The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-05-01
PORTLAND NED PAROLED.
Yeggman Serving Ten Years to Be
Turned Loose.

Columbia, April 25.-James john
son, alias Edward Murphy, alias Ed
ward Howard. alias Edward Smith,
alias George Howard, alias Portland
Ned, the yeggman whose pardon De-
tective Reed, of the w. J. Burns
agency, posing as H. N. Porter, Chi
cago lawyer, alleged that he tried to
buy last summer and failed, was this
afternoon paroled by Governor Blease
during good behavior. Johnson, or
portland Ned" as he is better
known, is being held until a reply can
be had from a telegram the Governor
sent the Federal authorities asking
him if they have further charges
against him. If they have not he will
be set free at once.
Robbery Committed at Enoree.
johnson was convicted, largely
through the efforts of Postoffice In
spector Gregory, of robbing the post
Office at Enoree, in Spartanburg Coun-
ty, and served a term of seven years
in the Federal prison in Atlanta.
When his term there expired he was
tried in the State Courts and given
ten years in the State penitentiary in
1911.
The prisoner came ino the lime
light during the sessions of the dis
pensary Investigating committee IN
Augusta last July. At that time De-
tectiye Reed of the W. ]. Burns
agency, gave the dictagraph proofs OF
a conversation he held with Sam J.
Nichols in Spartanburg, at which
time, it is alleged, Nichols agreed to
enter as associate counsel in the case
and undertake to get pardon for
Johnson. Reed said that he represe-
sented himself as Porter, a lawyer
of Chicago, and that they were anx-
ious to get Johnson pardoned as he
was heir to large estate in Chicago.
Felder-Reed Incident.
1t was during this sitting of the
committee that Thos. B. Fielder, the
Atlanta attorney, was presenting his
charges against Governor Blease and
Detective Reed was telling of an at
tempted 'frame-up'' whereby they
hoped to show that they could buy
pardon. But no pardon was obtained,
and how that investigation, with its
charges raised a storm in South Caro-
lima is still fresh in the public mind.
The scoring which the committee,
Fielder and Burns received at the
hands of the South Carolina Governor
in public speeches, charging that the
whole Augusta business was an at
tempt to blacken his reputation and
injure an innocent man, and how
these speeches and subsequent de-
yelopments famed the campaign into
white heat, is recalled by the parol-
ing of the prisoner who figured in
the sensational dictograph testimony
at Augusta.
portland Ned's' Pleas.
s'Portland Ned" from his cell in
the Penitentiary, has addressed sew
eral letters to the people of Spartan
burg, which were published in the
newspapers there, asking for one
more chance and begging them to use
their influence to get him his free
dom and give him another chance.
Several strong appeals were made to
the Governor in behalf of the prison
er. begging him in the name of hu-
manity to give him clemency.
Tonight the Governor finally yield
ed and extended mercy. His reasons
are set forth in the following:
Reasons for Parole.
johnson, James, (white,) alias
Edward Murphy, alias Edward How
ward, alias Edward Smith, alias
George Howard, alias Portland Ned
convicted at the August, 1911, term
of Court for Spartanburg County of
housebreaking and larceny and sent
enced to ten years imprisonment in
the State Penitentiary.
The following letter was received
from the clerk of Court of Spartan
burg County:
'Spartanburg, S. c., April B,
1918.
In re James Johnson.
Mr.. John X. Aull, Columbia, S. {.
Dear Sir: Replying to your let
ter of April 22d instant, in regard to
one James Johnson, you will find GER
tilted copy of sentence imposed, and
as to Johnson being the same person
who served a term in the Federal
prison for breaking into the postofnce
at Enoree, S. c., will say that he is
" h