The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-12-10
No Surprise to Lexington.


granted to ]. A. B!ackwelder, for
mer president of and prime mover
in the organization of the Bank of
Chaplin, located in the rich Dutch
Fork section of this county, by the
governor yesterday, did not come as
a surprise to the people of Lexington.
The conditions, however, under
which Mr.. Blackwelder is to be re-
lieved of serving, or complying with,
the sentence of the court, have Gre
ated much comment.
Several weeks ago the governor
commuted the sentence of the con-
victed ex-banker to one years i'm
prisonment in the State penitentiary
or to pay a fine of $500 to the clerk
of court of Lexington county, on or
before the first day of January, 1915.
Blackwelder, it is said, secured
funds from the Bank of Chaplin, the
bank which he organized, while pres
ident of the institution, to the
amount of nearly $4,000 in violation
of the State banking laws. His was
said to have been the first case of
the kind ever tried in the courts of
South Carolina, and the attorneys
interested fought the case with de-
termination and zeal. Appealing
from the verdict of the Lexington
county jury. the case was carried to
the State supreme court, which tri-
bunal, few months later, handed
down a decision affirming the ver-
dict Of the circuit court. Soon after
wards the governor commuted the
sentence to one year at hard labor,
or pay fine of $500 on or before
January 1, 1915.
Blackwelder, nevertheless, has two
more sentences resting against him,
both growing out Of the same
charges, and both cases, is is sup
posed, are now in the supreme court.
at the September term of court,
this year, Mr.. Blackwelder appeared
in court, after the jury had been dis
missed, together with one of his
counsel, the Hon. Robert H. Welch,
of Columbia, and entered plea of
guilty to both indictments. Judge
George E. Prince, of Anderson, SEN
fenced the prisoner to serve period
of six months at hard labor, or in
lieu thereof pay fine of $500 in
each case. Mr.. Welch immediately
gave notice of appeal to the higher
court.
So far as is known here, Blackwell
der has never made good" any of
the funds belonging to the Bank of
Chaplin, alleged to have been defal-
Gated in violation of the State bank
ing laws. So far as is known, these
two cases have never been heard by
the State supreme court, and just
what action, or the final outcome Of
the cases will be the result is mat
ter of mere conjecture on the part
of those who have watched the pro-
cedure from the beginning of the
charges, which at the time created
widespread comment in banking cir
cles all over the State.
Mr.. Blackwelder is former resi-
dent of Newberry. where he was
largely associated in business enter
prises. At the present time, how
ever, he is said to be resident of
North Carolina.
1t will be recalled that the COVER
nor was the attorney for Blackwell
der, and made the first motion for
a continuance of the trial upon the
ground that he had been elected
governor, and that he felt that in
justice to himself as we'll as to MIR.
Blackwelder, he had better withdraw
from the case, stating at the time
that he might be called upon to pass
upon the case after he became gov
ornnr