The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-10-08
CAN PROVE Al|D|s.
ATTORNEYS FOR FRAZER AND
BIGHAM SAY THAT MEN
WE'RE IN CHESTER AT
TINE OF ROB-
Berry.
Issue Statement Criticislng Burns
Detectives and j. Il. Mcclellan -
Terms Arrest and Charges as Far
cicaI anil Humiliating-No PVof
OF Identification.

Chester. Oct. 2.--Attorneys here of
Bissell Bigham and John Frazer, Jr.,
arrested one week ago on a charge of
completely In the robbery at Parr
Shoals september 8, when q pay
tion company was held up and rob-
bed OF $4,000. tonight gave out
statement saying the two young men
were seen and recognized in Chester
during the time I'm which they were
alleged to have been at Parr Shoals.
The statement opens by saying that
II has been deemed advisable to re-
ply In view Of the lengthy and in
consistent statements which have ap-
peared from Burns detectives and ].
Il. Mcclellan. superintendent of the
John @. White Construction COM
pany.
IL goes or: THE arrest OF these two
mon is farcical and humi,iating and
the charge OF this crime to them pre-
posterous. The repetition and publi-
cation of the fabrications Of the al
legged evidence against them Is only
adding insult to injury. falsehood to
wrong, and injustice to malignity.
The positive proof by many of Ches-
ter's best citizens shows conclusively
that both men were In Chester each
and every day Of the time of the rob-
berry. when they are charged with be-
Ing elsewhere. Neither OF them was
awf.y from Chester ~ this time, and
both were teen. talked to. associated
with and known and recognized on
frequent and separate occasions dur
ing this time by men who have been
In Chester n life time and are above
reproach or Impeachment.
"As to the alleged Identification by
seven men as first claimed and later
By only two, II Is sufficient to say
that no fear is felt on this score.
Mayor william J. Simpson made an
investigation OF the alleged part
taken by Chief Of Police ]. L. Sanders
In the Identification. The mayor had
Mr.. Mcclellan called over the long dis
tapce phone on Monday night. Sep
tember %, and Chief of Police j. l..
Sanders talked with Mr.. Mcclellan.
The chief requested copy OF the only
letter he ever wrote on the subject
and IL Is set forth as follows:
Chester, s. c., Sept. IL, '13.
John q. White Construction Co.,
Peak, 8. C..
Gentlemen:
IL you have q man who thinks
he could identify one or all of the men
who committed the robbery on the
9Th. would like very much to have
him pay Chester q visit and on his
arrival look me up. II you have sucn
q man. confine him to the utmost
secrecy as this matter will have to b.
handled with considerable care.
Please advise me by return mai,
~ may expect your man and when,
and by all means keep this letter in
absolute secrecy.
"'Yours very respectfully,
~. l.. Sanders,
"'Chief of Police.
Chief Sanders states absolutely
and positively that never at any time
did Hancock, In a restaurant or any
where else. or did any ody else. point
out and identify John Frazer, Jr.. to
him. or In his presence. In fact. the
letter written by Chief Sanders was
sent before he had any information
that either Frazer or Bigham were
suspected. The chief was then and
now ready and willing to aid In find
ing the guilty men. but did not write
any letters duplicating these boys. Ii
Mr.. Mcclellan has any letters from
any other Chester citizens or any tips
by well known Chester man, which
seek tn implicate these men, he may
rest assured that the aforesaid well
known citizen can not go upon the
witness stand and subsrantiate such
letters.
THE theory that these men left
Chester Wednesday night preceding
the robbery and did not return until
sunday night or the Monday morn
Ing following In an automobile. is un-
founded and eliminated Ly the unsuc-
cessfui efforts OF the detectives to pro-
cure such evidence here from several
men whom they are known to have