Show sant bent to prison 0 chakov a ce n M south carolina man elected after being sentenced for slapping U S agent atlanta atlant ga A years sentence in tho the atlanta federal penitentiary for striking ng an inspector of the united states internal revenue department may assure the political future of IL V bray jr mayor of beaufort S 0 C pray was elected after he had been sentenced chiefly it Is said because of the year in prison which lay ahead of him ne ile will continue as mayor du during ring his twelve months in the penitentiary with a mayor pro tern serving servin actively in his place when the sentence Is completed he be will return to take over the reins of government appeals to harding mayor bray was convicted in june of 1922 before judge il II A 11 smith of the united states district court in charleston S C the case was appealed P to the united states circuit court of appeals and finally taken to president harding in an effort to get a pardon for the off official acial when these efforts failed after a years time had bad elapsed during which he had been elected mayor bray prepared to begin ills his twelve months imprisonment ile he Is the only acting mayor ever numbered among the prisoners of the atlanta penitentiary on jan 30 1022 1922 harold smith a federal revenue inspector was investigating details connected with the estate of the late george waterhouse a wealthy citizen of beaufort waterhouse ho use was brays father in law and the latter was manager of the estate according accordia to testimony submitted 1 at the trial an argument sprang up between inspector smith and bray in the course of which bray said there Is no use for me to answer any more questions you dont believe what I 1 11 say in reply inspector smith was quoted as saying you tou forget mr bray that chilt I 1 have the authority to make you talk whereupon mr bray it was testified struck him charged personal insult at the trial brays defense was that the inspector had bad implied that lie he was lying and that he had simply resented a personal insult and had not meant in any way to interfere with the government ern ment the jury in returning a verdict of guilty recommended leniency judge smith passed sentence and months went by during which the case vas ras v r as appealed finally reaching president harding united states senator N B deal of south carolina and gov thomas mcleod are among those who urged clemency tor for the mayor it Is reported that secretary denby of the navy department part ment with whom bray Is acquainted spoke in his behalf before he left forthe prison mayor bray said this Is the first time I 1 have ever been in a difficulty like this I 1 have always been a loyal citizen of the united states and always will be my friends all know that in my culty with the revenue inspector I 1 took personal exception to his words and that it ii was far from my mind to interfere in any way with the government 1 I am going to prison with my head bead up and I 1 shall come out the same way A delegation of beaufort citizens accompanied compa comp nied their mayor to charleston when he started for prison they included members of the board of trade and chamber of commerce und and city officials before the mayor left several negroes volunteered to go in his place |