. Those VINO nao
been working in behalf OF the prlsoner
determined to appeal to the board OF
diractors for parole, believing that
time would heal some of the bitter
4 ness which existed in Overbey's homa
town and which resulted in the adop-
4 tion OF resolutions by the City Couacii
a Of Boydton urging Governor swanson
not to interfere with the final sentence
OF the court. Overbey's friends never
got away from the belief that ne wa,
victim of circumstances, that ne alu
! not profit by the shortage "h'cn
WI ecked the bank.
yyhy He Got No Pardon.
II
s,-cad atteation throughout Virginia
I. IN February Of last year. Governor
swanson stated at the time that he
had received more than four hunnIso
81 letters and kilograms, some asking LOT
r,arcv and the others pleading Win
him to let the verdict stand.
In considering Overbey's pet'tlon'
Il Governor Swanson stated that 70 Pc pa =.
don the prisoner would pc 70 nu't' -
the only statute IN Y1rsinia -, stata
ferAd protection to depositors IN Seass az
hanks and that If he commuted tne
! sentence he would be substituting ms
viii for that Of the General Assemuiy
OF of5yirginia. Another reason given by
the Governor as to why ne coutu ny
interfere, even II he felt so oisPoseu:
a was that the jury which healu az .ha
the evidence In the case tuu .,,,n Years
prisoner guilty and imposed two years.
Of one, thus showing clearly
to It's mind that the prisoner was not
entitled to the lowest penalty uhoer
Y the existing law.
q Gould Not Appeal.
. Still another reason clteq iWas y t.,a :
the Commemorative , At,oFheS st.u s,,,e
,, ind1ctments charging misrepresentation
!, of-fnnds should be COMPROMISED by the
nr,soner pleading guilty. and receiY-
ing one additional year IN the pehl.
tentiary. Because OF his plea OF
/ guilty. the prisoner could not appear
the case to the state sapreme " rjuen,t Suu,t i.
court of Mecklenburg on SIX counts.
Sna VAS the falsihcatlon of the bank'a
aenonnts to the State Corporation
commission, and the five others Tor
misapproprlating the funds Of the
hank Several attempts We're made to
. impanel jury In Mecklenburg. and
= two nf e
: was drawn from, Richmond. From this
:. venlre the jury was impaneled. and
Q tha trial was held In February. 1909,
r Jndge William r. BarKsdale, presiding.
4 commonwealths Attorney George 7,
!. Risen. OF Pittsylvania county, was ap-
5 pointed by the Governor to prosecute
!, the case, as the Commemorative At
Overbey. H " 49fi
Got Light Sentence.
The trial began on the first indict-
| rnent for falsifying the returns to the
: state Corporation Commission and the
jury returned q verdict Of guilty, and
: hxed the punishment at two years In
b the penitentiary. 1nlmed d!ately the
7 counsel held aconference. with the
! result that Overbey pleaded guilty to
!, the other indictments, and received
!, = one additional year.
I Following the trial. the members OF
4 the Jury signed q petition for Over
: bey's pardon. hut Judge Barksdale and
S Commonwealth's Attorney Risen stout.
\ ly protested against clemency. The
Judge remarked when the Jury re-
turned the verdict that the prisone,
had been dealt with rather lightly.
{ Fatal Fall Through Window.
1 Pittsburg. Pa, September l9svott t
Guenther, ICED twenty-sl IL, a shipping
j. clerk In a wholesale dry goods house
r fell through a plate glass window OF
the eighth floor and was. 5pickeds.up Ii