South Carolina's  Blacksheep
South Carolina Genealogy Trails

The State - December 31, 1914 YET MORE CONVICTS LAY ASIDE STRIPES Fifty-five Share in New Year's Batch of Pardons, Paroles, Commutations. TWENTY-EIGHT MEN WERE MANSLAYERS Sixteen Pardons, Twenty-four Paroles and Fifteen Commutations Granted Yesterday by Governor-Total for This Week is Ninety-nine Cases. Fifty-five paroles, pardons and commutations were granted yesterday by the governor, which brings the total number of cases of clemency up to 1,544. During the present week the chief executive has taken action in 99 cases D. J. Griffith, superintendent of the penitentiary, said last night that there were a total of 204 State, prisoners-some confined in the penitentiary,some at the State farms and others on the county chaingangs. Deducting the number liberated yesterday, there remain in custody about 149 persons who may be classed as "State prisoners." Pardons were granted in several instances to restore citizenship. The sentences of many of the prisoners had already been reduced by commutation from long terms. In several cases the sentences were materially reduced. Only three of the prisoners were confined in the State penitentiary. Twenty-eight manslayers were among the number to receive clemency yesterday. There were three who had been convicted of criminal assault. Several were serving terms for highway robbery. Included in the list of clemency were 16 pardons, 24 paroles and 15 commutations. The governor granted clemency in the following cases: Rether Henderson, Anderson, January, 1914, murder, life, sentenced commuted to 10 years. Parker Parks, Laurens, March, 1914, violation of dispensary law, six months. Commuted to fine of $100 or six months. Parinellus Banks, Anderson, May, 1907, murder, life. Commuted in January, 1914 to 30 years, now commuted to 10 years. Milo Simmons, Edgefield, August, 1914, manslaughter, three years. Commuted to one year. George Fowler, Jr., Union, May, 1912, larsoney, two years, paroled June, 1913. Full pardon. Henry Smoak, Richland, September, 1914, breach of trust with fraudulent intent, nine months. Commuted to four months. A. M. Stokes, Orangeburg, September, 1912, violation of dispensary law, five years, paroled January, 1914. Full pardon. William Etters, Richland, January 1911, criminal assault, with recommendation to mercy, eight years, paroled November 1913. Pardon to restore citizenship. Fletcher Dawson, Fairfield, September, 1910, criminal assault, life. Paroled. Cleophus Harris, Greenville, January, 1911, murder, life. Reduced to 20 years, February, 1914, commuted to five years. Conway Harris, Greenville, January, 1911, murder, life. Reduced to 20 years, February, 1914, commuted to five years. Conway Williams, Greenville, January, 1912, murder, life. Reduced to 20 years, February, 1914, commuted to five years. Charlie Henderson, Anderson, January, 1914, murder, life. Commuted to ten years. Arthur Harman, Lexington, January, 1913, violation of dispensary law, $100 fine or two months. Pardon. C. S. Rauch, Lexington, January, 1913, violation of dispensary law, $200 and three months. Pardoned. J. Horace Rivers, Newberry, November, 1908, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, three years. Pardon. Jack Edwards, Newberry, March, 1913, highway robbery, six months. Parole. Mann Suber, Newberry, March, 1913, highway robbery, six months. Parole. Murray Free, Newberry, March, 1913, highway robbery, six months. Parole. George Eichelberger, Newberry, March, 1913, highway robbery, six months. Parole. John Simpson, Oconee, March, 1912, murder, life, reduced to 20 years, February, 1914. Parole. Honsea Odom, Bamberg, March, 1910, manslaughter, eight years. Parole. Rush Dukes, Bamberg, November, 1909, murder, life, reduced to 10 years, March, 1913, reduced to nine years, February, 1914. Parole. Bill Rice, Bamberg, April, 1898, murder, life, reduced to 23 years, February, 1914. Parole. D. F. Hayes, Cherokee, October, 1914, violation of dispensary law, $100 or 30 days. Pardon. Henry Green, Charleston, September, 1913, car breaking, three years. Parole. W. Logan Ramey, Oconee, November, 1908, murder, life, parole December, 1912. Pardon to restore citizenship. Joe Bryont, Bamberg March, 1914, manslaughter, eight years, commuted to two years. Will Epps, Union, May, 1914, manslaughter, 10 years. Commuted to six years. Horace Finch, Spartanburg, November, 1914, assault and battery and riot, three years. Pardon. Robert Wilson, Spartanburg, November, 1914, assault and battery and riot, three years. Pardon. W. R. Belcher, Spartanburg, November, 1914, assault and battery and riot, three years. Pardon. Ed Harper, Anderson, November, 1913, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, three years. Pardon. Anthony Rice, Union, February, 1913, assault and batter of a high and aggravated nature, three years. Parole. Cleveland Richardons, Charleston, October, 1914, murder, life. Parole. Mac DeLee, Dorchester, October, 1914, manslaughter, seven years. Parole. W. B. McMillan, Bamberg, November, 1914, breach of trust, six months. Parole. Trump Eillson, Newberry, November, 1914, manslaughter, ten years. Parole. John Lewis Babb, Greenville, September, 1913, resisting an officer, two years in State reformatory. Parole. Augustus Corosus, Abbeville, September, 1914, larceny, ten months. Parole. Milledge Q. Chappell, Newberry, May, 1914, resisting an officer, in June, 1914, two charges for storing whiskey for unlawful use, sentenced to fines in total of $225 or a sentence of 90 days. Pardon. Eph Williams, Newberry November, 1911, manslaughter and carrying concealed weapon, ten years. Commuted to five years. Henry Mason, Chester, March, 1907, murder, life. Reduced to 20 years, February, 1914, commuted to ten years. Ephriam Kinard, Saluda, March, 1907, murder, life. Reduced to 20 years, February, 1914, commuted to ten years. Willie Barnhill, Jasper, May, 1914, manslaughter, five years. Pardon. Ernest Gowans, Greenville, May, 1916, murder, life. Reduced to 20 years, February, 1914, commuted to five years. John Massingale, Pickens, manslaughter, three years. Paroled on condition that he leave the State before January 5 and never return. Jim Clinkscales, Abbeville, February, 1906, murder, life. Reduced to 20 years, February, 1911, commuted to ten years. Hector Middleton, Colleton, July, 1905, murder, life. Reduced to 20 years, February, 1914. Parole. Jim Martin, Spartanburg, June, 1912, murder, life. Parole. Paul Chandler, Spartanburg, 1909, criminal assault, life. Reduced to 20 years, January, 1914. Parole. Levi Wise, Berkeley, November, 1910, manslaughter, nine years. Parole. Nat Benton, Beaufort, September, 1903, murder, life. Parole. Cleve Donaldson, Newberry, spring, 1914, larceny, 18 months. Pardon. Fred Scott, Charleston. October, 1911, larceny two years. Parole.