The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-07-16
CHARGES AGREEMENT
WITH SAM NICHOLS
CLAIMS TO HAVE USED THE Die.
TAGRAPH.
Testimony Adduced At Second Days
Session of Dispensary Commis-
sion in Augusta

Augusta, Ca, July 13.-Allegations
that Cole L. Blease, the governor OF
South Carolina, was to get $4,000, Sam
J. Nichols, an attorney of Spartan
burg, $4,000, and Lawyer Sims, OF
Spartanburg, $4,000, under an ar
rangement he made with Sam Mich
OILS to get a pardon for Gus Deford,
notorious yeggman and the worst
criminal in the South Carolina peni-
tentiary, were made by E. F. Reed,
one of the detectives of VIM. ]. Burns,
in his testimony, featured by dicta-
graph, on the stand here this after
noon before the South Carolina dis
pensary investigation committee.
Reed said that he represented to
Nichols that he was Chicago lawyer
named Henry N. Porter" and he
wished to secure the pardon of Deford
in order that he might settle an es-
tate in which the latter was the prin-
cipal beneficiary, but that it was nee
essary to have Deford pardoned be-
fore he could receive the legacy.
1t was within recent weeks, testified
Reed. that the scheme was hatched
and only two days ago Nichols left
spartanburg to carry out his part of
the agreement and get the pardon of
the notorious convict.
AS soon as the pardon was granted,
Reed stated, Nichols was to wire "Por-
ter" at Chicago, and the money would
be Immediately forthcoming. His 20.
K" telegram, which was to have been
sent to Chicago, was, of course, to be
forwarded here to Porter" whose
real name is Reed and who, said he,
photographed" Nichols in South Car
olina and in Washington while he was
making the trade with him.
1t was the expectation that the par
don would be granted today, but the
90. K" telegram had not turned up
when the hearing was adjourned.
Charged With Holding up Charter.
The charge that the governor OF
South Carolina held up the charter of
the Piedmont and Northern railway
because of being paid to do so by the
Southern railway, and only approved
the charter after Nichols brought his
influence to bear, was the other SEN
sational feature of Reeds testimony,
which consisted of the records of the
dictagraph of the alleged conferences
held between Porter" and Nichols, in
spartanburg and Washington, while
perfecting the scheme.
Several thousand of the words OF
the dictagraph of such alleged confer
ences, gathered by Reed during sew
eral weeks investigation into the
South Carolina situation, bearing on
how to obtain pardons, were read by
Col. Fielder and kept the crowded
court house keyed up to the highest
,,;tob of oyoitnmont
The alleged conferences between
Porter" and Sam Nichols, Reed testl-
fed, were faithfully recorded by the
dictagraph and read to the public
here today at the investigation.
Prominent statements in Nichols
alleged dictagraph talk with Porter"
were that he could always get pardons
from Blease and that whatever he got
he always divided with the governor;
that "if they get anything now it Will
be the first time they have ever gotten
proof even indirectly on the govern
or"
The investigating committee went
into this line of the testimony, acting
under the decision of the State VS..
Winters, S3 South Carolina, which al
lows Investigations into matters both
before and after the time; in other
words, in order to show the guilty
mind.
More Testimony to Come.
Col. Fielder said that he would turn
over additional documents and other
material to the committee. He is en-
deavoring to get check alleged to
have been made payable to the gov
ernor and endorsed by Blease from
Iowa, alleged to be in connection with
a pardon which was granted, and turn
it over to the committee.
This array of facts and figures con-
cludes what I desire to present at