The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-01-09
An Irisnmanss AnSrerings in south
CurOlina.
TFrom the N. Y. Independent

An Irishman ss Anfrerings in south
Carolina.
Iron tbs NY Independentl
The Northern newspapers have recently
republished q brief paragraph from tho
Charleston Mercury, announcing In very
nonchalent style, that workman engaged
on the State House, 10 Columbia, s. O., was
recently seized by mob, on account, as was
| alleged, of holding anti-slavery opinions,
| and that be received twenty mine lashes, and
| was tarred and feathered, and escorted out
| of the State
| IL took very few lines to tell this story,
! according to the style of the Southern press;
for ii is q trait of Southern chivalry, frss to
practice cruelty, and then to suppress the
facts.
We have seen this unfortunate man, and
heard his story, and looked at his wounds
His name is James Power. He il an intell-
gent young man, about twenty-three years of
age, q native of Wexford, ireland, and
| stone cutter by trade. He went from Phila-
delphia TO the South, and obtained employ
ment in Columbia, where he had worked for
nine months.
The only opinion he ever expressed against
slavery was that 1t caused white laborer in
the South to be looked upon as an inferior
and degraded man. But this was enough!
The remark was reported to the Vigilance
Committee, composed of twelve members,)
who Immediately ordered the police to arrest
him. He was seized two miles away from
town in attempting to escape. He was
brought back and put in cell, whore he re-
manned for three days, during which time he
was denied the use Of pen and ink, and oil
communication with his friends outside.
At length he was taken before the Mayor.
Four persons appeared and bore testimony
| TO the remark which he had made. The ev-
idence Was conclusive. He was returned to
prison, and kept locked up for six days.
During this time, he was allowed only tive
scanty meals day, and the food was car
| ried to him by negro. He Was then taken
out OF Jail in the custody OF two marshals,
who said to him
"You are so fond of niggers, that we are
going to give you niger escort"
He was led through the main street amid
great crowd, hooting and yelling, the mar
shals compelling two negroes to drag him
through the puddles and muddy places Of the
street, and OF the State House yard. As he
was taken past the State House, three mem
bers Of the Legislature, including the Speak
| er, stood looking on and laughing The
crowd gradually increased until it numbered
several thousand persons, headed by a troop
of horse.
After march of three miles out of the
city, to place called s'the Junction." the
procession was stopped, and preparations
were made for punishment. The popuiace
cried "Brand him 10 ssBurn him ~ ssSpike
him to death" and made threats against his
life by pointing pistols at his head and
fourishing sticks in his face.
The Vigilance Committee ordered him to
strip himself naked, and forced q negro to
assist In taking off the clothes. A oowhide
was then put in the negroes hands, who was
ordered to lay on thirty nine lashes (not
| twenty mine, Us reported and to draw blood
With every stroke. Our informant describes
the pain of this infiction as exceeding in Sc
verify anything which he ever suffered be-
fore. His back and lower limbs are still COW
cred with the scars of the wounds.
A bucket of tar was then brought, and two
negroes were ordered to rub it upon his
bleeding skin, and to cover him from head to
waist. His hair and eye brows were clotted
with the tar. After this part Of the ceremo-
nv was concluded he was covered with feath-
ers. His pantaloons were then drawn up to
his waist, but be was not allowed to put Oh
HE shirt or coat. He was conducted in this
exposed condition, amid the shouts OF the
popuace, to the railroad train, and was put
on board the negroes car. The engineer
blew continuous blast on his whistle to sig
nalize the performance.
A citizen OF Charleston on the train, who
saw the poor fellows unhappy condition,
stepped into q neighboring hotel, before the
starting of the cars, and brought q cup of
coffee and some biscuit TO relieve the suffer-
er's faintness. 1t was q timely gift, and
gratefully received. But the Southern chiv-
airy gathered around the Southern gentle
man, and threatened him with summary ven-
geanoe il he repeated his generosity. The
exasperated crowd detained the train, and
called for more tar and feathers, for furth-
er infection upon their bleeding VICTIM
More tar was brought, but more feathers
could not be found; and after fresh tar was
applied, cotton was stuck upon il instead
When the train started for Charleston, the
mob babe him good-by, and told him that
when he reached that city he would receive
100 lashes! At every station between Co.
lumbia and Charleston, the engineer blew
prolonged whistle, and gathered mob to
add fresh insults to the wounded man. AT
length, on arriving be was met by the police,
conveyed to prison, and detained in his cell
for an entire week. Here he received, for
the first time, soap and water to wash of the
tar, and oil to soften his sores. A mob sew.
eral times threatened to break into the pris-
, on to carry him out into the street, and make
public spectacle Of him q second time. But
be was kept closely confined. A physician
! called to see him, to examine his wounds
. who told him that his case was mild one
: comparing it with that OF man who was
then lying in the City Hospital from the ef.
} feet Of 500 lashes, which had almost put ar
, end to bis life.
On Saturday morning last at seven O'Clock
the poor workman was taken from prison
, and conducted quietly on board the steamer
for New York. He arrived in this CITY on
Monday last, where he is still staying, recov.
ering from the effects Of his i'll. Treatment
and looking for work, which we hope be may
fnl