The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-04-23
PAID HIM To HELP
SWEARS GOVERNORS NEGRO POR.
TER GOT FEE
FOR PAROLE OF Her SON

FOR PAROLE OF Her SON
Anna Blair, a Colored Woman, Pro.
duced Receipts for Ten Dollars
Signed by John W. Gillian, Who is
the Negro Porter in Governor
Blease's Office.
The Columbia correspondent Of
The News and Courier says Anna
Blair, co1ored, mother of Willie Blair,
paroled Saturday by Governor Blease
from the Richland County chain
gang, declared to two detectives of
the Columbia police departments.
S. Shorter and James E. Ford-that
she had paid money 70 John Gillian,
colored porter in the Governors Of
fee, in accepting his proposition to
help her get pardon for her son.
According to the story that the
Blair woman related in talking about
the matter, she said she called at the
Office of the Governor and told Gill
liam that she was seeking a pardon
for her son, and that Gillian
replied that he would help her
for money, advising her not to waste
money in employing lawyer. Being
anxious to get her son of the gang,
the woman said she paid Gillian $40
and exhibited receipts Of which the
| following are copies:
| (Written on Western Union Night
Message Blank.)
| 3, 1913
received Of amer blair 5 dollars to
give James Bragman.
John W. Gillian.
| Columbia, 8, 1913
Received Of Amer Blair 5 dollars.
John W. Gillian.
So far no action has been taken
against Gillian by the police or other
=
police to help her get her money
back. She called at headquarters
Saturday morning.
Anna Blair lives at 414 Blanding
street. Willie Blair, her son, was
convicted in General Sessions Court
at the September term and sentenced
to serve one year for the stealing Of
bicycle.
In taking executive action in
Blair's case and granting him pa
role during good behavior, April IL,
1913, Governor Blease made the fol-
lowing written comment.
willie Blair, (colored).
Convicted at the September, 1910,
term Of Court for Rlchland County
of larceny of bicycle, and sentenced
to one year Imprisonment upon the
public works, or. in the State Penf-
teotiary.
"a petition was presented, signed
by several people, and accompanied
by the following letter from Hon. W.
Hampton Cobb, solicitor:
Columbia, S. c., April IL, 1913.
"'His Excellency, Governor Cole
L. Blease, Columbia, S. C.-Dear Sir:
This boy. Willie Blair, pleaded guilty
to stealing a bicycle. The property
was turned over to the authorities by
the boys mother, who has impressed
me as being a good, responsible col
cred woman.
":Blair Is only boy in his teens,
and his people have assured me that
If he is given chanee that he will
go to work and keep out Of trouble
in the future. I, therefore, recon-
mend a parole during good behavior.
Respectfully submitted.
(Signed) "'W. Hampton Cobb,
Solicitor
upon this showing the defendant
was paroled, during good behavior,
April -, 1918"
When shown a copy OF the receipts
Anna Blair alleges she received from
John W. Gillian, a negro porter at
the Governors Office and at the Man
sion. Governor Blease made an in
vestigation Of the matter and illicit
, ed the following facts:
Gillian claims that Anna Blair for
some time has been getting her meals
from his family without paying for
them; that she approached him in
the endeavor to secure pardon for
her son, who was convicted in the
Richland County Court for stealing
! bicycle, and that he promised to help
without asking for remuneration.
! He also told the Governor that he
had secured the services Of another
negro, James Bragman, to circulate
the petition; that he told Anna Blair
she would have to pay Bragman 50
for his services. This she agreed to
do. Gillian claims that he only col
lected SIS, which he turned over to
Bragman; that his services were Civ
en- gratuitously.
Governor Blease said the petition
did not influence him in granting the
parole to the negro boy Blair Satur-
day; but that the letter from Solici-
tor Wade Hampton Cobb was the
cause of his action.
Shoots Woman and Himself.
At Goldsboro, n. c., Cleveland
Prince, a Wayne County farmer, Mon
So