Sampson Court Clerk Sent to State Prison for Stealing from Confederate Orphans, Nov. 3, 1924

Former Sampson Court Clerk Sentenced to State Prison. . . W.F. Sessoms Plead Guilty to Forgery of State Pension Warrants

Clinton, Oct. 31—Following a plea of guilty to a charge of forgery of state pension warrants, W.F. Sessoms, for more than 22 years clerk of Superior Court of Sampon County, was, late today, sentenced to not less than two or more than four years in the state Penitentiary by Judge Frank A. Daniels.

Sessoms was indicted a year ago, but tenaciously held on to his office until the August term, when on the advice of friends, resigned. He followed his resignation with a plea of guilty. In the hearing of his case during this term, it developed that the irregularities in his office run approximately $27,000.

Of this amount, it was shown by representatives of the state auditor’s office that more than #21000 was in Confederate veterans’ pension warrants, to which Sessoms was charged with having forged signatures. In practically all of these cases, the person for whom the warrant was issued is, and has been for several years, dead. Sessoms is said to have administered on the estate of some of these pensioners but continued to cash the warrants. About $7,000, it developed at the hearing today, was in the shape of orphans’ trust funds, left in the care of the clerk. During the past week Sessoms is reported to have mortgaged his home here to satisfy claimants to this fund.

Judge Daniels, in sentencing Sessoms, dwelt at length on the punishment that the former clerk already has received, pointing to the fact that he has given up all his property and mortgaged his home in making some restitution. His family, the court pointed out, has been made destitute and Sessoms appears a broken man. Sessoms was in tears through most of the session today and was visibly shaken when sentence was pronounced. The judge in expressing his regard and friendship for the indicted man brought tears to the eyes of many of his hearers.

Sessoms was taken to the county jail by the sheriff and is expected to leave Clinton Saturday.

From page 3 of The Robesonian, Lumberton, N.C., Nov. 3, 1924

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