The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-01-15
Open PRISON DOORS
PRISON REFORM EXPECTS CRlTI'
CRISE BLEASE
SAYS he ABUSES power
The Governor Is Severely Censured
For Turning Loose on the Public
Several Hundred Of Convicted
Criminals, Many Of Whom Are
Murderers and Assassins.
Murdere1s and Assassins.

MurOcTSfS auU aSS8aSo1nSs
Dewitt L. Payne, in Grit, says the
action Of Blease in freeing 70 con-
victs, closely following that OF Gov.
Donaghey, Of Arkansas, who recently
granted 316 state and A county con-
yicts their liberty, almost emptying
the state penitentiary, has brought
down upon their heads considerable
censure. The governors OF a number
of other states also made free use Of
the pardoning power during the holi-
day season, and the result has been
q countrywide criticism Of the sys-
tenn that allows one man to undo the
work OF - men who sat as jury
IL each case and decided the indi-
vidual to be guilty of an fnfraction
of the laws and At subject for pun
ishment.
The action OF Gov. Donaghey OF
Arkansas, in freeing $50 convicts at
one time, was aimed by that official
as blow at the prison contract labor
system Of the state, and, while 1t
was freely criticised by those who
believed that law-breakers should re-
ceive adequate punishment, 1t was
admitted that conditions in Arkan-
sas gave him a valid excuse. But
the action Of Gov. Blease, who had
no excuse Of this kind, has been
freely criticised in general, while m
specific instances the governor has
been accused of downright unfair
| ness.
Among the 79 criminals pardoned
by Gov. Blease were II who were
serving life terms for murder, i've
who were serving life terms for bur-
glary, two who were serving life
terms for assaulting women, and one
serving a life term for arson. Sew
@, al Of the men freed have notorious
criminal records in several parts OF
the United States, and 1t was the
turning of these men, with the in
junction that they should leave
South Carolina and never return
that has aroused the greatest critl'
cism of the South Carolina executive
In addition to the "life termers'
pardoned, 2S Of those set free hsc
been convicted and sentenced FOL
roanslaughter. The balance were
serving time for crimes ranging from
grand larceny, assault and battery
with intent to kill and highway rob
berry to bigamy and violating the II
quor laws.
Forty-hve Of the men freed b!
Gov. Blease, or over IS per cent. o.
the total, had been convicted anc
sentenced for killing others, and seV
eral of the crimes have been among
the most notorious in the state
While the general criticism Of thu
state executives action is agains
the wholesale pardoning OF crimi
nails, many residents Of South Caro-
lira are indignant over the freeing
Of SO many slayers.
| The enemies Of the governor de
clare that he has established q colo'
line in crime and cite the pardo1
granted to Pope Havird on Oct.
| last. HaTird, who lives in saluda
was sentenced in March, 1911, tt
fye years in the penitenhary fo'
abusing young schoolteacher. Blu
he was paroled two months ago afte'
serving but a fraction Of his term.
In the two years he has been gov
ernor Of South Carolina, Blease haI
pardoned 500 criminals. This IN
cludes 23o, or almost half the total
who had been sentenced for eithe
murder OF manslaughter, killing Il
either case. He has also freed 81
charged with assault. In the MIN
years Of the three Immediate prede
cessors Of Gov. Blease, only 145 par
dons were issued, an average OF 16
year. Gov. Blease's average is owe
$50.