Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-03-22
PARDON FOR DAVID J. JACOBS.
Also Several Communications Of Sen.
tence Granted by Governor.

tence Granted by Governor.
Columbia, March 18.-To be con-
victed Of murder and sentenced to
death, to spend several months in a
county jail and then be led to the
scaffold and watch the sheriff adjust
the moose and prepare for the execu-
ton; to be commuted to life impris-
onment and to spend 20 years in the
State penitentiary, tells the life story
or David j. Jacobs, a white man, who
was pardoned to-day by Governor
Blease.
David Jacobs was convicted OF
murder in Chesterfield county in
1891, together with Mary Johnson.
They were charged with killing the
husband Of the woman by poison.
The jury returned verdict OF mur-
der in the first degree and Judge
Frazer sentenced them to hang.
The attorney for Jacobs and the
sentence to life Imprisonment from
B. r. Tillman, who was the Cover
nor OF the State at that time. No
one knew Of the commutation except
Governor Tillman, the sheriff Of
chesterfield county and the attorney.
The prisoners were led to the scat
fold. Just before the trap was sprung
the private secretary Of the Governor
presented the papers.
Both Of the prisoners were sent to
the penitentiary The woman died
several years ago.
The case attracted great deal Of
attention at the time, and the charge
was made that the attorney for ia
cobs and the woman told the two
prisoners to protest their innocence
to the end, and that they would never
hang.
Lou Belcllcr and G. Il. Palmer.
On March 10th Lou Becher and
G. B. Palmer, sentenced by Judge
Dantzler at Walhalla in July, 1909.
the former to eight years, the latter
to seven years Imprisonment, had
their sentences commuted to twenty
two months each.
1t will be remembered that these
two were sentenced. along with Bob
Belcher, the crime for which they
aere Sct,if ssi Il III tiles fstf rgfs 4s,fs
w. B. f. and c. D. Corbin, United
States revenue officers. 1t was one
Of the most atrocious crimes that
ever took place in Oconee.
Governor Blease pardoned uncon-
ditionally, last Wednesday, Mark
Duncan, who was sentenced at Aiken
iI' oSlouSl, 1SV0, 10 seven years I'M
prisonment for manslaughter.
Crosby's Sentence COMMITTED.
The death sentence of John Crosby,
the Anderson county white man, has
been commuted to life Imprisonment
in the penitentiary by Governor Cole
l.. Blease. Crosby was convicted sew
eral months ago in Anderson on the
charge Of killing a man in the mill
districts OF that place.
His sentence was recently affirmed
by the Supreme Court. One Of the
grounds Of appeal was that Crosby
was "crazy drunk" when he commit
ted the crime.
Sentence COMMITTED.
e sentence OF Daisy Cook has
be, 'ommuted from six to five years,
and ne will leave the penitentiary to-
morrow. Cook was convicted of
manslaughter in Hampton county in
1906 for killing Hamp Smith, and
has been at the penitentiary for five
years. He killed Smith in a general
fight at tent show.
The sentence Of George Williams,
who was convicted in Lancaster coun-
ty and given three years on tho
charge Of manslaughter has been
commuted to two years. He was
convicted in March, 1909, for killing
Son Morgan.
More Petitions for Pardon.
Governor Blea ;e returned today
from charleston. He has many petit
tions for pardon under consideration.
Many Of the petitions are from long
term prisoners.