The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-04-29
PAROLES GREEN AND PAIGE.
E. D. Green and John L. Page, Convict
ed in 1895 for Killing Ben Carson,
of Spartanburg County.

While he was lying asleep because OF
the love which Green bore Mrs. Fannie
Carson, wife Of Ben Carson, were today
paroled by Governor Blease on condi-
ton of good behavior. Mrs. Fannie
Carson, who engineered the plot by
which her husband was foully put
out of the way, was paroled by former
Governor Ansel.
The crime happened in Spartanburg
county eighteen years ago and was
said to have been one Of the most cold
blooded ever perpetrated in South Car
olina. Ben Carson, with his wife, Mrs.
Fannie Carson, were living on their
farm in upper Spartanburg county. He
was a young and respected farmer
and his wife was a very attractive
woman. With them boarded E. D.
Green, young school teacher, and
John L. Paige, another young white
man, lived on the Carson place.
SCOCy Ol Tile MuEUeIs
Green was young man, with good
manners, and he and Mrs. Carson were
said to have been much in each 9TH
ers company. Ben Carson, all unsus-
pecting, was going about his daily
tasks umindful of the plot which was
Matching in his own house. Mrs. Car
son and young Green, it is alleged, soon
became so enamored of each other
that they began plotting to get rid
of Ben Carson
Once Mrs. Carson is said to have tri-
ed to poison her husband, but failed. 1t
was then that she is alleged to have re-
sorted to sterner and more certain
methods.
Consulting with Green and calling in
the aid of Paige, the plot is said to
have been Matched. One quiet moon
light night as Ben Carson was slesp-
ing he was killed. A window had been
left open and it was charged that
Green and Paige silently stole through
the window and into the room where
the sleeping man lay. Carson was
Drained and his throat cut with razor
to make assurances doubly certain.
The Three Suspected.
Suspicion at once centered on Mrs.
Carson, Green and Paige, and they were
arrested and arraigned for the murder
of Ben Carson. Terror-stricken, Mrs.
Carson turned States evidence, and on
the stand told of the awful plot, of her
love for E. D. Green and outlined the
scheme by which Ben Carson was put
out of the way. The trial took place at
Spartanburg in the fall of 1893, with
Judge Jos. H. Earle presiding and So
1icitor Schumpert prosecuting the
cases. Mrs. Fannie Carson and John L..
Paige were found guilty Of murder
with recommendation to mercy and
sentenced to life Imprisonment in the
State penitentiary. G. D. Green was
found guilty of murder and sentenced
to be hanged. An appeal in his case
to the supreme court resulted in new
trial being ordered and in June, 1897,
with Judge Buchanan presiding and
Solicitor T. S. Sease, now judge, ap-
pearing for the State, Green was found
guilty of murder with recommendation
to mercy and sent to the penitent1ary
for life. where his two companions had
already preceded him.
Many Appeals for Clemency.
No similar case had so stirred Spar
tanburg and the upper part OF South
Carolina. No sooner were Mrs. Car
SON and the two men in the peniten-
tiary than efforts were begun to Sc
cure clemency for them. Appeals were
made to each governor, but without
avail until Governor AnsePs term,
when he finally pardoned Mrs. Fannie
Carson and permitted her to go back
to spartanburg.
With Mrs. Carson free, effort to get
Green and Paige out were renewed,
Finally petition for Clemency in
Green's case filed with Governor
Blease contained 1,2A5 signatures, %
of whom were ladies of Spartanburg
county. Judge Sease, who prosecuted
Green at his second conviction as soll-
citor, recommended clemency and
many of the leading citizens OF the
county we're on his petition A strong
petition for clemency in Paige's be-
half was also presented, and it was
signed by 40 of the citizens OF Spar
tanburg county.
This morning Governor Blease had
Green and Paige brought from the