The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-03-04
Testimony of W. Z. Tolbert in the Con-
tested Election Case.

1917, In Il contested elecLiou c1oe jew oo"
S. L. Hoge and J. P. Reed. D. Pope,
ESQ.,, counsel tor the latter.
William K. Tolbort, being of lawful
age, being duly sworn, says:
Qucstion-What is your name, where
do you reside, and what is your occupa-
ton -,
Answcr-I live at Greenwood, Abbe-
vile County. Farming.
Q.-How long have you lived in Able
vile County?
A-All my life.
Q.-Were you in Abbcvlle County du-
ring the months of July, August, Septem-
ber, October and November, 1868!
Al was.
Odd you belong to either of the
political parties during the last campaign!
Al did.
Q.-To which one!
A.-Dcmocrat.
Q.-How was the Democratic party or
ganized in Abbeville County !?
A.-Into clubs. Democratic Clubs.
Odd you belong to one OF those
clubs?
A.-Yes, to Greenwood Club.
Q-Whero did your club hold its meet
ings?
A.-At the depot. Met once a week.
Q.-Werc your meetings public!
A.-Pubic to Democrats, but not to
Radicals. No Radical allowed to come in.
Q.-Did YOU take an oath as member
of these clubs?
A.-Not when joined.
Q-Were there any secret organiza-
1ions connected with these clubs:
A.-Yes, sir. Committees were ap-
pointed, which met in secret, and they
appointed men to patrol in each different
mcighborhood
Q.-Fur what purpose were these men
detailed to patrol?
A.-To find out whore the negroes were
holding Union Leagues.
Q-What other instructions lad they,
if any?
A.-To break them up, kill the leaders,
fire into them, and kill the leaders if they
could.
Q.-Werc those instructions given in
all the clubs
A.-Can't say throughout the country,
but believe they were
Q-Wcre those instructions given and
enforced at any time, and put in cXecu-
son against amy OF the Union Leagues in
Abbevi!le?
A.-Thcy patro!Ied for them, but could
not find where any were held.
Q-Wcre there any other instructions
given to those committees by the Demo
cratic clubs in relation to the election to
n Al 4 - N,,,,au,knr7 2
A.-Ycs. sir, the day before the cleo
ton the tickets were taken away from
the Republican party, from those who
had charge of them, by these committees
The committees wero riding for them the
night before the election, taking them
wherever they could find them. L was
one of the gangs myself. Ten or eleven
were with me. l was 3 member of the
committee myself. Destroyed the tick
cts. All Of us were armed.
Q-What were your instructions. If
the persons having the tickets in charge
refused to give them up?
A.-Shoot them, and take them by
forcc.
Q.-Havc you the means of knowing,
and do you know, what was the political
sentiments of the negro population in
Abbeville County, and how they would
havo voted if they had been allowed to
vote?
A.-There were at least four colorcd
votes to one white vote in the county.
They would have voted for the Rcpnoll-
can candidate-for you Judge Hoge)--
at least ninety-nine out OF each hundred
Q.-Whcre were you on the day OF
election, November 3, 1868!
An the fore part Of the day at
voting precinct, Greenwood, in Abbevillc
County. A courier came in from White
Hall precinct, Abbevile County, saying
they wore fighting there (this was about
one o'clock) and that the Republicans
were about whipping A squad OF us,
armed, about thirty in number: besides
myscIt. were sent there. When we got
there, the Republicans were all gone, cX-
ccpt one, who was lying there dead.
Heard that others were wounded. There
had been some shooting. Don't know if
the Republicans shot. No white man
was shot Only two colored men were
allowed to vote before shooting COM
,aenced. -Four to five hundred colorcd
mon usually voted at this precinct, who,
if allowed to vote, would have voted the
Republican, ticket.
Odd the Democrats come to the
White Hall polling precinct armed on the
day of the election?
A.-Every one, so far as [ knew. 1t
was general understanding throughout
the coantv, that all were to 80 armed.
Q.-State what occurred at Greenwood
precinct up to the time you left to 80 to
White Hall?
A.-Well, the negroes, to the number
of about four hundred voters, assembled
about one hundred and fifty yards from