Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-10-02

it, Mr.. EIitor; read it, my feIlow-ci,izens
and reflect whether the public welfare doe
not demand the arrest Of this cosmopolitan
freedman Z This Edwards represented
Fairfield in the late mongrel convention
he now proposes to represent AbbevlIe o,
another battlefield. Shall he do it? Doe
policy demand that we should still fur,he
crouch before the roaring lion? Does no
self-preserva,ion gosd us to beard linn il
his den? FerJum sat.
Respectfully,
d. WYATT AIKEN.
Extracts from W. F. DeKnight's Report of Bu
reau Affairs in Abbeville County, for tho month
Of August, 1868.
r =
my report Of outrages by white,
against freedmen exhibits lS cases. il,
which violence was resorted to; but it is
safe 10 presume that not onc-l,alf Of such
cases that occur are ever heard from.
The general condition Of affairs in the
County is most d.plorable. The Iif, aud
property Of no one is secure, and this a.
plies with all the more force to the unfortu-
hate colorcd race. They can at best secure
bnt little or no redress for wrong done,
and the white man seems privileged to in
tlict whatever injury he may choose on
them, with perfect impuni,y. They are in
f"ct great deal worse off now. in as lal
AS their personal safety is concerned, ,Lap
when they were slaves, for then it WAS
certainly 10 tue interest of their owners to
at least preserve their property from abuse :;
hut now, being no ones possession, any one
may injure them Mt pleasure.
The following facts will fully illustrate
this:
In last April, Wm. Bradley, co1ored, was
tl'o' in the leg, by Tyler Logan, white.
Hart referred this case to Squire j. S. Chip.
10y, who, as he afterwards explained, being
ON tho point Of going off, cent it to Squire
iar'ant, at Greenwood, WHO did nothing
with 1t. On my calling Oh Mr.. CLipIey for
AL explanation, in June, he then wroie out
the variants in that ahi another case re-
terred to him Gy me, directed to any lawful
Constable, &:., and sent them to the, sayipo
hs could get no one to serve them. |
therefore turned them over 10 the Sheriff
who returned them to CLip!ey, with whom
they still rest.
Geo. Mathews, freedman, living on Mr..
Ch'pcy' place, having complained to n,c
that Irving Hu.c''erson, white, the latter 3
nephew, had, while displaying pis,o,
taken him to task for being Republican.
! referred tho case TO Chipley, who, it ap-
l'ears' would not even open my commun-
cation. On the "9th July, Mathews was
.hot ty llutcherson, while at work in his
employers field, for making the complaint,
the ball being still imLedded under his left
arm. ChpIey, hearing the report, on going
out, found Hu,chersou on the spot, but let
him walk off.
Ihe next day. on complaint being made
10 me, had the requisite warrant Issued
here and placed in the hands of the Sheriff
to be executed. Three days after, the off
Ger sent out Deputy, who returned and
reported that uutcherson had left, and al
though he was at the time in the neigh
o"rhood, where he continues to be seen.
and still threatens to kill the freedmen.
and Notwithstanding have even threaten
cd to indict the Sheriff, nothing whatever
has since been done.
The freedmen in the vicinity have sever.
al times expressed desire to capture him
themselves, but have distuaded them. in
order 10 prevent the collision Which would
result; but just here is where thew are
placed at the worst disadvantage, for had
que white man been injured by the black,
ana had the latter even really flcd, lie
would hays been hunted down like a wild
beAstt' until caught, when it is hard to saw
what else would not nave followed.
In addition to this case there are several
o'hers OF almost as grave a character which
stand precisely the same, the Sheriff 70,
over month having had the proper war
rants in his pocket without doing thing.
All OF these cases have been previously re-
ported. In a great many Instances where
warrants have been written out by the eev
eral magistrates, for various assaults. DC.
on the plea of their not having any Con-
stables, they are never executed, and it is
often the case that the magistrates them
selves, by their persistent pei suasions, abso-
!uts'y constrain ths freedmen to withdraw
their complaints altogether--this common
every day occurrence, even where murder
was contemplated; fer, instance.
On the night of the 2stb, Alfred Ellis.
colond, was. without a any IN cause. shot at by
Lee Russell, the Town Marshal. on the
u o.