The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1912-07-25

: very necessary to find tn
n convict as the settlement of
< big estate depended on his free(
f ON. The convict was one c
the benefciaries and his restol
7 alton Of citizenship was neces
: sary. Porter told Nichols o
DeFord and said that he wa
) the man. Porter said tina
!. Nichols questioned him as t
amount involved, and that h,
told him it was very necessary
to secure this pardon for DeFord
Porter said that Nichols tolG
him that it would't be difficult
to get DeFord out of the peni.
tentiary. Porter told of deposit
ing a letter of credit for 2,5OC
with the Bank of Commerce; of
Spartanburg. He read several
telegrams that he exchanged
with Nichols. These telegrams
were introduced in evidence.
Porter declared that after he
had talked over the matter Of
securing a pardon for DeFord
he paid Sam j. Nichols a check
for $500. This check, ne said,
was deposited in the Bank of
Commerce of Spartanburg to
the credit of Nichols, and that
the check would be later placed
in evidence. Another check
was drawn for, $500, subject to
the order of Nichols. said the
witness. This money was
turned loose to aid Nichols. in
securing the pardon. Here.
Porter told of the injection Of
the dictagraph in the investi-
cation. The dictagraph was
used in the Finch hotel in Spar
tanburg, in the New Willard
hotel in Washington, an in the
Altamont hotel in Baltimore.
The first meeting between
Nichols and Porter occurred June
%. Porter said that after ar
irving in Spartanburg and in
stalling himself in room 48 Of
the Finch hotel he sent a note
to Nichols asking that he call
and talk over the securing of a
pardon for DeFord. Nichols
sent back a note saying that he
was going out of town and that
it would be impossible to talk
over the matter. A second note
was sent to Nichols by Porter.
4 second reply was received.
The reply of Nichols will be
submitted to the committee by
Porter.
The witness said that an ex-
stenographer named Stetiel-
baum was located in the room
next to No. 4S. The dicta-
graph was placed in the room
with Porter. Later in the day.
Porter said. Nichols called and
said they held a conference.
For five hours the DeFord par
don was freely discussed. A.
transcript Of the testimony
covering more than 10000 words
was introduced in evidence.
The next conference, Porter
said, was held in the New
Willard hotel in Washington in
room 54l. The official stenogra-
pher in Washington, Porter
said, was George W. Reik,
private secretary to Postmaster
General Hitchcock. AS in
Spartanbulg. the conversation
between Nichols and Porter was
taken. This Transcribed testi-
mony was introduced in evi-
dence this afternoon and made
a part Of the official record.
The discussion continued with
reference to the Deford pardon,
and the manner in which it
was to be secured. Porter said
that Nichols came to his room
in Washington with a man by
the name Of Paisley who he asked
to leave the room as important
he had some business to talk over
with Porter.
1t was stated by Porter that
Nichols promised to close up the
pardon deal within two weeks.
According to the witness,
Nichols left Washington and
went to Baltimore. He was
followed by Porter. and the
both went to Altamont hotel,
where the South Carolina dele
cation to the national conven-
ton was registered. At this
point in the testimony the
members of tho committee