Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-09-26
M1iseellaueot1s &eadima.

Mistellaueat1s geaaine.
NEGRO OUTRAGE NEAR CHARLESTON.
! The following account has been furnish.
ed the Charleston Mercury, of recent oc.
currence in Christ Church Parish. 1t is
written by responsible citizen, in whose
statements confidence may properly be
placed: 49,. .ss
Mr.. Samuel Fraser having the supervi-
sion and charge of a plantation and mum.
Der of negroes, informed the men that they
must wait until Saturday to register their
names. The registration began on Mon
day, and was to continue through the week.
Some of the men left the plantation on
Monday, (the first day of the registration,
and returned late that evening, without
registering. Mr.. Fraser then told them
that eff they left again before Saturday,
they need not return" An alteration en-
sued, in which the negroes set up the right
to be absent from the place Gas long as the
registration lasted" without any liability
to fine or deduction of wages for the lost
time. Mr.. Fraser, on the other hand, gave
them to understand that his duty to his
employer required him to make deduction
for their absence on Monday, and for any
other day, except the day allowed them for
the purpose of registering. Having absent
ed themselves on Monday, they failed to
receive their rations when the other labo-
rers got theirs; and having expressed their
determination to leave again on Tuesday,
and for every day of the week, Mr.. Fraser
refused to give them the rations for that
week. They then left for the registration
precinct. Arriving there, they made COM
plant to the two registrars, Mr.. Smith,
| white, and Aaron Logan, (black, that MIR.
Fraser had forbidden their coming to regis
ter, and threatened to turn them off if they
left the plantation. Aaron demanded that
Fraser should be arrested. All the ne
groes present, (about one hundred and fif-
ty,) clamored for the arrest. Mr.. Smith
advised against it, saying there was no afi-
davit of the facts, and bare statement was
not sufficient. He refused to sign the war
rant, at least until he could think the mat
ter over. But Aaron would not be delayed
moment. He grew furious-threatened
his white colleague-swore he would take
the responsibility on himself, and thereup-
on scrawled off sort of mandate "to bring
Sam. Fraser before him to be dealt with, l"
&c. Aaron called for volunteers ''to arrest
the villain" A hundred voices cried out.
ssIll co." "Gib me de warrum." Aaron
picked out dozen men armed with guns
and muskets, (about thirty present had
these weapons,) and commanded them to
'sbring the villain before him. 'I'll show
the white scoundrel how he dare to fine you
for coming here" &c. The negroes took
the paper and proceeded to the house Of
Mr.. Fraser. They found him lying down
on bench. They rushed up to him, cock
ed their guns, levelled them at him and
cried out, II arres you" "we come to fetch
you, dead or alive, to Mr.. Logan" They
commanded him to 60 with them. He
mounted his horse, and, guarded on all sides
by the negroes, was conducted into the au.
gust presence of the dusky dignitary.
A little before sunset, Mr. Fraser, with
the armed escort, was brought before the
sable Aaron. The negro laborer who had
made the complaint was told by Aaron to
make his statement again. He did so.--
Another negro was then called up to cor
roborate that statement. Unfortunately
and unwittingly, he let out that Mr.. Fraser
had told them that "they could 90 and re-
gister on Saturday." but that the ''condi-
ton of the crop did not admit of their ab-
sence more than one day" and that "the
work they were engaged in could not be
delayed" and they must therefore "put off
Registering till Saturday" ..
The two negroes having given their state
ment, Mr.. Fraser asked if he "could say.a
few words" He began by calling atten-
tion to the fact that what the first negro
said was not supported by what the other
negro said; and he was about to weigh the
two in the scales Of truth and justice, and
show which should be believed, when JUS
tice Aaron, who had it all his own way,
there not being one white man present to
help Fraser.) declared the audience at On
end, and announced his determination eco
take the fellow (Fraser) to Charleston, any
how" and he didn't want to hear muffin
furrer from him, nohow." Eight armed
negroes are selected by Aaron as the guard.
Mr.. Fraser is put in their charge. Aaron
mounts his horse ; Mr.. Fraser attempts TO
mount his. The whole pack yells out, "Git
off dat hoss, you dam white debble you.--
He is forced to dismount. Aaron alone
rides all the others walk. Mr.. Fraser is
then marched by this guard, headed by
Aaron, through swamp and jungle, bramble
and bush, by the most indirect, blind and
circuitous pathways in the direction Of
{ Charleston. These various Emergencies
from anything like frequented pathway
were to bring him to the numerous negro
quarters, which, within distances varying
from 100 yards to half mile, were stretch
ed on either side of the main road which
led to the city. At each of these negro
quarters, Aaron commanded halt. The
negroes were aroused from their sleep
lights were ordered and the negroes assem-.
bled. Then Aaron paraded Mr.. Fraser
!, bafora than and nroceeded to exnlain