The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-03

OF the week 1OS9 bales. Exports 4lbO DaleS. otoch
81 $50 bales. Flour dull and unsettled. Corn ur-
steady at 95!as1 25. Oats firm at 81 15a1 TO- Por;
SIG so. Bacon quiet at 13ia139 for shoulders ana
1Oa1Gl for clear sides. Gold 393a40 Sterling New
York Sight unchanged.
MOBILE, August 2.-Sales 400. Market closed
1878.
SAVANNAH, August 2d.-Cotton in good demand,
with an advancing tendency; sales lOo; Mlda,nS
26a26l. Receipts, 247; receipts OF tho week, 10y;
exports, 22S; stock, 1886.
AUGUSTA, August 2--Market dull; prices uE-
changed sales 26; Middling 25.
-.
The Late Assault Mt Nickerson's Hotel, CO.
Iumbia.
We have received the following information in
relation to the late difficulty at Nickersons Hotel;
aud as the affair has excited some attention in the
community, we willingly devote it tho requisite
space in our columns:
CHARLESTON, August 2.
Editor Of Gle Ne,os:
DEAR SIR The communication handed you to-
day is true and correct version Of the assault that
was made on Messrs. Armstrong and thompson,
in Columbia, few nights ago. myself wrote out
both the affidavit of Mr.. Armstrong in the case,
and the warrant Of arrest for the young men, who
we're both too drunl: to understand mo when
went to them to demonstrate on their conduct
More than this-Messrs Armstrong and Thomp-
son, both in the presence of Governor Orr, myself
and other gentlemen, not only acquiesced in the
views that urged on them, why the civil authorl-
ties should take charge of the case in preference
to the military but expressed their decided appro
val of it, and have no hesitation in asserting that
Mr.. Thompson does not himself believe what he
published this morning in the Courier over his own
Respectfully yours &C.,
JAMES G. GIBBBS.
COLUMBIA, S1st July, 1867.
To Me Editor Of The Charleston Daily Ne'os:
For the last two or three days, the quiet Of our
usually undisturbed life has been unsettled by an
incident which bids fair to become, under the
adroit manipulation of political agitators, theme
upon which Radical presses and speakers through
out the North will dwell with peculiar unction.
Tho circumstances are as follows: Two young
men respectively named WILLIAM ARMSTRONG and
J. C. THOMPSON, have been for several days IN Co
lumbia-the first rs stump orator and agent OF
the Executive Central Congressional Union Com
mittee Of Washington, and the other as quasi
newspaper correspondent, purportins to represent
the New York Taaes and o paperin Cleveland,
Ohio.
During the afternoon Of Sunday tafter oclock),
they were drinking iced champagne-st least they
purchased it from the bar Of Nickersons Hotel.
At o'clock, on leaving the supper tatlo, ARM
STRONG entered the bar to obtain segars.
slo , l;rl,f ba in
he "observed two men, named CHARLES RADCLIFFE
and OWEN DAILY, who seemed to be intoxicated"
At any rate "tho bar-keeper was urging them to
60 out" One of the two used an expression which
ARMSTRONG did not understand and Immediately
threw the contents OF his glass into the face OF
Mr.. A. The latter turned and asked, "What does
this mean, sir" Whcreupon he was struck in the
facc A scuf1lo ensued, which may be described
as nothing more nor less than bar-room fight.
It lasted perhaps for half a minute. Mr.. HAnnL-
TOM tho representative of Mr.. NIcKERsoN, MIR.
HAMILToN's son, and Mr.. VRoMAN, an employee of
the house, now succeeded in getting hold Of RAD
c11rrE and DAILY, who were crazy drunk, but un-
fortunately THOMPSON had torn down small bar
bars pole in the hall and was advancing on RAD
cL1FFE, when DAILY, breaking loose, closed on him
second time, and they went to tho floor together.
THOMPSON 'shollered, and Mr.. VRoMAN, rushing up,
pulled DAILY of. ARMSTRONG meanwhile had, as
he informed me, received pockct-knife from
THOMSON, but did not use it. This was the only
weapon displayed during the rcw. About this
time, say within four or five minutes from the be-
ginning Of the difficulty, THOMPSON rushed up
the hall crying, Murder, murler," and
u.s." or some similar remark; but ARMSTRONG
was bravely giving battle TO his assailants in
manner which showed that he was abundantly
able to take care of himself This cowardy abandon
ment Of his friend ARMSTRONG by THOMSON (who
had scarcely scratch upon his face, and had lost
only few hairs from his goatee), especially while
three of tho attaches of the hotel were trying to
seize and hold DAILY and RADCLIFFE FE, has not crea-
ted much respect for his prowess as for that OF
his companion. The row now ceased, not moro
than five or seven minutes having boen consumed
in the performance.
In five minutes more Gov. ORR, who lives in tho
hotel, had despatched messengers for magls-
trate and the police, and before twelve o'clock
DAILY and RADCLIFFE were under arrest, the arrest
being effected by no less person than the brother
of RADCLIFFE who is Chief Of the Police. Under
the laws of the State they admitted to bail in
the sum OF three hundred dollars each, the father
Of one, and, 1 think, the employer Of the other
being tho bondsmen, both responsible parties.
The next morning Messrs. ARMSTRONG and
THOMPSON made formal complaint to tho military
authorities, and General BURTON promptly caused
their re-arrest. On Monday night RADCLIFFE and
DAILY sent an apology to the gentlemen above
named, stating that in their sober moments they
dc .ired to acknowledge that the assault was
'utterly unpremedtated and uninfuenced by any
other excitement than drunkenness. Of our own
accord we provoked the quarrel, and without any
conspiracy or combination suggested by others
in this community, we mado an assault upon the
gentlemen who are aggrieved. We also express to
AIessrs. ARMSTRONG and THOMPSON our regrets Tor
any injury done them, and beg they will consider
the attack as only the result Of q drunken brawl.
On Tuesday morning meeting OF the citizens
was held for the purpose of expressing tho sense
Of the community, and the preamble and resolu-
ton which follows was signed by the Mayor, city
and State officials and respectable citizens:
'sWhereas, an unprovoked assault was made by
two of the young mon of Columbia upon the per-
sons of j. c. ARMSTRONG and ]. c. THOMPSON III
the bar-room Of NIcKERsoN's hotel, while the
said young men were in condition OF
intoxication; and whereas they have addres ;ed u
lctter to Messrs. ARMsTR ING and THOMPSON, amply
apoloSizing tor the wrong done, and disclaimlng
any generalization of action; and whereas the civil
authorities promptly arrested the offenders within
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