Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-02-26
The negroes turned back TO the main


body, who saw that there was no
chance to vote, so they disbanded
and went homo. Tho were about
four hundred Of them, all voters in
Abbcville County, and who would
have voted the Republican ticket. In
a Fair election, the Republican ticket
would have q majority of twelve to
fifteen hundred in Abbeville County.
[The official return made the Demo-
cratic majority 1,920.] There was a
clear und, rstanding that the Demo-
Gratis would force the Republicans
from the polls if they undertook to
vote-forcc them by arms. We were
all armed, and intended, if they rush
ed in, we would rush them back,
shooting into them.
1t was not safe for Republican
speakers to canvass the County. The
general understanding was that they
we're to b. shot, Killed, stopped. He
knew of four that were shot: One
got over it; three were killed. Sever
al others were shot and wounded, but
he does not know the persons. The
were killed because of the influence
they had in the Republican party.
The killed were James Martin, mem
ber Of the Legislature from Abbcvillc,
B. F. Randolph, and another man at
White Hall on the day Of clc ton.
Randolph was killed at Hodges Depot,
OH the 10Th orOctobcr, about . o'clock
in the afternoon. He CTolbcrt) was
present, was known and recognized by
the citizens living at Hodges Depot,
and talked with half q dozen of them
-Flctch. Hodges, Langdon Conner,
Jun Cochran.
Q.-State how you happened to be
at Hodges Depot the day Randolph
was killed?
Al heard he was going to make
a speech there, and went up to hear
it: When | got there, they told. me
he YVES not going to speak there
that he had gone up to Abbcvillc G.
H., and was going to Anderson that
inight-on the afternoon train. Joshua
Logan and !. W. Tolbcrt came to the
depot with ME. Both were we'll
known at Hodges Depot. When VIC
arrived there, we found a crowd of
men, some eight OR ten, besides our
number. We commenced talking
about Randolph that he had threat
cned to Col. Aiken to burn up the
State; that he could do it in three
words, and that VIC must kill him.
Langdon Conner and FIetch. Hodges
said to us, after we came up-we all
were armed, l mean at Hodges Depot.
They put up target, and We all shot
off our pistols at it. We did it to re-
load our pistols, so as to lie sure they
would fire, being freshly loaded.
They put it on Logan, Tolbcrt and
myself, to do the shooting, saying
that as we did not live there, the nc.
groes would not know us. If any
more shooting was to be done, they
would do it. That if Ran.lolph's 5
guard fired on US, they would fire OH
them.
When the train came in. Langion Con-
ner went 10 the conductor, and asked him
if Randolph WAS on board, and lie came
back and said he was OH the train. The
tran ran up to the side of the platform
Randolph was si,ling by tho door of the
car. The rest all went to tie upper end o
the platform. and got on the platform.
went. to the lower end. Just at this time
the GrernvilIe train ran up. Randolph
Immediately changed cars. and walked back
into the last passenger car, and took his
seat. James Cochran stepped up to ms
at that time and says: BILL, you fellows
ought to have been disguised" said
Jim, wha, do you think of it, anyhow p
He says: He ought to he killed, ard
now is the time to do it, right now. ;
Flstcb Hodges came up with roll OF
money in lis hand, and says !: "As soon IL:
you do Il, we give you this. and we will
back you; if there is any more shooting
We will do IT," BY this time, Randolph
had got IF his seat, and walked oul on til,
platform Of the car. John Brooks cam,
mp with his pistol in his hand, and he says
Now is your time; here le stands on the
PLATFORM aad he pointed him out TO Inc
Logan, Tolbert and myself, done the shoot
ing. We all three shot him, and lie WA
killed dead. .Langdon Conner told me t,
60 on /; they would do The balance. II,
had his pistoigin his hand. We 60, %,
our horses, end rode Of. No parsou at
tempted to arrest US. We went to Alerl
Ellis, abouriwo and a half miles of. II
WAS not a, home. We wanted to see him
m hnsnaes Ho uoa ~ H,La.b,x,