Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-10-25
Conflict.
Correspondence Of the Mercury.
THE CLIO ABOLITIONISTS.

Correspondence Of the Mercury.
THE CLIO ABoL1TIoNIsTs.
CHERAw, S. c., Oct. II.
I have just returned from Beunettsville,
where I witnessed to-day an exciting scene.
1t was known on the evening before that
two men, named Hitchings, had been ar
rested near Clio, under circumstances that
led to the belief that they were Abolition
incendiaries, and that a Vigilant Commit
tee had been organized to investigate the
matter. Early to-day a large crowd had
assembled at Benuettsville anxiously an
ticipating the result. Between ten and
eleven o'clock the committee from Clio,
with the suspected parties, arrived in the
Court House Square. The Court was in
session at the time. The crowd eagerly
pressed around to hear the report, which
was to tho effect that ample proof had been
elected to convict the accused. Upon this
announcement the widest excitement en-
sued. The cry arose-"Haug them Hang
them to the nearest tree !" But more
moderate councils finally prevailed, and a
further and fuller examination was deter
mined upon.
They were taken into the grand jury
room by some fifteen or twenty of the most
prominent citizens, where, with their pa.
pers and correspondence, they were fully
examined. This, however, was but a pre-.
liminary. 1t was resolved to organize a
select jury of the best citizens to hear the
testimony and decide upon their fate. |
vas present 10 the grand jury room, and
assisted in examining the papers, aud can
give your readers, from my personal know
lege, the following details concerning
them: The first paper I noticed was an
invoice made out on invoice paper, with a
printed head, and commenced CHEW
York, July 80, 1s60-Mr. J. K. Hitch.
iugs bought of J. Mervin, Agent Hartford
Fire Arms Manufacturing Company" 1t
was an invoice of double and single barrel
guns, pistols, revolvers, bowie knives, balls,
cartridges, caps, powder, shot, &c., to the
amount of a little over $500. Every item
was priced, the sums extended, aud the
column added up; but there was no receipt
at the bottom, or indication whether the
articles were paid for by note or cash.
There was a letter from Mervin, the a.
gent of Hitchings, describing the articles,
and stating that the goods had been ship
ped to Floral College, N. c, by Adams
Express Company. In this letter, twelve
revolvers in the invoice were particularly
commended as a far superior article to
Colts Navy pistols, aud much more efec-
tive as a defensive weapon for SON cross.
ing the plains"
In this connection there was q letter ad.
dressed to Hitchings from Adams Express
Agent in Wilmington, N. c., stating that
his goods had arrived at that place, which
was as far as they could be expressed
The next paper was a similar invoice from
the same house in New York, for over
5000 worth of the same articles, with the
addition of holsters, revolvers, cartridges,
and some other articles. This bill of goods
was shipped to said Hitchings by Adams
& Co.'S Express, to be delivered at Che.
raw.
Among the papers were copies of other
orders to other houses, sent, or to be sent,
but no evidence that they had been filled,
or if filled, to what destination the goods
we're sent. There were, among the papers,
letters of introduction, and recommends
ton to railroad companies, setting forth
that Hitching was an experienced railroad
contractor-that he had had various extern
sive contracts, all If which he had faith
fully and satisfactorily performed. These
letters purported to be signed by Railroad
Presidents in New York and elsewhere -
I think one was signed by a Mr.. Hunt, of
New York, a president of some railroad
company. The w Hitching are father
and son-the former between fifty and six
ty years of age-the latter, perhaps, about
twenty. The elder Hitchings is an Eng
lishman, was naturalized in 1888, and has
lived mostly in the State of New York
He came to Pekin, in Montgomery county,
in North Carolina, about 1856, where he
has resided since. He was there at and
before the date of some of the above let
ters and is known that when be first came,
and ever since, he has lived iu great pow
erty. His conduct was so bad at Pekin,
as a negro trader, that he was severely
whipped by the citizens of that place some
eighteen months or two years ago. After
that he left his family at that place and
put up a small wagon. makers shop at Flo.
raj College, aud at the time of his arrest
was about putting up another little shop of
the same kind, at Clio, in Marlboro Dis
trict, in this State. 1t is we'll known, both
at Pekin and at Floral College, that he had
10 ostensible means to pay for any part of
these invoices.
The lot of arms and ammunition ship
ped to this place, has not come to hand
Upon going to our Postof6ce I found a let
ter to his address from the agent of Adams
Express Company at Florence, notifying
him that there were goods for him in the
office there; but the express charges are
too small to cover such a consignment as
the invoice would imply. The package or
packages at Florence have been sent for,
and will be brought here tomorrow night.
The only explanation Hitchings offers is,
that he has a son whose occupation is to