The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-03-25
4 BREVARD MEN
AS.
HEARING ENDS.
Crowd Exhibits Confidence
in Presence of Gov
ernor's Counsel
ASK FULL PARDON
IN BANKING CASE

BREVARD. Mar. Is. (SpeciaD
An open hearing was held in the
| courthouse here this morning by
Tyre c. Taylor, executive counsel
! to Governor ]. G. 3. EhringhauS.
Eon the matter o. pardon for
four Brcvard men convicted on
charges growing out Of the fail
urc of the Brcvard Banking Co.,
in December. 1880.
The four men are Thomas H..
Shipman. former president Of the
bank; Ralph K. Fisher, former
county attorney; J. II. PickelSi-
mer. former chairman Of the
county commission. and c. X.
McNeely, former commissioner
land county accountant.
The hearing opened with coun-
sci for the defendants making. a
plea to. MIR. Taylor to recommend
that q full and complete pardon
he granted the four men on the
grounds that they had complied
with the provisions laid down by
Judge N. A. Townsend when the
men were re-sentenced in Su-
pcriOr court.
Counsel pointed out that Judge
Townsend had said at the time
the defendants were sentenced to
serve from one to two years in
the state penitentiary. that he
would recommend that they be
pardoned or paroled if they paid
in to the county authorities the
sum of $4,000. Judge Towns
end added that he thought the
state banking department should
receive the sum of 1900 Of this
Iamount for expense incident TO
The Trial of the men.
Counsel pointed out that the
four men had turned over to the
county commissioners State of
North Carolina bonds in the
Iamount of 100000 and in addi-
Ition had given a mortgage on the
home Of Mr.. Pickelsimcr to cover
IRny deficiency in the bonds.
! No opposition was expressed on
The part Of the state. Pat Kim
I.ey. Brevard attorney, represent
ng the state banking department,
old Mr.. Taylor that this depart
nemt was interested only in the
! payment of the $500 TO this de-
)altmcnt by the county commits
,,iOnerS.
| Mr.. Taylor read petition
signed by % per cent Of the qua
lifted voters Of Transylvania cOun-
ty, and asking that the four men
be given a full and complete
pardon.
Just before the hearing was de-
clarcd adjourned. Mr.. Taylor
asked three questions as follows:
Is there anyone present who
thinks these men prOfited in any
Way by this transaction? Is there
anyone present who thinks there
IS any moral turpitude in this
Ease? Is there anyone present
Who has anything to say about
his case?
To all of these questions there
vas no answer on the part Of any
person among the crowd of about
700 people in the court room; and
when the hearing was declared
adjourned, the crowd broke into
applause.
When the hearing was ad-
tOurned the crowd gathered
hround the four defendants, all
bf whom were present in the court
room. and congratulated the four
hen. Many expressed the opinion
TO the four men that Governor
Ehringhaus would see fit to grant
i pardon, and that this action
would meet with full approval by
he greatest majority of the peo-
Die of the county.
Following the hearing Mr.. Tay-
or declared in a conversation
hat the attitude of the people
vas a wonderful display of con-
idence in the four men. He said
;urther that he would make his
recommendation to the governor
the very near future.