The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-05-01
"PORTLAND NED" ESCAPES
NOTED YEGGMAN WALKS OUT OF
GOVERNORS OFFICE.
James Johnson Steals Out of Blease'S
Office While Officer Awaits With
Warrant in djoining Room.


Warrant in Adjoining Room.
Columbia, April 26.-"Portland
Ned" alias James Johnson, the yegg-
man, who was paroled yesterday
afternoon, vanished from the inner
office of the Governor this morning
and left deputy United States mar
shall with another warrant for him
guarding the outer Office. The fam
Gus cracksman deliberately and COOL
ly took advantage of the Governors
absence and walked out of the door
which leads into the inner office and
Just Walks Away.
portland Ned," who served a
seven-year sentence in the Federal
prison in Atlanta for robbing post
office at Enoree, in Spartanburg
County, and who had served two
years of ten-years' term in the State
Penitentiary for the same offence
when he was yesterday afternoon pa
rolled by Governor Blease, was being
held awaiting a reply the Governor
had sent the Federal authorities ask
ing them if they had any further
charges against the prisoner. John
son, or "Portland Ned" as he is bet
ter known, had been brought to the
Governors Office this morning, dress
ed in citizens clothes. He was taken
into the inner Office and was present
while E. D. Green and John L. Paige,
the two Spartanburg prisoners, were
being given their paroles.
Was Wanted in North Carolina.
United States Commissioner Bever-
ly Sloan had issued a warrant for the
arrest of James Johnson, alias Port
land Ned" charging him with having
dynamited a postofice safe at Ply
mouth, N. c., in 1898, and Deputy
Marshal Sem was present in the out
er office awaiting to nab portland
Ned when he came out. The war
rant had been sworn out on informa-
ton furnished by Postofice Inspec-
tor Gregory, who rounded up this
man and landed him in the Peniten-
tiary for the Enoree robbery. Federal
Judge Smith had telegraphed that
there were no cases on the docket
against Johnson, and District Attor-
ney Cocran had wired the same thing,
but had stated that he was tele-
graphing the postoffice department
asking them if they had any further
charges against Johnson.
Leaves Prisoner in His Office.
Governor Blease stepped out into
the outer Office, leaving portland
Ned and a lady in his inner office,
Deputy Marshal Sem being in the
outer office with a warrant for Port
land Ned" This latter Individual,
according to what the lady told
and she never dreamed he was the
famous yeggman, as he was dressed
in citizens clothes-st strobe up and
down the office a few times, then
coolly unlocked the door leading into
the lobby of the State House and left.
The Governor on returning to his
private office asked the lady where
the man was and she replied that he
had walked out.
Newspaper Men Notified.
The newspaper men were called in
and told of the occurrence, and then
Marshal Sem was informed that
"Portland Ned" had flown, not more
than five minutes after the disappear
ance. 81 didn't know I could serve
the warrant on that man in your in
ner Office" said Marshal Sem to the
Governor. "Why certainly you could,
no one said you could not" replied
the Governor. The marshal thought
Johnson would come through the
outer office, but the latter went out
through the private ofi~H into the
lobby and vanished while the marshal
was waiting for him outside.
The cool way in which portland
Ned" disappeared surprised every
one. He is said to be an old hand at
the game of safe-cracking and has a
noted career.
Governor Denies Report.
Rural Policeman Hipp having been
quoted this afternoon as saying that
he was ordered out of the Governor S
office when he went there this morn
ing as deputy from United States
CommicciOner Sloan to serve Fed