Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-04-16
NOLAN SET FREE

alias Chicago Nolan" alias PA
Tom," ETC., who was paroled by Gov
ernor Blease in January, subject to
such claims as the state Of South Car
DINA might have against him, and
who has since been confined in the
| York county Jail awaiting trial or the
charge of having robbed the Savings
Bank Of Fort Mill on the night Of
September 20, 1902, has been set at
liberty on his own recognizance.
From what has already been pub
lished, it is generally understood that
this noted character fully expected to
| spend the balance Of his life in jail.
He was quite sure that he could not
be convicted on the charge for which
he was being held for the York ses-
sions; but he was aware that Postof-
fee Inspector Gregory, whom he looks
upon as his Nemesis, had already
sworn out other warrants against him,
and he saw no other way for 1t than
that he was to be kept in jail by
charge after charge.
But in Nolan's case the unexpected
happened. Although still satisfied
| that Nolan is guilty as charged, the
inspector has been unable to get the
| evidence upon which to establish his
case, and he came to the conclusion
that he could do no better than drop
the matter and let his man go free.
This is what happened.
The grand jury returned a true bill
on Tuesday. 1t was fully warranted
in so doing. There was positive tes-
timony to the effect that Nolan had
been seen in the vicinity Of Fort Mill
at about the time Of the robbery, and
there was about the Circumstance
the fact that he was q stranger, and
had been charged with a similar Of
fence elsewhere-enough to warrant
the presumption of his probable con-
nection with the affair. This was
enough for O. grand jury, especially in
view Of the gravity Of the charge; but
not enough for a petit jury, and none
connected with the affair understood
the fact better than Inspector Greg
DRY and the defendant, especially since
the defendant had eve admitted that
he had been seen in the neighborhood.
1t had been the intention Of the
prisoner to try to conduct his own
case. He had no money to employ
counsel, he said, and also he insisted,
IF Gregory has anything against me,
he's got to make 1t himself" But
when Messrs. Dunlap & Dunlap OF
Rock Hill, volunteered to serve as
counsel, the alleged craftsman CRATE
fully accepted their offer.
Tuesday afternoon Inspector Greg
DRY went to the Jail to see Nolan; but
the Irishmaa refused to talk with him
unless his counsel and the officers
were present. He was not willing to
give the sleuth a chance to manufac-
ture any evidence against him, he
said,
Wednesday morning. in the pres
ence Of the solicitor, Messrs. Dunlap
e Dunlap, and officers, the inspector
suggested that the charges be dropped
and that Nolan be given his liberty on
a straw bond during his good behav-
Tor, to which Solicitor Henry agreed.
Shortly after noon Nolan was released
from custody.
There were no conditions regarding
his release, save good behavior. He
gave the officers no information con-
corning robbers or robberies with
whom or in which he might have been
implicated. They asked for no such
information not even Inspector Greg
DRY, much Of whose success as a de-
tective is said to be due to information
which he has received from those who
have served terms for safe-cracking
and from those who have been spared
Is guilty of robbing the Fort Mill
bank. if he knows the parties who did
rob the bank or II he "a guilty of
robbing the Encree Manufacturing
company's safe In S~partanburg county
in 1902, for which alleged crime he
served twelve years in prison, he has
made no admission to that effect.
When seen by a reporter Of The En-
quirer shortly after his release We'd
nesday afternoon, the Irishman said
he was glad to be out in the sun
shine again after being retained from
the light SO long. He was stoical
about his release, however. 1t seemed
to be a matter Of course with him,
and his demeanor was pretty much
the same as it has been during his
three months confinement in the York
county Jail.
Il haven't got used to the sunshine
and the ground yet" he said. You
see, it's been a long time since l have
been allowed to go as I please like a
real man-nearly thirteen years, and
that Is a right good little bit, you
know.
Il am glad to be out, you bet" he
continued, with a smile and a twinkle
in his blue eyes. u feel a little queer
yet; but I'll come around.
Il am beginning to have a little
faith in human nature and I know that
the people Of Yorkville and York
county consider me a human being.
If you print anything about me being
turned loose, please say that am
grateful to Sheriff Brown and Deputy
Quinn for their kindness to me. and
also to Dunlap & Dunlap for their eff
forts in behalf Of a fellow who was
down and out and to the many other
good people who have been interest
ed in my case and whose sympathy
l have had. l will yer be grateful to
them all. l am So years old now and
l am going to try and forget the past
and live differently the rest Of my
days"
Asked why Inspector Gregory had
consented to drop the action against