The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-05-17

Columbia, May 14.-W. II. Jones,
the wealthy Union County farmer,
who is under life sentence for the mur-
der of his wife, has been denied a
pardon by Governor Blease. Barring
Of the Circuit Judge in the appeal
now before the Supreme Court for a
new trial, and the possibility of future
Executive Clemency, the noted pris-
oner will have to come to the State
Penitentiary soon and commence the
serving Of the long sentence.
Governor Blease has written the
following across the back of the pc
tition for pardon:
I'm view Of the statement and
recommendation made by the Hon. T.
S Sease, then solicitor, and now
Judge Of the 7th judicial circuit, who
prosecuted the case against the pc
titiOner for pardon; of the history Of
the case given by the Hon. r. w.
Memmin&er, presiding Judge at the
trial at which the petitioner or APP
plicant was vonvicted and also of
the present status Of the case, / am
constrained to deny this application
for pardon and the same is, therefore,
hereby denied.
Cole. l.. Blease, Governor.
Columbia, s. c., May 13, 1911"
Governor Blease announced his
action on the petition for pardon to-
day.
w. T. Jones is now a prisoner in
the Union County Jail, where he has
been since his arrest upon a warrant
charging him with causing his wife
to take poison or actually administer
ing it. 1t has now been nearly three
years since Mrs. Martin Jones, the
wife of the defendant. went to her
death. In those years legal battle,
the like Of which has rarely been
known in a murder case in this State.
has been waged. Following the con-
viction Of Jones, at the January term.
1903. in Union, a jury having found
him guilty Of murder and sentenced
him to life term, motion for a
new trial was denied by Judge Mem
minger, the presiding Judge; from
this an appeal was taken to the Su-
preme Court Here, in a decision
handed down March 3, 1910, the Su-
preme Court refused to grant a new
trial. rehearing was sought and,
again on May 9. 1910 Jones lost, for
the Supreme Court in an order sign
ed by the whole Court refused to let
the case again be argued in the high
est tribunal Of the State.
Before Special Judge w. Z. Gruber
counsel for Jones next appeared and
made a motion for new trial. This
Judge Gruber turned down, and upon
the appeal from the order refusing
new trial the case is now in the Su-
preme Court. Governor Blease's act
ion, therefore, comes in advance of
the pending decision upon the last
phase of the case by the Court. Gov
ernor Blease. it is known has await
ed the decision before himself acting
in the case, but the delay caused him
to act now.
Judge Sease, formerly solicitor.
who prosecuted Jones, wrote as fol-
lows to Governor Blcase about W. r..
Jones:
This defendant was not unduly or
hastily convicted. The offence occur
ed in July, 1908, at least six months
intervening before the trial, and Civ
ing ample time for public prejudice.
come normal.
Judge Hyderick refused bail on
the showing made by Jones. From
this refusal an appeal was taken to
the Supreme Court. Judge Hyderick
was sustained i'm refusing bail: then
the trial took place and resulted in a
conviction with recommendation to
mercy.
Judge Mcmminger, who tried the
case, refused a motion for new trial.
Tho Suprnu,, Court an amman, r.