The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-06-08
Peculiar Case Recalled in the petitjoa
for 0ne john King
TIE NOTED YEGCMAN
Other Men Were Convicted and n
Case OF Mistaken Identity Made
it Necessary for CIV. Hayward to
Release Three Others.-Pctitioner
Said to Be Physical Wreck.

Four years spent behind the pris-
on walls at Atlanta and over six
months in the South Carolina prison
has made John King. alleged safe
blower. a physical wreck. according
TO a petition presented 10 Gov. An
10 petition presented to Gov
ernor Ansel who refused 70 par
don him. In behalf OF King
a member Of the house OF represen-
;atives wrote an appeal to Governor
Ansel. in which the interesting and
pathetic case Of the man is set out.
l.. VI. Masque Of Marion is the at
torney who petitioned the governor.
John King was sentenced 10 serve
two years in the penitentiary. hay-
Ing been convicted Of housebreaking
and larceny. and came to serve his
sentence in October. 1909.
Back in February. 1904. the safe
OF John L. Dew. merchant OF Lat
ia, was rifed and the same night
the quantity OF stamps and other
property taken therefron. Not many
days thereafter out in the country
was found q den where three men
resided. In this den were found
stamps and pennies Apparently
here were the guilty persons. Leon
ard Harding and his twoc ompan
ions. H. E. Cunningham and T. II.
Marion. were arrested by posIofflce
inspectors The men wore tried br
the State courts and. having been
guilty. were sentenced to serve Ave
years each in the State prison.
Meantime John Mccarthy in a
Vermont prison made confession.
duplicating John King. That was
in 1905. The confession was made
TO Postofice Inspector Gregory who
is we'll known in this State. The
confession e1onerated the three men
who had been tried for the Latta
robbery and made King and Nc
Car,hy the guilty persons. accord
ing to McCarthys own statement.
With this confession before him
Gov Hayward pardoned the three
men. who had been serving their SEN
tence for nearly one rear. Subse-
quently il Charlotte one OF the men
died The discovery Of the mistaken
identity was made By accident one
day when Inspector Gregory visited
the State prison.
John King was tried in Charleston
by the federal court in April. 1905.
Upon the testimony furnished by Nc
Ca..hy. who in the words OF the petit
toner was a confessed criminal. 3
safebiower." King was eonvicted
and sentenced to serve four years
in prison. He immediately went &c
Atlanta and remained in prison there
for four years.
Following his release from the At
lanta prison. King was Immediately
.ear!ested and tried in the State
courts.
At the time he had been in Jail
for year.
With Ave years already served
70. one orense.' writes the petition
er, King was again brough, before
the court He vas convicted
and sentenced to serve two years.
He came to Columbia in October.
1909.
The petition states that King is
now physical wreck. worn out
years and thatf he haoho"D.iorf!
by his close confinement for six
years and that he had never been
in trouble before the La;ta case. ac-
cording 10 .McCar,hy's confession.
The petitioner pleaded to lie, King
out SO that he might become a better
citizen.
While John Mccarthy is enjoy
ing his freedom. having been par
doaed by the president Of the United
States. by the governor Of North Car
olina. and BY the governor OF Yer
mont. King has fingered in prison
and suffered. pathetically states the
petition.
That King had been sufficiently
punished was Judge Watts opinion.
he having tried the case. Solicitor
Wells did not agree with JndS'
Watts. saying that the other fellows
who suffered for Kings deed were
punished and were innocent. The
reason King stayed in Jail one year
before tria! was because there had
been mistriai.
Gov. Ansel makes no comment In
the case except 70 write on the pet!'
;ion. Pardon refused. June 3rd
1910
SOIOSS LOSE THIR JOBS.