The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-04-18
r. 4. R!CHEY REFUSED CLEMENCY
Abbeyiiie Farmer Must Serve Ten
Year Sentence-Convicted of Mis-
treating Girl Under Statu-
tory Age.

treating Girl Under Statu-
tory Age.
Columbia, April 14.-Governor
Blease today declined to interfere with
the sentence of the court in the case
OF the State against R. A. Richey, the
weli-known Abbeville county farmer,
who was sentenced to serve 10 years
for statutory rape. The solicitor, +.
A. Cooper, did not recommend eXecu-
tive clemency. He expressed the hope
that it would not be granted the pris-
oner.
Richey will be brought here tomor-
row, according to information at the
governors Office. He will be placed
in the penitentiary to stay for ten
years.
Pitiful Case of Victim.
Solicitor R. A. Cooper spared no
words in his picture of the prisoner.
He said that he had been Informed
that this was Richey's third crime Of
the kind. The case of the young girl
is indeed a pitiful one,' writes the So
licitor. LEFT an orphan at the age
OF 6 years and taken to the home OF
Richey as one of the family, she look
eG upon him as her father. Before the
trial had several conversations with
the girl and urged upon her to tell
only the truth. I realized at the time
that it was a serious matter and that
the case was fraught with terrible
consequences, both to Richey and to
the family"
If Guilty Should Suffer.
That the well-to-do can not escape
the result of their crimes is the view
Of Mr.. Cooper in these lines: ''It is
suggested in the petition that the hu-
initiation and the expense which Rich
ey has been put to is sufficient pun
ishment for him. I shall not argue
this question.
eff he is guilty Of the Ofense
charged, and the jury has so found,
then, in my humble judgment, the law
does not provide too much punishment
for him" The solicitor speaks in no
uncertain terms also of the resort to-
technicality in this case.
A Broken.hearted Mother.
The solicitor went beyond the line
Of duty to appeal to the governor when
he says: "And to have come into con-
tact with the poor 5roken-hearted
mother as I have, is calculated to pos
sibly bias me against the petitioner"
Richey was convicted before Judge
Dantzler in the spring of 1910. His
case was recently affirmed by the su-
preme court. In the petition for par
don much was said about the techn1-
cality as to the girls age. This was
urged strenuously as a basis for par
don. The supreme court ruled firmly
in the case when it was before that
tribunal
A Pathetic Situation.
Richey's case was one of the most
sensational cases in recent years in
this State. He is wealthy and has in
fuential friends. A pathetic incident
of the whole matter is the faithful
aess with which Mrs. Richey and her
young daughters have stood by the
Sasher. They have held out that he
was innocent.
If ever there was case that came
before a governor with tears and
pleadings this was one. Yet Governor
Blease today declined to Interfere
with the courts sentence. He is sorry
for the family, but he feels that the
mandate of the law must be carried
out
Sister Brings Parole.
A pathetic scene was enacted at the
penitentiary late today, when with
tears streaming down her face wo-
man, the sister of the noted prisoner,
Earl Rochester, of Oconee, bore to him
a parole from Governor Blease Just
a few minutes before she had stood
before the governor and thanked him
for the granting Of her plea.
Earl Rochester was serving a life
sentence for murder. Rochester was
indicted at the term OF court, in 1904,
for the killing of Walter Mills. He
was convicted and given life SEN
tence.
9. From Late Judge Dantzler.
In the list Of papers connected with
this case is one of a unique nature.
II jc from tho late Jndop Charles q