The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-19
TRAGEDY IN BARNVELL.

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TRAGEDY IN BARNWELL.
s'Several Citizens" writ Q to the Barnwell Senti
mel from Alendale, 8. c., under date Of the 12tl
instant, as follows:
A lamentabe tragedy has occurred in an nd
Joining neighborhood, resulting in the killing
of worthy but misguided freedman. We dc
not wish to trench upon the prerogatives of
court of justice, nor to unjustly fOrestal public
opinion, but feel that it is due the public tc
give succinct history Of the affair
It is proper to ,premlse. that the appointment
as magistrate, by Governor Scott, of julius
Mayer, mulatto. and youth scarcely attained
to mans estate. ignorant Of orthography as OF
law, and as deficient in discretion as manly in
dependence, was regarded by our people as an
unfortunate step Of the Governors towards
that promised ''peace." Now to the facts. On
the forenoon of Friday, the 9th instant, young
man (white,l not citizen Of this section OF
country. suddenly appeared at the residence of
Mr.. 3. G. Ashe, and began search for one
Clarence Brown. (mulatto) a cousin OF the
aforesaid magistrate. He found Clarence
locked up in a small store house; pistol in
shutter, and on entering, found that Clarence
had escaped througha loose board o. the floor,
WheTeupon the desperate young man after some
threats, LETT the place. Now, certainly. here was
tresPass upon another's property. We scorn
to apologize for the act of the young man. Let
ms grievance e. be what it may, it is none Of
the peace in vindioation Of q private injury
real or supposed, it was his own affair; CLEARLY
ne Was liable to arrest, and as clearly deserved
siderate person will as readily conclude his
arrest was matter calling for much caution,
both on the part Of the magistrate and con-
stable. Let us see how it was conducted.
makes affidavit; Julius, at the same place,
issues warrant to George Ashe (mulatto)
on the place, and the magistrate, with posse
o1 ten OF OF tWenty and half as many
or those close adjoining, and within, perhaps,
three hours of the breach, went in search OF
the the, violator Of the law, who. in company
OF Mr.. John A. Best. Approaching the first
front gate, more than two hundred yards from
the dwelling, halt was called; George Ashe
become unsteady If there, he declined. to face
the music, and much better man, Elias Flow
ers, tblack) one highly respected by white and
black, with John Ashe (black) to assist, we're
two men, Elias with a gun, John unarmed, ap-
preached about half way to the house, the bal
ance OF the posse concealing- themselves in the
bushes They called or beckoned as if they
brothers. who were sitting in the piazza, walk
or did not shoot first we leave to
Conflicting it is no buelness of ours, We
are dealing with facts. Suffice it to say,
Elias Flowers received two pistol shots,
either one Of which would probably have pro-
duced i'm mediate death-and one OF the broth |
with ashot gun. As soon as the shooting oc-
Cured, the magistrate and posse came up,
some shouting and swearing vengeance, while
the shree young men retreated into the house,
hasty efforts to staunch blood we're made.
In the meantime the negroes employed them
selves in taking aim at the house, to the great
alarm OF Mrs Best, who, it is said, swooned
twice, during her efforts to get to neighbours
house.
Three oitizens, not living in the immediate
happening to pass near the
residence Of Mr.. Best, met his brother, under
turned him back, and unarmed went rapidly to
the scene. There they found the dead body,
and two negroes belonging to the place, with
a." Whole family was st threatened @ % with massaore. a
came. guns in hand, to the rescue; with these
exceptions net man, woman or child. Of
gentlemen remained at the place while the
others We 1T in search Of the armed posse,
at least. about three-eighths Of q mile
broom-sedge, with guns levelled at them.
Quietly riding up, one Of the gentlemen asked.
4 'tf they thought they coula scare any one;"
.shereupon the negroes assuming pacific atti-
tude. began convers alton in justification Of
themselves. These same gentlemen then went
in search Of the magistrate, found him at
home. surrounded by noisy gang OF negroes,
some OF whom were urging him ''to d. some
thing" the yalorous George being the most
; olanaorous. Julius was somewna. :: = loss
been created he could not quell-the leader
was being led. In his extremity, he issued TIE
following ukase, which we leave with the public
to decide as to it's incendiary tendency:
ArksO 1on haAYp I'LL Iad IN v1n
lawful discharge OF his duty: Therefore, I, Ju'
Illus Mayer, by virtue Of the power vested n
me, do hereby order and command all g. od
szsns to be and T the Of
under the heaviest penalties Of the law"
The above is o truthful rendering Of the sub
stance OF the document, made by those who
heard it read; much OF it is verbatim. and the
correctness 9th substance ON be backed BY
the affidavits Of several OF as truthful gentle
men as the country can afford. negro
mounted upon mule rode from plantation to
date. But the efforts Of the three gentlemen,
two in riding through the neighborhood and
one remaining at the place, talking to the
armed squads as they arrived. until after
nightfall, fortunately had the effect Of saken-
ing the force Ut this authoritative summons.
Nothing occurred through the night; q small
ga1ner9g TOOK place next morning ct the resi-.
from there to the scene Of bloodshed to hold
an inquest with gang OF negroes Of ali coiore
and sizes. in which eighteen guns were counted
by an observer: The inquest passed quietly
The writer's of this do not know what mart.
4 cular motive actuated the young mon in max
ing this bloody resistance to the warrant Of
(, the newly made magistrate; whether made Will
view to avoid legal punishment, or to keel
out of the clutches Of a clan who could not
- they feared, be controlled or prevented from
violence, after arrest, we cannot say. Many @
our best citizens, we think, will incline to tn
OplniOn that the latter was the safest horn c
the dilemma. SEVERAL CITIZENS.
--------s-%~-saa>-.s--s.-
TT Fight Reverend James Duggan, Catf
y olic Bishop Of Chicago, is afflicted with
mental arrangement or, in other words, ha
become insane. He labors under the delusio
that everything he does is wrong. On ordinar
subj scts he la entirely rational, but the me
ment that any church matter is mentioned t