The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-08-19
.B0NHAM EXPLAINS HIS
LETTER TO GOVERNOR
HAS CORRECTED A FALSE
IMPRESSION
IN EMN1ERSCN' CASE
When He Wrote Letter To Gov.
-ernor Regarding Pardon Of
Emerson, Was Not Solicitor

Anderson people have been greatly
party visited Conway over the an
nounccment made by Governor
Blease at that time regarding the
Emmerson case in this county. Gov
ernor Blease read letter from Proc
merson case and this prompted Mr..
Bonham. who Is now solicitor OF the
18th judicial district. to give out the
following letter which appeared in the
Grcenville News:
August Is. 1914.
Editor Greenville News:
l notice i'm the .Greenville News OF
today. In the report OF the senatorial
campaign meeting in Conway. that
Governor Blease says in explaining
the Allen Emmerson pardon. chat the
same was recommended by Solicitor
Proctor A. Bonham. This Is literal.
ly true. but from the inquiries madi
by several people, am satisfied thai
the statement created IL false impress
sion in that there are those who think
as the solicitor who tried the case
made the recommendation =
1t Is true that at the requests of the
friends and relatives of Emmerson
who were my friends. I wrote a letter
III Emmerson's behalf to Governor
Blease in which I stated that was
not the solicitor who tried the case.
Julius E. Boggs at, that time held the
office.
am somewhat surprised that the
governor should lay any stress upon
my letter. 1t was written on Apri
II, 1911. My information is that the
first petition was refused. Whether
refused or not, my letter did not
the time have sufficient weight I
move the goverpofSto ciemency and
some other motive must have prompt
ed him. for the pardon was not: gran
ted until two or three years after
ward. Further than this. at the timt
the Allen Emmers6n., pardon was
granted. ciemency was extended T.
two other cases from Anderson coun-
ty, both of which did try. refer t.
the cases of Webb Simmons who, wa:
convicted OF murder and given life
imprisonment, and, hf, JohM G. ELI.
son who was convicted Of manslaugh-
ter and was given seven years. Cox
ernoT Biease requested report from
me on the Simmons case and strong
ly recommended that the petition be
not granted. The Ellison case was
never sent to me for a report and he
was pardoned three weeks after he
went to the penitentiary. have fur
ther cause for being 4, surprised that
| the governor should urge my recon-
mendation as reason for extending
clemency TN any case. When he on
last Thanksgiving pardoned or pu
rolled one hundred and five prisoners
df remember the figure correctly
he included several cases which I had
tried that did not think deserving
Of clemency. wrote him to this eff.
feet and asked him In the future to
allow me an opportunity to make my
report upon petitions for pardons a.
| was customary. He replied by saying
that often times he thought the re-
ports OF the solicitors were prejudicial
rather than beneficial. Since that
| time / have never received a request
from him to report upon any cas-
| that recall.
| trust that you will give this CON-
munication space, as I feel that in
Justice to myself I must make this
explanation. i...s= - l
| Yours very truly,
| PROCTOR A.tBONHAM.