Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-03-06
Rss.lllo. a so.sA c.rel,A. College

Rebsllios "a south Caroline COLLEGE
several Lives Lost.
The Columbia Carolinian, OF last Thursday
says:
ave regret to state that the exercises Of the
College are for the present, suspended.
We had intended, when the excitement
passed of, to give a full account of the late
unfortunate difficulties, but we refrain from
doing so, as the case will undergo legal inves
tigation."
We find in the Wilmington IN. CO. Com
mercial the following letter, giving an account
Of the disturbances above referred to:
COLUMBIA, Is. Gu Feb. ls, 1856.
A tremendous excitement now prevails in
Columbia. Last night, about 8 o'clock, some
of the students of the. South Carolina College
were walking around the city with murderous
object in view, it is supposed. AS three of
them were strolling down Richardson street,
immedatele in front of the market house, one
of them yelled out the name of the Chief Of
the Police, whom they intended numbering
that night This gentleman, hearing con-
siderable noise in the street, proceeded to the
spot to arrest the parties disturbing the peace.
One of them pretended to be almost beastly
drunk. The officer commanded the peace, and
laid his hand in the meantime on the shoulder
of the intoxicated person, and as he did this,
one of the students punched him in the abdo-
men with his club; the policeman, thinking he
had been stabbed, Immediately struck the
student with his bludgeon, splitting his skull
dreadfully.
This being done. he commanded his fellow
policemen to assist in conveying him to the
guard-house. As soon az he was lodged there
the cry of college" was raised by the stu
dents, and in less than two minutes, l6O stu
dents were present. all armed with pistols,
bowie knives, swords, hatchets, and clubs, and
rushed to the guard-hous crying, "out! out y
After cutting all the doors and windows into
fragments. they rushed in upon the Chief, each
student giving him wound with knife,
blndgeon, or sword, and then threw him out Of
the second story window on to the brick pave
ment. The alarm bell was then rung to call
the. citizens together, Init too late 10 be Of any
service to the police. This morning about 10
o'clock, the alarm bell was rung again. On
arriving at the guard-house, found the stu
dents and several of the citizens "going in
lemons" with pistols, swords, and bowie
knives. Several Of the students were carried
to their various homes, dreadfully cut and
bruised.
The students had sworn to kill the policeman,
and they broke into the guard house, where he
had been put for safety, and pulled him ont
in front Of il, where they we're each given him
a blow with their clubs, and some Of them
cutting him with bowie-knives. The few citi-
zens that were present rushed upon them. and
they had dreadful muss. The alarm bell
was again rung to summon the military com
panies, and in short time five military com
1l,.l. Al
clearing the sidewalk
TUESDAY NIGHT Feb. l9.~-The military are
stationed around the guard house and Jail,
prepared to give the students warm reception.
The students have made several threats tonight,
and the military will be kept under arms,
think, raldays. The Mayor says they shall
not disperse till peace is declared. The students
say they will not submit to any peace proposals,
till they have murdered Bedell, the Chief Of the
Police
One of the students died this afternoon, and
others are expected to die tonight. Bedel
understand, died tonight Three Of the police
have been murdered by these ruffians since my
arrival here.
It is so late that cannot give you the full
details of this exciting affair.
THURSDAY, 20-The students have dispatched
one of their number to Charleston for the pur-
pose of purchasing ammunition, finding the
citizens Of this place will not sell TO them.
They have also procured rifles from neigh
boring town, under false pretences, and were
moulding bullets last night and all to-day. The
Mayor having secured the key of their armory
on Tuesday, they sent q messenger to him this
morning, stating that if he did not give up the
key they would break open the armory. He
refused to do so, and they broke it open and
procured the weapons therein.
FRIDAY, 2l.-The Governor went to the
campus this evening and demanded the arms
from the students telling them if they did not
surrender he would FIRE upon them. This being
done, they gave up their arms
There was College meeting held today, and
some Of the students were expelled. do not
think the matter will end here. The newspapers
have said nothing about this affair, as they fear
the students viii be down upon them with
sharp sticks"