The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-04-20
A Foul Deed.
VR1cT, s. c.-AN ovERsEER KILLED BY PLAN
TATIoS HANDS.

One Of the most brutal murders ever record
ed occurred on Wednesday last, in BarnweL
District, which shows that the seed Of Radical
ism, so thickly sown in this State, is bearing
fruit with vengeance. We are indebted
chiefly to the Savannah Republican for the fol
lowing particulars
1t appears that on the day mentioned MIR.
James Martin, the overseer on the plantation
of William j. Lawton, Esq. near Alandale,
Barnwel District, told one Of the field hands
to go to work and commence ploughing. To
this the negro objected and q difficulty ensued,
and the wife Of the negro came up, and by vlo-
lent 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
oyerseer drew pistol and shot him in the face,
inficting slight wound. He then retired to
his house, and for about half an hour all re-
mained quiet.
The negro, meanwhile, had been among his
fellows, melting them to violence, and soon q
crowd Of them assembled around the oyerseer's
house. Nearly all the negroes on the planta-
tion were in the assembly, and the overseer,
seeing that his life was in danger, jumped out
of q window and ran. Shots were fired after
him, one Of which wounded him. He still con-
tinued to run, however, thus wounded and
bleeding, and pursued by the savage crowd oi
brutes, now inaamed to perfect fury. After a
chase Of about mile, the overseer reached the
house OF Mrs. Mailod, whose husband Was alb.
sent at the time. He implored 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, resisting all their efforts to
effect an entrance, and refusing to accede to
their demand to give up their victim. They
strove to get her away, but she struggled
nobly, 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 Of the house, and they were
quickly followed by others, and the wounded
man inside soon fell victim to their savage
fury. Shots we're fired at him, and eleven
buck shot entered his breast. While he lay
upon the floor, in the agonies 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 to carry home with them.
A more brutal or diabohca! murder mas per-
haps never been committed, and those who
perpeirated the bloody deed, while in the act
Of executing their horrid purpose, acted more
like demons let loose from Pandemonium than
anything in the semblance Of humanity. While
engaged in their murderous work they were
frequently heard to cry out that the Radicals
would protect them-thus showing that the
responsibility for the terrible death Of this
poor man rests with those who have scattered
broadcast through the South the seeds OF
bloodshed and disorder.
The murdered man came from Southwestern
Georgia. BE was good overseer, and an e1-
cellent man in every respect. There were
thirty-one negroes engaged in the affair, OF
whom fifteen Of the men have been arrested,
and are now held in confinement.