The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-07-28
Told Him He Would Have Wo-
men of State Down on Him.
'RICHEY FEIGNED FITS"
Or. Babcock and DIR. ID. s. Pope
Examined Richey at the
Penitentiary


1911 urged Governor Blease not to
hberate r. A. Richey, serving a SEN
tence for grave crime, from the
penitentiary, and that he was concur
red In this by DR.. ID. s. Pope, who
considered Richey a man dangerous
to community, were developments
OF particular interest yesterday in
the exchange of statements between
Or. James H. Mcintosh and Governor
Blease relative to the Governors
justification, in physicians reports
OF Richey's condition, for paroling
Richey.
DR.. Babcock said he told Governor
Blease that eff you free that man
you will have all the women of the
state down on you. 1t is bad poll
tics"
DR.. Babcock authorized the follow
ing:
''Dr. James w. Babcock said yes
terday that while superintendent of
the State Hospital for the Insane
that he had reported to Governor
lease about the condition of r. A.
Richey. He said that to the best of
his recollection he had advised
against Richey's release from the
state penitentiary, where he was
serving a sentence for a grave crime.
DIR. Babcock further said that he
had been approached more than
twice by w. r. Richey, brother OF
X. A. Richey, who sought to have
him examine r. A. Richey. but whose
importuning was refused.
when Governor Blease later ask
ed DIR. Babcock to examine r. A.
Richey In the company of DR.. ID. S.
Pope and DIR. r. T. Jennings, the
state penitentiary physician, he said
he consented, as he uIways did when
directed by governor to make such
an examination. After making the
examination DR.. Babcock said a re-
port telling, in substance, that
Richey should not be liberated from
the penitentiary. was written, sign
ed by them and presented to Cover
nor Blease
In conversation with Governor
Blease, DR.. Babcock not only told
him not to lfberate Richey but said
If you free that man you will have
all the women of the stat down on
you. 1t is bad politics. He said he
made CAis examination probably be-
fore similar examination was made
by DR.. James H. Mcintosh and about
the close of 1911"
POPE AGREES WITH BABCOCK.
When DR.. ID. S. Pope was asked re-
garding this visit with Dr. Babcock
and DR.. Jennings to the state peni-
tentiary to examine r. A. Richey, he
stated that the facts related in the
statement of DIR. Babcock, which is
printed above, were true to the best
of his remembrance.
DIR. Pope further said:
II was satisfied that Richey was \
inalingerer and was even more en-
phatic than DR.. Babcock that he
should not be liberated from tho
state penitentiary. / believed he
would be dangerous to the state If at
liberty, A man whose mental con-
1ition is so low as was Richey's
should be taken care OF by the state.
went there at the request of Gov
ernor Blease. brought to me through
DR.. Babcock, as / understood itEat
that time. and signed the report In
that capacity"
"Richey Feigned Fifs"-Jennings.
"Richey feigned fits, but 1 soon
cured him of that practice" declared
DIR. r. T. Jennings. state penitentiary
physieian, when interviewed in con-
nection with the statements of DIR.
Babcock and DR.. Pope. "Richey
was brought to the penitentiary one
Sunday afternoon, by Sheriff Lyons.
and Mrs. Richey accompanied them.
Within few months after they ar
rived, Richey feigned fit and gave
him medicine which after repeating
the dose forced him TO change his
tactics.
"Richey continued to feign fits and