The Monroe journal. [volume] (Monroe, N.C.) 189?-1965, 1921-10-07
JUDGE WEBB SENDS HIS
OWN FRIEND TO PRISON
Sidney Lee. of Cleveland County. Goes
to Atlanta Penitentiary for
Two Years.

IN Federal court Tuesday, Judge
Yates Webb faced the dilemma either
of thwarting his sense of duty toward
his own distinguished office or pun
lshlng young fellow in whom he had
deep personal interest and he Wig
orously seized the latter horn Of the
equation and sent Sidney Lee. form
err postmaster at Boiling Springs in
Cleveland county, to the Atlanta pris-
on Tor two years, says the Charlotte
News.
Judge Webb not only was personal
~ interested in the defendant, whom
he has known for years as a good cit
zen prior to an irregularity in con-
nection with the Boiling Springs Of
flee, but the defendants foster-fa-
Their, the late Squire Loveless, of
Cleveland, was one of the jurist's
most powerful and intimate friends.
The mother of Sidney Lee died
when he was two weeks old and his
father died when he was three weeks
old, both passing away within week
of each other. And the late Squire
Loyeless adopted little Sidney Lee
and raised him until he came to man
hood. After that. the late Cleveland
county citizen, one of the most emil
nGnt in that entire section, maintain
ell personal oversight of the young
man. directing and guiding him and
looking out for his business ventures.
Squire Loveless died some months
ago and Immediately, according to the
evidence. Sidney Lee began to drink
heavily. Shortly thereafter govern
ment authorities discovered short
age in the accounts at the Boiling
Springs office and, checking up the
books, found that Lee, the poStmas-
ter, was short to the extent of $500.
1t was also neyeidence, presented
BY Sheriff Logan of Cleveland and
other prominent citizens of that coun-
ty, that the defendant had only an
undeveloped sense of the value of
money and no conception of business
principles, that he ran n little service
station at Boiling Springs and that
he gave gasoline away, let the school
BOYS there have as much as they want
ed, never collecting for 1t, sold auto
mobile tires promiscuously for much
less than he paid for them and other
wise conducted his business in a way
that indicated an abnormality as to
business acumen.
CLYDE Hoey, attorney for the form
er nostmaster, made an eloquent plea
TO the court to show as great con-
sideration as possible. Only evidence
had been offered for the defendant to
show his abnormal business capacity
and the attorney declared to the court
that the man had in Cleveland eounI-
ty. a wife and six children absolutely
without funds for their future sup
port, that the late Squire Loveless
mad left Lee several pieces of prop
erty at Boiling Springs which he had
mortgaged for $4,000 and spent every
cent of the money and that this prop
ertv would now not more than sat
isfy the mortgage debt. :,
Judge Webb was patiently puzzled
as to what to do with the defendant
whom he knew and the foster son OF
one of the most intimate friends IN
the county in which he was raised.
"He was a trusted officer of the gov
eminent" said Judge Webb to Mr..
Hoey. "and he violated his trust. AS
much ms it pains me to have to punish
him. shall be forced to sentence HIM
to two years in the Atlanta penltent-
larry" 49, ha.o
that Lee would make such good
prisoner that he would he paroledi
speedily and returned to his wife and
six small children now at the home oil
Mrs, Loveless in Cleveland county
"Or, maybe" the judge said, the
shirt of that great and good man and
friend of mine, Squire Loveless, VIII
come back and possess him again and
direct him in after years into better
ways of living"