The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-14
TRUTH vs.. FICTION.
ATTORNEY GENERAL TAKES
BLEASE TO TASK FOR INSIN-
UATIONS ABOUT TRIAL.

OA TAe'"HhSS DioCh Lynn DeCldfcS
Much Stronger Than That Against
Othcrs-Reply TO Executive Pre-
sented to Legislature.
Columbia. Feb. 10.-J. Fraser Lyon,
attorney general Of South Carolina,
sent communication to the general
assembly last night in which he took
Gov. Blease TO task for statements
and insinuations made in regrad to
the pardoning Of John Black. con-
victed OF conspiracy to defraud the
State In the court Of Chester county.
Biack's sentence Of nve years impris-
onment was frst commuted by Gov.
Biease to fine Of $4,000, but later
the chief executive Issued a full par
don.
Gov. Blease sent his Statement Of
Pardons, Paroles and Communications"
to the general assembly yesterday.
In 1t he said: II take the greatest
delight in saying that / have par
doned. paroled. and commuted 317
people during the time that i have
been governor of South Carolina"
The pardon and parole report covers
1bS printed pages.
In the section devoted to the
reasons for pardoning John Black,
the governor makes number of
startling statements.
The attorney general calls the
chief executive sharply to account for
certain Of the reasons he assigns for
his pardon of Black and questions
the truthfulness Of several of the
statements made BY the governor of
South Carolina.
The communication Of the attorney
general will be printed In both tho
Journals OF the house and senate.
Mr.. lyons communication to the
general assembly follows:
To the general assembly of the
State Of South Carolina:
In 70 the State against John Black.
In view Of the reasons assigned by
the governor for granting a full par
don to. John Black. 1 deem 1t proper
to further report TO your honorable
body upon this case.
Ny attention was called to the
reasons assigned since my annual re-
port was delivered to the printer.
Inasmuch as the governor in attempt
ing justification for exercising execu-
tive ciemency to John Black, con-
victed by jury Of Chester county
for conspiring to defraud the State,
undertakes to reflect upon me as an
ofscer. as well as personally. / deem
1t proper to submit this. an addi-
uonal report In order that your
records may carry a correction Of
those statements and insinuations of
the governor which have no founda-
ton in fact
In one sentence Of the governors
report he says:
After reading carefully the testi-
mony given in this case and the
charge delivered by the attorney pre-
siding as special Judge, in my opin-
ion John Black should have been
acquitted'''" And in another. "If
the jury had convicted all, I would
not have interfered." If both OF
these statements are true, the gov
ernor would have allowed three to be
unjustly punished. Still he was not
willing to see only one unjustly pun
ished. Directing your attention to
these two statements, which are man.
ifestly irreconcilable with justice. may
be considered sufficient to show the
real character Of all OF the reasons
assigned. But think it well to fur
ther inform your honorable body upo,
this subject. after stating the fact
that the evidence against Black was
decidedly stronger than against the
other two defendants with whom he
was tried. because the checks which
he received in consummation of the
conspiracy to defraud the State. one
of which was :'or $4,000, with his
signature thereon We're in evidence
and uncontradic'ed. as well as the
bank books which showed the actual
receipt of the graft money.
The governor says that Black was
not permitted or given the oppor-
tunity of paying a fine, and this -
true. SO far as the action Of the court