Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-04-29
A Brutal Murder by Negroes in Barn
JCeII District.

well D1StT1Cts
One of the most brutal murders ever re
corded occurred on Wednesday, the 18th inst
in Barnwell District, which shows that th'
seed of Radicalsm, so thickly sown in thi
State, is bearing fruit with a vengeance
We are indebted chiefly to the Savannah Re
publican for the following particulars:
1t appears that on the day mentioned, MIR
j. mes Martin, the overseer on the plantation
of William J. Lawton, Esq, near Allandale
Barnwell District, told one of the field hand:
to 90 to work and commence ploughing. Tc
this the negro objected and difficulty ensu.
ed, and the wife of the negro came up, and
by violent language further increased his ire
and he raised heavy hoe that he had in his
hand and attempted to strike the overseer on
the head, but he managed to evade the blow.
The negro then attempted to strike second
blow, but the overseer drew pistol and shot
him in the face, inhicting slight wound. He
then retired to his house. and for about hall
an hour all remained quiet.
The negro, meanwhile, had been among
his fellows, melting them to violence, and soon
a crowd of them assembled around the over.
seer's house.. Nearly all the negroes on the
plantation were in the assembly, and the over
seer, seeing that his life was in danger, jump.
ed out of window and ran. Shots were fir
ed after him, one, of which wounded him. He
still contnuedto run, however, thus wounded
and bleeding, and pursued by the savage
crowd of brutes, now inlamed to perfect
fury. Alter chase of about mile, the over
seer reached the house of Mrs. Mallod, whose
husband was absent at the time. He implor-
ed her to take him in and shelter him from
the yelling pursuers, who were seeking his
life, which she did most willingly. Then she
took her stand outside the door, and for more
than an hour held the murderers at bay, re-
sisting all their efforts to effect an entrance,
and refusing to accede to their demand TO
give up their victim. They stroye to get her
away, but she struggled no5ly, heroically
maintaining her position, and receiving many
bruises at their hands.
Finding that they could not intimidate this
courageous lady, the foremost of them broke
in the window oi the house, and they were
quickly followed by others, and the, wounded
man inside soon fell a victim to their savage
fury. Shots were fired at him, and eleven
buckshot entered his breast. While he lay
upon the floor, in the agonics OF death, negro
women came up and beat him with sticks,
and some of the worst among them declared
that they would not leave without piece of
his flesh 10 carry home with them.
A more brutal or diabolical. murder has per-
haps never been committed, and those who
perpctraied the bloody deed, while in the act
of executing their horrid purpose, acted more
like demons let loose from Paudemonium than
anything in the csemblance ofhumanity. While
engaged in their murderous work they were
frequently heard TO cry out that the Radicals
would protect them=lhus showing that the
moor man rests withthose who have scatteFeII
broadcast through the South the seeds Of
bloodshcd and disorder.
The murdered nan came from Southwes..
tern Georgia. He was good overscerI T,ard and
an excellent man in every respect. There
were thirty-ouc negroes engagedin the affair,
Of whom fifteen of the men haze been arrest
ed, and are now held in confinement.