The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-11-23


would not accept pardon II 1o'-
ernor Cooper should see mt TO grant
axecutiye clemency to him, but VINO
later asked Governor Harvey to grant
him a pardon because life at the
nrison had become too rough, oleo
Yesterday morning in his cell shortly
after 3 O'Clock from heart trouble
.+Old Dan," as be was known at
the prison was perhaps the oloest
man in the penitentiary from ohe
noint Of service, having been placed
there in 1895. With his passing the
nrison lost a unique figure. His deatn
was sudden, coming before medical
attention could be summoned. He was
over 65 years of age.
Early in the morning he had oeen
let out of his cell to get a drink Oh
water and again a 3 o'clock ne was
Let out. He complained to his cell
mate. James Faulkner, of 'terrlole
burning in his heart" but Faulkner
did not suspect anything serious. A
fov moments later Faulkner told Dan
h;s feet were cold and Dan replied
that "he felt PECULIAR feeling that
be had never experienced before.
With a sigh Dan turned over and salo'
"God bless you, my boy" and passed
to the other world.
DR.. R. T. Jennings, penltentlary
nbvsician. examined the body and
pronounced death due to apoplexy.
Coroner Scott was notified, but a1ter
q consultation decided that an inquest
was not necessary.
Dan had served nearly quarter OF
q century in the penitentiary and un-
til the riot there some months ago
had been happy. He ran a little store
in the prison yard and had accumula-
ted a good deal of money from ms
sales of soft drinks, tobacco ana
other articles. After the riot at the
prison some of the hard boiled
prisoners thought Dan had taken the
side of the authorities, and, according
to his story, were latter him." He ex-
pressed a desire to leave because the
men were getting ''too rough for
him.
Colonel Was His Friend.
Col. A. K. Sanders, superintendent
of the penitentiary, has always be-
friended Dan and the aged prisoner
almost worshiped the colonel. he
often said he would never leave as
long as Colonel Sanders remained su-
perintendent and when the pardon
board recommended that the COVER
nor grant him full executive clemency
he announced that he would not
leave. Governor Cooper never offered
the pardon, but the pardon board
favored clemency for Dan.
1t was only last year that Dan was
brought up the street to moving
picture show, the first he had ever
seen. Colonel Sanders brought the
old man up town and gave him the
treat of his life by riding him around
the streets, carrying him to a show
and riding him on an elevator. 1t
was Dams first "joy trip" the first
time he had ever ridden in an auto
mobile and an elevator and he was
delighted at the sights on Main street,
It was like a new world to Dan.
When Dan was thinking of the pos
soibility of pardon being offered him
he said he was away behind the
times" having been behind the grim
walls for many years. He did not
think he could get out in the world
again and keep progress with busl-
ness. He was content to remain with
his friend, Colonel Sanders.
Dan was convicted of killing Rob-
ert Copes, treasurer Of Orangeburg
county. The evidence against him was
exceptionally strong, but there were
no eyewitnesses Dan always said he
was innocent. Last year he expressed
deep regret that he had not taken the
stand during he trial and told his
,toS,, b,,t II woo too late
Evidence Against Dan.
Treasurer Copes was making the
rounds of the county collecting taxes
when he was slain. Evidence at the
trial showed that the gun used be-
longed to Dan and it was also brought
out that the tracks around the scene
of the killing were made by shoes
worn by Dan, certain tacks in the heel
pointing conclusively to this. The
killing occurred on May 6, 1895.
Dan was convicted Of murder and
sentenced to be hanged March 5,
1877 Governor E,llarbe granted him