The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-09-19
A White Citizen Seized by u Gang OF
Negroes and Dragged TO Charleston.
SaturnaliL by tho way.

The following account has been
furnished the Charleston Mercury, of
q recent occurrence in Christ Church
Parish. 1t is written by RESPONSE
BILE citizen, in whose statements con-
fidence may properly be r1eced:
Mr.. Samuel Fraser having the
supervision and charge of planta-
tion and number of negroes, in
formed the men that they must wait
until Saturday to register their names.
The registration began on Monday.
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 register
ing. Mr.. Fraser then told them that
eff they left again before Saturday,
they need not return" An alterca-
ton ensued, in which the negroes set
up the right to be absent from the
place ''as 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 alb
sented themselves on Monday, they
failed to receive their rations when
the other laborers 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 complaint to the two re-
gistrars Mr.. Smith, (white,) and
Aaron Logan, (black, that Mr.. Fra
ser had forbidden their coming to
register, and threatened to turn them
off if they left the plantation.
Aaron demanded that Fraser should
be arrested. All the negroes present,
(about one hundred and fifty,) cla-
mored for the arrest. Mr.. Smith
advised against 1t, saying there was
no affidavit of the facts, and bare
statement was not sufficient. He re-
fused to sign the warrant, at least
until he could think the matter over.
But Aaron would not be delayed q
moment. He grew furious threaten
ed his white colleague-swore he
would take the responsibility on him
self, and thereupon scrawled off o
sort of mandate "to bring Sam.
Fraser before him to be dealt with"
&c. Aaron called for volunteers "to
arrest the villain" A hundred voices
cried out, "I'll CO." "Gib me de
warrum." Aaron picked out dozen
men armed with guns and mus
kets, (about thirty present had these
weapons, and commanded them to
''bring the villain before him, 'I'l
show the white scoundrel how he dare
to fine you for coming here" &c.
The negroes took the paper and pro-
ceeded to the house of Mr.. Fraser.
They found him lying down on a
bench. They rushed up to him,
cooked their guns, levelled them at
him and cried out, "I arres YOU"
''we come to fetch you, dead or alive.
to Mr.. Logan" They commanded
him to go with them. He mounted
his horse, and, guarded on all sides
~ viz oOt0iOOSJ WuS lQLO
the august presence of the dusky
dignitary.
A little before sunset, Mr.. Fraser,
with the armed escort, was bro, .ght
before the sable Aaron. The negro
laborer who had made the complaint
was told by Aaron to make his state
ment again. He did so. Another
negro was then called up to corrobo-
rate that statement. Unfortunately
and unwittingly, he let out that Mr..
Fraser had told them that "they
could go and register ON SATURDAY."
but that the Condition of the crop
did not admit of their absence 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 statement, Mr.. Fraser asked if
he "could say a few words" He
began by calling attention to the fact
that what the first nigger said was
not supported by what the other
niger said; and he was about to
weigh the two in the scales of truth
and justice, and show which should
be believed, when Justice Aaron,
who had it all his own way, (there
not being one white man present to
! help EraSer) declared tho oud;anoo