The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-14
Sale Of Pardon to Con
vict Laid at Cover
nor'S Door.
EVIDENCE GIVEN
BY DE TECTIV E
Case Against South Carolina S
Chief Executive Grows More
Sensational, and His Alleged
Official Corruption Will Be
Sifted to Bottom by In
vestigating Committee.

augusta Ca. July is.-sensationas
iefamony charging Governor Cole L.
blea-e. 81 South Carolina, w'th official
corruption. was Introduced before the
diSprnsary Investigating committee Of
mat state at to-days hearing. a. :.
Reed Burns detective. and Thomas
Il. Fielder the atlanta attorney. were
ine prinripal witnesses
50 unexpected was the chalacte VI
the evidence that. after the hearim.
was adjourned. Chairman H. b. Car
use of tnc committee. asserted that
tne no WY adduced charges against the
south Carolina Governor would Ue
tAorot ehly sifted.
Detective Reeds testimony Included
records taken with q dlctograpis rela-
tive 20 negotiations for tho purchase
~ convicts pardon from the sou.A
Carolina penitentiary The records.
Reed testified. We're Of CONVERSATIONS
between the detective and sam J.
N!cAolls. Spartanburg attorney. and
Governor Blcase.
Pardon Conspiracy.
Reed testified tnaj convict named
Johnson. with several alias. serving
ten wears in the peniteniiary for bank
robbery. was the convict about whom
the negotiations were conducted.
After mailing RrranEcWents with
johnson. according to the detectives
iestlmouy he called upon Nichols and
informed the latter that the convict,
was heir TO large estate, but could
only become beneficiary rs securing
his pardon.
The detective testified tina, Nichols
was Interested ana the former agreed
to pay the attorney q handsome zee.
As an evidence OF good faith. the de-
tective stated, he gave Nichols "A check
for $500 duly indorsed Redd then
read records taken hy tho dictograph
OF Conversations hc held with Nicholls
ia SpartanbuEg and at the New Viii
lara Hotel in Washington on June 2s.
1919 According 10 the records.
.>i dolls tolc of his innDencc w!t4
Governor Blease and named the terms
upon which he would secure tho re-
lease OF tho convict
Tho amout was tenoltvely fixed at
10000 or $4,000. The record as read
showed that Nichols repeatedly re-
ferred to the amosnt OF the proceeds
which would 60 To GoveFnor Blease
for signing the pardon on two oc-
casions this sum was stated at So.
coo According TO the record. Nichols
was 10 receive $4,000 aud MIS- law
partner. Q :. Sims. Sa,puO
number Of kilograms were in
t-oduced in evidence iroui Nichols
TO Reed. one OF which was TO the
effect that Nichols had left Spartan
burg to confer with Blease about the
pardon.
Money Awaits Pardon.
When Reed had aoou- concluded.
Thomas B Fielder testified that a Ger
tain amount OF money had been put on
deposit with the understanding it
was 10 be released to Nicnollss order
-f-
from Nichols stating that the convict
had been pardoned
"We know" testified Mr.. Fielder
''rha; Nichols left Spartanbu-g to
confer with Governor Blease; that he
saw Blease at Barnwell FRIDAY and
was closetcd with the Governor Fri
day night. We have hecn unable TO
locate Nichols to-day. however"
Mystery surrounding the adjourn
ment OF the hearing from this NOM
ing until this afternoon was cleared
up by Mr.. Folder on the witness stand.
He stated that he expected Governor
Blease to sign Johnson's pardon dur
'ng that time and for that reason
the post ponement was made.
At the conclusion of Thomas Y. Fell
ders testimony the hearing of the com,
mlttec was indefinitely adjourned. I'M
medlaiely after adjournment the COM
mittee met In executive session The
purpose OF this meeting. it IS stated.
was 10 determine whether further
hearings should oe held.
The DictnGraph Record.
The dictagraph record OF the CONVEX
sation between Detective Peed and
sam j. Nichols, taken at Spartanburg,
was made the day before toe South
Carolina delegation left for Baltimore
The conversation lasted five hours