The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-11-16

W '"N peaSc but tnc udiHtS CtsSe WAS
the oaly one OF extreme importance
in the Anderson Oconee section.
a case of statewide interest upon
which the Governor will likely act in
few days is that OF w. III. Mills Of
Cherokee, who was serving n life
term for killing a brother Of A. NJ
Deal. of Columbia. Mills came to the
penitentiary in 1907, and. therefore,
has served about five years. / we'll
remember the day he entered the pen
itentiary for I happened to be in the
main office when he was brought into
the prison. An interview was secur-
ed from him for one Of the papers i
represented and Mills, in tears and
with broken voice. told the details Of
the killing. He claimed that Deal
had sought the affections of his wife.
The pardon board has recommend
ed for Mills a parole and Governor
Blease will grant it. 1t will proba-
bly, come in the list of Thanksgiving
pardons
Following a pretty custom, Cover
nor Biease. 1t is expected. will give
some OF the convicts at the State pen
itentiary and on the county gangs,
Thanksgiving presents" said pres
ents being their freedom, not their
presence" In the pen or on the
gangs. The Governor has list of
fifty prisoners whose release from
prison has been advocated by the
pardon board after hearings. A large
number were refused recommends
tions Of clemency by the board.
The list Of those who will go
Thanksgiving day will probably reach
rs and about the same number or a
few less will be released Christmas
time.
The meritorious cases have been
allowed to accumulate so all who are
to be released can be let out either
at Thanksgiving or at Christmas.
1t is worthy of passing note here
that like custom obtained here in
Columbia at recorders court on
Christmas day. i am not sure that
the plan is used now. On Christmas
day all petty offenders were released
from custody.
In this and other States Thanksgiv-
ing releases have been made and it is
known that Governor Blease will re-
lease some Of the prisoners for whom
the pardon board has recommended
paroles or pardons. on that day and
on Christmas. Most OF the cases do
not involve long sentences and a few
are for minor offenses.
In the list of refusals recently
made. following the sessions of the
pardon board are, the Charles Gaines
case. referred to above: the John j.
Jones case, sent up from Branchville,
Jones being sentenced to ten years
and a month for tho killing Of Abe
Pcarlstine: the John Y. Darlington
case, Darlington being sentenced to
three years for breach Of trust with
intent to defraud, being president Of
the Seminole Securities Co." Young,
secretary of the company, is now out
on parole. Garlington's case was
considered and a refusal is the re-
suits Of the efforts at pardon. Into
the batch Of refusals the case went
Saturday. There are other interest
Ing cases in those finally refused by
the Governor, but these are the ones
OF Statewide importance.
The hosiery mill fight will be re-
sumed at the approaching session Of
the general assembly. 1t is known
that Governor Blease will in his an
nual message again ask the legisla-
ture to take some action toward abol-
ishing the mill which Is termed by
the Governor 'tubercular MILL"
Practically since he has been in
office Governor Blease has made a |
fight on the hosiery mill at the peni-
tentiary. Here are confined the more
desperate OF the convicts and they
are made to manufacture hosiery un-
der IA contract with John Graham. a
citizen OF Columbia. Up to year be-
fore last Mr.. Graham had a twenty
year contract which expired then. A
renewal of the contract for five years
was then had with better terms for
the state. At the time the Governor
Blease asked that the mill be abolish
ed but the board announced it could
not do anything toward breaking the
contract and an opinion from the at
torney general sustained the board.
Then the battle was waged i'm the