The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-01-16
The Lato Fire in K.ingstree.


been received in regard to The dcstruc.
ton of tho Kingstree Jail by fire on the
night Of the TIL, and tho death and sullo
cation Of twenty-five OF its inmates.
The Jail had been visited the previou.
day by tho Sheriff, Mr.. S. p. Matthews
in company with the Lieutenant com.
manding that post, and every thing had
been found in complete ordcr. a chang,
Of jnilors was made on, the 7th Mr. Jas
Darrinean, tho old incumbent hsv.na
moved out but had not yet surrendered
the keys to Mr.. G. S. Beck, the new
jailer. About eight o'clock that eve.
nlng the fire was discovered by negro
who reported it to Mr.. Beck. Inlorma
tion was Immediately sent Mr. Barrneau
but OH his arrival lie stated that he could
not surrender the keys without the au-
thor,y Of the Sheriff. and could not take
tho responsibility of releasing the prison
crs. AZ this time nothing was obsrrv.
ed but small smoke, and the delay did
not seem dangerous. 1t'a''r
On the arrival of the Sheriffhc doom,
cd it advisable 10 have tho sanction oi
the Lieutenant commanding, and that
officer was sent for. Hc. advised the
speedy opening Of the jail, and The nrst
door was opcnad, but The smoke rushed
ont in such torrents that il was impossi-
bic to enter ,tgy- sa.ui.,al. .',. as
The Sheriff, Lieutenant. and Mr.. Nc.
Bride wcntin, but the first two were
forced to retire. Mr. McBride was moro
fortunate, and Succeeded ih opening The
first door On the right and releasing a
white man who had been conGnod for
debt; but his humanity nearly cost him
his liCc, as he was inscnsible for ono and
n half hours III consequence Of having
inhalcd:lhc smoke. The $bldiersa put lad
der to aiwindow, and passing mp mn axe.
called tothc negroes to break down the
bars and escape ; one OF them took The
axe, but exclaiming, III is too late |"
fell backwards in Tho smoke.
Every possible effort was made TO save
the unfortunate freedmen, but the isola
tod nature of tho building, and tho ab-
sencc of all facilities to effect their es.
cape, or TO qnench the flames, rendered
it unavailng, and the twenty-five pris.
oners were sulfocated to death.
The origin Of tho fire is completely
unknown. 1t originated on the second
o.urr, nup"ran,,y iJeuwe6liSti nuUr ana
The ceiling. AS tho freedmen were not
allowed tho uso of fire, tho whole aif,ir
is wrapped in mystery. The white man
,v)o nsronnl 10 ,t r,rn,a,t =, a., ,,,,,,l =,
Of the United States soldiers, and as his
trial will take place next week some
facts may be elected that are at present
unknown. ID. ,,...
1t has been n most unfortunate occur.
renee; and happening ut a time when
the country is torn by intestine lcud::, n
construction may be placed upon it BY
the Radical party to answer their own
ends It. is source Of great regret lha,
by strict adherence to Tho rcd tape
principle so much valuable time was lost,
and when the prcliminarles were finally
settled it was too late to do more llnn
witness the destruction Of the build
ing.
The Jail was fine four-slory building
admirably adaptod to the purpose, bnt
totally unprovidcd with water. ladders
or other means Of escape or prevention
from such an occurrence. None Of tho
negroes were conGncd for serious crimes
except one for murder, in whose room it
is supposed the fire originated. The
while man who escaped was Of bad char.
ncter, and, being confined for debt, had
the range Of the building and occupied
the debtors room. near the main en-
trance.
Oaly the shell Of the building, now
remains, and lew vcstiges have been dis
, covered Of its unfortunate inmates. The
event has cast gloom upon the commu
nifty That will no: be cradicaLed but by
time.
THAD. SrEvEHs RGoElvgs A SEVERE Blow
In tho House of Representatives on Thurs.
day Ma. Eldridgc, Of Wisconsin, offered the
following, which tho Nufional Repubicas
says is "a severe blow ntAIr. Stevens, from
which ho cannot easily recover !"
Resolved, Thatthe following resolution,
introduced into tho House of Representa-
lives, Decomber4, 1862, by tho Hon. Thad
deus Stevens, expresses the conviction ant
sense of this House, to-wit:
"Resoloed, That IL any person In the en-
ployrnont Of the United Slatcs, in either tn,
legislative or the executive branch, shoult
propose to- mako roace, or should accept d
advise the acceptance Of any such sproposi
tion, on my other basis than tho integrity
and entire unity of the United States md
their territories as they existed at the time
; Of tho rebellion, he will be guilty ofhigh
crime )" and that House bill 643 is clearly
in violation Of tho spirit Of said resolution,
add that tho sano docs in fhct assert, or n,
least admit that seoossonisis and rcbcl.
were srcoassfull in tho dividing Of The
Union. md destroyed certain States Of Tho
| United States MS s,lclI in the Union. degrad
Ing them into territories; and that tho Hon
/ Thaddeus Stevens, in nn by tbe introduo
/ Gon .nd advocacy Of said bin, has manifest
cd a mind md hchrt disloyal 10 tho Consii
tuition md tho Union ofthc States as they
existed ut Tho limo Of tho rebellion, and ii
guilty of Tho crimo specified in said resolu
lon, md therefore deserves tho rcprobaio,
Of this House.
| Mr.. Ashley, Of Ohio, objcctcd to tho intro
duction Of tho resolution. 2st'
| Mr.. Eiridge said he did not desire to prcs
II, ns tho gentleman named in tho rcsolu.ioi
was not tl'cn in his scat. Lanyhter.] II
was laid over. '@l s.