The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-12-09
R1oonY YORK At sAVANNAH.

BLoOnY WORK 1T SAT-4NNAH.
The Particulars of the Attack upon the
German Patrolmen-Murdero OF freoe-
rick Brodbacker-The Negroes heSu-
larly Organized and under Command
Of q Captain.
The Savannah papers, of Monday, are filled
with the details of the bloody tragedy on the
Thunderbolt road, resulting from an unp-ovoS-
ed attack by gang Of country negroes upon
party Of pat1o olmen regularly appointed by tue
MAYOR and in the discharge Of their duty. We
CLEAN the following particulars from the Morn
ing News:
THE SPECIAL POLICE.
Within circuit of mile or two around the
city. number Of industrious people, mostly
Germans, have settled, and pursued the busl-
ness of gardening; and it is mainly the results
of their honest labor that keeps our market
supplied with vegetables, fruit, &C: Inrl1ty,
skilled in th. details Of successful farming,
they have made what were once waste pace.ss, .s
to bloom and blossom all the year round WITH
the yerdure OF spring. AS class they are tne
most peaceable and quiet OF citizens, never
disturbing any person, not interfering IN any
manner with the rights or privileges OF Others
Since the negroes have taken to poltlcs ana va
gabondizfng, these gardeners have found IL al
most impossible to raise any produce. Ther
INCOMING fields were ravaeed and laid waste by
night; the skuIking thiefwas ever around 70
Cteal their poultry, or the marauding yagaoono
to shoot their COWS. Not content with this, the
yagabond negroes nightly assembled upon the
roads, and BY firing OF guns, Whoopng ana
yelling, annoyed the people beSoad endurance.
The police force Of the city, scarcely strong
enough to guard the thicky Inhabited portions
of tho city, could do nothing for them, and at
last they applied to Mayor Anderson for rehef,
Offering to serve in any manner or capacity tnat
he might direct. Nearly all the white men re,
siding on Thunderbolt road, on waters, ROAD
and Lovers lane, were organized into voiun-
teeI special police force tor tne ProleSuIn Ua one
in, and, Mr.. Nicholas Cell appointed captain.
For some time past they have been IN the
habit OF patrollibg the woods and tel1s at
night, and have been comparatively secure
from depredations aHd annoyance. Inc ne
proes, preyented by this from pursuing their
thievish practices, looked upon ene spsciaa d.
police with deadly hatred, and determined, as
the sequel will show, to revenge themselves
upon the men who were forcing them to be IN
some degree honest. At times the dwellings,
of these men, isolated as they are from each
other. and scattered about as Is usual IN coun-
try places, have been surrounded late OF hlgnC W
by gangs OF negloes, who uttered dire threats
OF vengeance against the occupants, l., wn,Un t;n,a
they said they would execute when tine time
should arrive.
n, coUSTRY NEGROES COMING TO TOWN.
It has been observed on our streets that the
usual crowd OF country negroes who come In
here on Saturdays to make purchases and
carouse, have latterly always been armed.
Marching along the streets, dressed In tat
tered Jnitcd States uniform, and bearing upon
hir shoulder an old musket, and endeayo1lng
to make himself as conspicuous as possi6le, Inc
negro has always appeared more subject 1or
hidden away IN their garments, but few were
there who did not carry some sort OF weapon.
On Saturday nights they would leave the city for
home, and generally assemble In large gangs st
the head Of Thunderbolt road, where, In the nu-
merous grog shops aboundlns IN that region, II
has been their custom to drink and carouse, and
Greats such tumult as to disturb cluzsns re-
the city police made descent upon and cap
tured one Of these disorderly gangs, and this
occurrence probably stimulated their anxiety
to revenge themselves upon the country po-
lice," as they call the special force. On Satur-
day morning last very many negroes came 10
town. One gang Of them while on the way IN,
halted in front Of the dwelling OF MIR. Spears,
on Thunderboit road just beyond the toll gato,
and fred two or three shots into the house.
They then cried out that they wanted 70 see the
country police when they returned at night;
thus giving proof of settled purpose, we'll
understood and organized plan to have DIS
turbance as soon as night should throw its
dark mantle around them. Saturday night
was exactly sui ed to their murderous purpose.
It was cloudy. dark, and threatening rain; the
moon did not rise until o late hour, and it was
doubtful whether 1t would shine at all or not.
Everything was favorable to the CO .nplete sue
cess Of their murderous plans, and they ev1-
dently carried them out according to pre-
concerted arrangement.
STATEMENT oFsA WITNESS.
We learn tr m gentleman who was in the
vicinity where the blJody occurrences OF the
night took place, how the negroes conducted
themselves de was on tne Toso, aau t. oG-
serving the suspicious actions OF negroes TOOK
refuge il house near at hand, where the
tends had no idea that white man was
concealed, or he would probably have also
been murdered He states that there was
regular ambush and decoy. Some thirty or
forty negroes were concealed In the old orlcK,
ward field, on Thunderbolt road, just beyond
The bridge over Bilbo's canal. He gained q
point where he could hear what was going
on, ans observed five or six negroes come out
into the road, walk MP and down, and fire OF
pistols at Intervals; and by shouts, whoops and
yells, endeavor to attract the patrol TO thai
point. man came along the road on horse
back, and our informant says he heard the
order passed from some one who appeared to
be in authority, to those iu the road, to halt
the person. The words were sHalt the -
and if he don't halt,
shoot his horsep The man stopped his horse,
and the negroes talked with him for two
or three minutes, but not loud enough for
our informant to hear the language used;
and than thew either allowed the traveller
to 60 or he broke from them. at any
rate, he came galloping down the road.
and when he was few yards distant
from the negroes, a yolley OF shots was fred