The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-02-23

shooting commenced. Four to Ave hun.
dred colorea men usually voted at this pre-
cinct, who. if allowed to vote, would have
voted the Republican ticket
Q.-Did the Democrats come to the
White Hall polling precinct armed on the
day OF the election?
A.-Every one. so far as I knew It was
general understanding throughout the
County, that all were to go armed
| Q.-State what occurred at Greenwood
precinct up to the time you left to go to
White Hall?
A.-Well. the negroes, to the number of
about four hundred voters, assembled about
one hundred and fifty yards from the polls;
the white men, Democrats, were al around
the door; Captain j. G. Boozer was sitting
right by the door, to examine the tickets
Two Republican colored men came up to
vote; they came from the main body. He
said, "Let me see your papers. " They
pulled ont the Republican ticket with
Hoge's name for Congress. He told them
they could not vote them sort there; they
would have to go somewhere else to vote
| those papers. Boozer was armed. The
negroes turned back to the main body, who
saw that there was no chance to vote, so they
dlshanded and went home. There were
about four hundred of them, all voters in
Abbevllle County, and who would have
voted the Republican ticket. In fair cleo.
ton, the Republican ticket would have
majority of twelve to fifteen hundred in
Abbeville County. The official return
made the Democratic majority 1920.
There was clear understanding that the
Democrats would force the Republicans
from the polls if they undertook to vote
force them by arms. We were all armed,
and intended, if they rushed in, we would
rush them back, shooting into them
II ~ e. g.
to canvass the County. The general un-
derstanding was that they were to be shot,
killed, stopped. He knew of four that
were shot. One got over it; three were
killed. Several others were shot and
wounded, but he does not know the per-
sons. They we're killed because OF the in
fluence they had in the Republican party.
The killed were James Martin, a member
of the Legislature from Abbevile, b. +.
Randolph, and another man ut White Hall
on the day of election. Randolph was
killed at Hodges Depot, on the 10th of
October, about o'clock in the afternoon.
He (Tolbert) was present, was known and
recognized by the citizens living at Hodges
Depot, and talked with half dozen of
them-Flctch. Hodges, Langdon Conner,
Jim Cochran.
@ State how you happened to be at
Hodges Depot the day Randolph was
killed?
Al heard he was going to make n
speech there, and went up to hearit. When
l got there, they told me he was not going
to speek there; that he had gone up ND 10 6s Ab'
beville G. H., and was going to Anderson
that n1ght-On the afternoon train. Joshua
Logan and j. w. Tolbert came to the depot
with me. Both were we'll known at Hodges
Depot. When we arrived there, we found
crowd OF men, some eight or ten, besides
our number. We commenced taking about
Randolph; that he had threatened to Col.
Aiken to burn up the State; that he could
do 1t in three words, and that we must kill
him. Langdon Conner and Fletch Hodges
said to us, after we came up-we all we're
put up target, and we all shot off our pis-
tolls at it. We did it to reload our pistols
so as to be sure they would fire, being
freshly loaded. They put it on Logan,
Tolbert and myself, to do the shooting
saying that rs we did not live there, the ne
groes would not know u.s. If any more
shooting was to be done, they would do it,
That if Randolph's guard fired on u.s. they
would fire on them.
When the train came in, Langdon Con-
ner went to the conductor, and asked him
II Randolph was on board. and he came
back and said he was on the train. The
train ran up to the side of the platform.
Randolph was sitting by the door Of the car
The rest all went to the upper end of the
platform, and got on the platform. 1 went
to the lower end. Just at this time, the
Greenville train ran up. Randolph imme-
diately changed cars, and walked back into
the last passenger car, and took his seat
James Cochran stepped up to me at that
time, and says: "Bll, you fellows ought to
have been disguised" said: "Jim, what
do you think of it, anyhow" He says: "He
ought to be killed, and now is the time TO
do it, right now." Fletch. Hodges came up
with roll of money in his hand, and saws:
"As soon as you Do it, we give you this,
and we will back you; if there is any more
shooting we will do itn Rx this time