The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-01-13

Columbia, Jan. 5.-James S. Far
mum, agent in this State for the An
heuser-Busch Brewing company and
other liquor houses which did busi-
ness with the late State dispensary,
to-day pleaded guilty to charge OF
conspiracy to defraud the State, and
paid a fine of $4,000.
The end of the case was a great
surprise and came without previous
intimation. This morning Attorney
General Lyon appeared in the Rich
land county court of general sessions
with Solicitor Cobb, and presented a
new indictment against Farnum,
charging him with conspiracy with
Joseph B. Wylie, formerly member Of
the State dispensary board, to de-
fraud the State.
The grand jury at once retired and
Wylie was examined as witness. In
. short while the grand jury returned
with a true bill. Farnum and his at
torneys then came into court and 9TH
er proceedings were interrupted while
the attorney general announced that
Farnum desired to plead guilty and
he would accept the plea. Farnum
stood up, and Judge Prince asked for
the written plea, which Farnum
signed. Judge Prince at once i'm
posed sentence, saying that in view
of the plea he would be lenient, but
not as lenient as Farnum might wish.
The judge said he knew Farnum's S
humiliation was punishment, though
his moral guilt was not so great as
that of the officers of the State who
had participated in the conspiracy
and accepted bribes. He would
therefore impose sentence of $5,-
900 fine or one years Imprisonment
on the chain gang or in the peniten-
tiary. Farnum's attorney produced
a certificate of deposit for $4,000,
which was accepted as payment and
then the Judge amended the sentence,
80 as to eliminate the alternative of
Imprisonment.
Other Cases Dropped.
Attorney General Lyon will, in view
of Farnum's plea, mol pros the other
cases against Farnum, five in all, two
for bribery of State dispensary Off
Gals and three for conspiracy-all
based on similar testimony. At the
last term of court Farnum was &C
quilted on a charge Of conspiracy
based on practically the same set of
facts.
A Complete Surprise.
The sensational compromise of the
cases against Farnum was entirely
unexpected until the very moment
when he and his attorneys, B. A. Ha-
good and T. NJ Mordecai, of Charles
ton, and District Attorney Ernest F.
Cochran, of Anderson, appeared in
court with him, and took seats within
the bar, while Attorney General Ly-
on sat near the solicitor, awaiting an
opportunity to break in upon the
trial of the Medlin murder case. Mr..
Farnum was looking the picture of
health. II the trial through which he
passed last summer mutely, not going
on the stand, and the cases still left
against him, worried him at all they
have not caused him to lose an ounce
of flesh, apparently.
Feels Humiliation.
When congratulated by friend
to-day on having an end Of the prose-
eution against him he said:
well, l don't know whether the
situation calls for congratulations or
not. I don't like to plead guilty
even with the privilege of paying a
fine. A fellow does not like to have
thing hket hat chalked up against
him"
Signing the Plea.
When the Medlin trial was suspend
ed for the purpose of receiving Far
NUNS plea. Farnun walked quietly
over to the railing behind which
Clerk Walker stood, and ct the direc-
ton of Attorney Hagood signed a
statement attached to the indict-
ment, to the effect that James S.
Farnum appears in person and pleads
guilty to the within indictment, this
5th day of January, 1910"
Passing Sentence.
Addressing Farnum, Judge Prince
said that while he knew the humila-
ton he had undergone was punish
ment for him, he still should be pun
ished and punished severely, but he
wO.1l6 taka into consideration his