Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-10-19
Deplorable. Affair

One of the most deplorable, excitpg and
outrageous affairs, occurred at Hunnicutts
Crossing, on the Bluo Ridge Railroad, in this
district, on Saturday night last, whtobit has
been our duty to chronicle. The. Particulars,
as VIC have been able to gather them, are as
follows: At the place and time shove mcn-
toned, Union League and debating society
were in session, both procevdios qSotIy with
their respective designs, until white man
under the influence of liquor, nani& SMITH,
and disconnected with each of thes6 bodies,
proceeded in tho direction of the League, aud
fred his pistol. Proceeding on, hs encoun-
tered scntincls stationed by the maguo to
keep off intrudcrs. Here the rcal$ldif1iculty
commenced. When pressed, Smith retreat
ed in the direction of the dcbatinS society,
followed by negroes. In tho confusIan which
prevailed, a son Of Col. NJ. r.. II HUNNIcUrr,
aged about fifteen years, was shot inSthe neck,
according to the evidence before the Coroner,
by n negro, and expired soon after Some of
the mombcrs Of the debating society escaped,
but others defended themselves until over
powered. The negroes, it seems, become in
furiatcd, and their conduct on Saturday night
and the Sabbath following, was outrageous in
the cxtremc-using violent, ihfHmmatoly
language taking thelaw into thcirown hands
by searching houses, dctaining p&ons' and
making arrests.
Col. SMITH, commandant of the post at An
icrson, when informed of these occurrences,
promptly repaired to the spot, and, used his
authority and influence in restoringDrdcr.
| The Coroner, w. j. CAN'T, EsqArwith his
Jury of Inquest, were for several days engaged
in investigating this matter, but haze not yet
filed their verdict.
|" This is dcplorablc affair. We have given
such facts as VIC could obtain, wthoutany dis
position to prejudice, or shield any1tnc 1t
would have comportcd more with 'ouNscnsc of
propricty to have deferred this publication
until after the finding of the Coroner'sinqucs@
had been announced, but such is the condi-
tion of the public mind, that we feclwarlan-
ted in departing from n safe rule.
More unsafe is it perhaps to comment on
an occurrence, the moving causes of which arc
SO little known. But we cannot forbcar to
characterize with harshncss tho repmhensbo
practices of carrying away from home fire.
arms and indulging in the free use Of, iiquor.
This horrid affair is apparently traccablc to
these causes. We have insisted that tho mil
itary authorities should cnforcc the order pro-
hibiting the too free use of fire arms, and we
now call OH them to disarm the country and
close up the liquor shops. Without this, in
our opinion, the peace Of tho country cannot
be preser, cd We do not insist that thc pco
pie shall prepare, on the heels of this event
to defend their homes and fircsides., Pre-
paration is part ofwar. On the contrary, We
cxhort every one to be reaccable and law a
bidng. Support with firmncss the law and
its officers, for, if these cannot preserve peace
and good order, hope has departed from us.
In conclusion. us this affair is one peculiar
ly affecting us ut this time, we suggest that
the military take it in charge, and giveit, b,
military commissions thorough investigation