The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-01-07
FARNUM FINED $4,000
FOR GIVING REBATE
HE ENTERED PLEA OF GUILTY
ON WEDNESDAY.
Was Accused Of Paying Money to
Member Of Dispensary Board
Other Charges Mol Pressed.
The Record, 9Th.

The Record, 9th. - {
James S. Farnum, agent In this
State for the Anheuser-Buseh Brew :
ing company and other liquor houses
which did business with the late State 4
dispensary, today pleaded guilty to a
charge Of conspiracy to defraud the
State and paid fine of $1,000.
The end of this case. was a great
surprise and came without previous
intimation. This morning Attorney
General Lyon appeared in t he Rich ]
land county court Of general sessions
with Solicitor Cobb, and presented a.
new Indictment against Farnum,
charging him with conspiracy with
Joseph B, Wyie, formerly member OF
the State dispensary board, to- ,de- .
fraud the State.
The grand jury at once retired and
Wylie was examined as a witness. In !:
short while the grand jury returned
with true bill. Farnum and his att
tonneys then came into ourtand 9TH
er proceedings were interrupted
while the attorney general announced
! that Farnum desired to plead guilty
! and he would accept the plea. Farnu1n
stood up and Judge Prince asked
for the writtep plea, which Farnum
signed Judge Prince at once iznpes
ed sentence, saying that in view Of 4
the plea he would be lenient but mot
as lenient as Fannum might wish
The judge said he knew Farnum
humiliation was punishment, but that
be deserved further punishment,
though his moral guilt was not as
great as that Of the officers Of the
State, who had participated In the I
conspiracy and accepted brides He s
would therefore impose a sentence Of:
SIS 900 fine or one years imprison-
ment on the ohaingang or in the
penitentiary. Farnum's attorney pro-
duced certificate Of deposit for $5,-
900, which was accepted as payment, NJ,
and then the judge amended the sen-s
tenee, so as to eliminate the alterna7s
tive of imprisonme Mt. 81
Other Cases Dropped.
Attorney General Lyon Will 1a
view Of Farnum's plea, mol pros the
other cases against Farnum, five IN.
all. two for bribery Of State dispen-
sary officials and three for eonsplra- 3
cy, all based on similar testnnon.y Ats4
the last term Of court Farnuna was
acquitted on a charge Of conspiracy =
based ON practically the same set Z
Of facts. .:z.; szszs Il .sssz
A Complete Surprise. q
The sensational compromise OF the i
cases against Farnslm was entirely
unexpected until the very moment,
when he and his attorneys, B. a. Ha-#
good and 7. NJ: MordecaI Of Charles
tom, and District Attorney Ernest b. F.
Cochran of Anderson, appeared din I
court with him, and took seats with
in the bar, while Attorney General
Lyon sat near the solicitor, awaiting
an opportunity to break in upon the
trial of the Medlin murder case Mr. Mr..
Farnum was looking the, picture o. o.
health. IF the TRIAL through which,
he passed last summer mutely, not.
going on the stand, and the eases still
left against him, worried him at all
they have not caused him to lose an
ource of flesh, apparently. 81 .s.:s SIS.
Feels Humiliation. IS S. IS.
When congratulated by friend
today on having an end of the pro
seeutiou against him, he said: .
"Well, I don't know whether the !.
situation calls for congratulations or
not. I don't like tc plead guilty, even Z
with the privileg. Of paying fine.
+ A fellow does not like to have a. thing ng
like that chalked up against him. " -
When the Medlin trial was sus-
nended for the purpose Of receiving
Farnum's plea, Farnum walked quiet {
ly over to the railing behind which
Clerk. Walker stood, and at the dl-s.
reetion of Attorney Hagood signed
statement, attached to the lndaet-.
! ment, to the effect ha 8 james 5. Z
Farnum appears in person and pleads
Il to +'o within Indictment, this /
9Th dav Of Jan"arv; 1910. :" 81 - Z. Z. z
Passing Sentence. .s.
Addressing Farnun, Judge Prince