The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-07-19

1t being reported, with apparent
positiveness, in Charleston yesterday
that Gus Deford, the yeggman, who
figured in the testimony given on Sat
urday before the dispensary investi-
eating committee in Augusta, was not
now and had never been in the State
Penitentiary, The News and Courier
telegraphed it's Columbia correspond
ent for definite advices as to the mat
ter. 1t will be recalled that, accord
ing to the testimony of Detective
Reed, Deford was the man to secure
whose pardon Reed ,masquerading as
Chicago lawyer, under the name of
Henry N. Porter" alleged that he
had a conference at Washington with
Sam j. Nichols, of Spartanburg. The
following story from The News and
Courier's correspondent in response to
the telegram of inquiry was received
last night:
Yegg Shows Surprise.
Columbia, July 14.-Interviewed in
the Penitentiary here today, Gus De-
ford, the notorious yeggman, admit
ted that Porter" had called to see him
and had agreed to act as his attorney
Deford served five-year sentence in
the Federal prison and was then sent
to the State Penitentiary for ten years
for blowing open the safe of the Emo
rec Manufacturing Company in Spar
tanburg in 1902. That this yeggman
served term in the Federal peni-
tentiary was testified to at Augusta
by Col. Fielder and Detective Reed
Deford admitted that Henry N. Porter
Chicago lawyer, had been to see him
twice. Deford was extremely reticent
He was asked about the nature of
conversation he had with Mr.. Porter
We said nothing that makes any
difference one way or the other," an
swered Deford, with an expressive
shrug of his stopped shoulders.
Only once did the yegg lose his i'm
told that Mr.. Porter, the lawyer from
Chicago who had visited him, was one
of the detectives on William j. Burns's
force. When he heard this Deford
shot a quick glance with his yellow
ish eyes at the speaker and his lips
twitched convulsively, which the lines
in his face visibly deepened. Then the
yeggman became stolid again.
w III. Sondley, captain of the guard
at the Penitentiary, was present dur
ing the interview with Deford. .Ee]
told The prisoner ,as was becoming,
that he was talking to a newspaper
man and was under no compulsion to
answer the questions which might be
knew anything about Lyon & Lyon,
firm of attorneys in Dubuque, la.
He also said that Mr.. Porter, of Chi
cago, had come to see him twice, the
first time about three weeks and the
second time about a week ago, but
this was almost the sum total of the
information the yeggman would give.
"We said nothing that makes any diff
ference one way or the other" was
his answer, when asked what Mr.. Por-
ter talked to him about.
Recalls POrter's Visit.
Capt. Sondley remembers Mr.. Por-
ter as heavy set man with a closely
cropped reddish musttache, who
brought him a letter of introduction
from Sam j. Nichols, of Spartanburg,
ford on the strength of this letter.
The myth which Henry N. Porter,
of Chicago, Burns's detective, circu-
lated in Spartanburg was also told
whom is a question. Anyhow, the
story that Deford was the heir to a
portion of large estate gained cur
rency at the Penitentiary. The news
paper representative heard it there.
S. J. Nichols in Columbia.
Sam j. Nichols, of Spartanburg,
came to Columbia Saturday from
Barnwell, where he went to see Gov
ernor Blease. He spent a large por-
tion of Sunday at the Manson of he
Chief Executive.-W. F. Caldwell in
The News and COurier