The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-07-22
BOB JONES GIVEN FREEDOM.
Last Chapter in Famous Edgeheld
Case-GOrernOr Ansel Com.
mutes Sentence.

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from the rest of the crowd at the un-
ion station. Every now and then he
pulled an old time piece from his
pocket and glanced down to see the
time of f@day. "Four+hirty," he said
half-aloud. "Yet forty-fve minutes"
he added. The passers-by noted a
difference between this stranger and
the others. His hair was grey, his
bearing erect, a certain sharp look
about the eye that bespoke years OF
experience. He was neatly dressed
in cheap suit. Every now and then
he looked up at the sky and smiled
a smile Of contentment, of apparent
relief. AS the man stood there he was
indeed a study.
The train pulled into the station at
SIS. The man walked across the
tracks, stopped long enough to read
the sign that told the destination OF
the train and stepped aboard. He re-
NAMED on the back platform a few
minutes, then picked up his luggage
and, with a wave of his hand as if
bidding fond farewell to the4 city,
went within the car.
Few, if any, of those who watched
the stranger knew who he was. Had
they known, perhaps, their interest
in the man would have been much
greater.
Once Prosperous Farmer.
twenty-five years ago this man was
young and prosperous, farmer in
the Edgefeld district.
Bob Jones had his troubles even
then. The Presslys, it seems, were
always after him. There were land
deals in which he and his kinsmen
were interested and there came a
time, back in 1885, when Jones could
stand the nagging no longer. He
went out in the fields and killed all
three of the Presslys, Old Edward
Pressly, young Ed Pressly hnd Char
lie Pressly, the last being the sons of
old man Pressly.
After killing the Presslys, Bob
Jones walked to Edgefeld court house
and gave himself up. He was tried at
various times during the year, from
1886 up to 1891, when change OF
venue was had and the case was car
ried to Lexington county. Here be-
fore Judge Fraser, Bob Jones was
convicted of the killing Edward
Pressly, ST., and was giv'an a Gi-year
sentence, one year being deducted be-
cause of the fact that he had remain
ed in prison for so many years dur
ing the pendency of. the trials.
June 20, 1891, according to the pen
itentiary records, Bob Jones entered
the State penitentiary.
VIII Settle in Georgia.
Today Bob Jones left Columbia
aboard the SIS train for Georgia. Bob
says he is going to settle in the little
town of Harlem, in Richmond coun-
ty, Georgia, where he expects to farm
and conduct store for the remain
der of his days.
Governor s.iH.ssssi has had many Pc
titions to pardon Bob Jones. Cover
nor Hayward refused to pardon Jones
In 1904.
On May 1S, Of this year, Bob Jones
thought he would be a free man, for
he had served nearly nineteen years
of his sentence and he had calculat-
ed on there being deducteda four
months for the years he had spent in
the .Edgehe1d jail. But the matter
was put up to Governor Ansel, who
today decided to commute the SEN
tence. of Bob Jones.
The papers in the case simply state
Ilat Il. 1. Jones', Ol GuSeuelu, Ids LID
yentence commuted to this day, June
19, 1910, bearing the governors sig
nature, but uopn the back Of the pc
titions for pardon Governor Ansel
wrote: q
Sentence Finally COMMITTED.
*The defendant has only three
months more to serve in this case and
as his conduct for all of the past
years has been good as a convict, and
upon the request of the authorities of
the penitentiary, and others, I. do
hereby commute the sentence of the
said Robert Jones to this date, July
10, 1910"
Hardly was the governors sigma
ture placed upon the papers when
Superintendent Griffith came to the
office. "Well," said Governor Ansel,
eJ havo con,m11te6 the sentence of