The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-10-13
From the Augusta, (Ga.,) Chronicle Sep. II

(
B. F. w.
j. L. n.
| From the Augusta, (Ga,) Chronicle Sep. II
On yesterday afternoon a gentleman
from Barnwell county, South Carolina,
arrived in the city, bringing intelligence
of two horrible murders that had been
committed in that county during the
night previous. From this gentleman
story it appears that on last Monday night
about half past seven o'clock, two color
| ed desperadoes named Louis McCreery
and Juba johnson, and armed to the
teeth, visited the house of a negro man
living near Windsor, station on the
South Carolina railroad, in Barnwell
county, and distant about % miles from
| this city. Stopping short distance
from the cabin they called the inmate by
name and asked him to come out, as they
wished to see him on business. Either
from fear that foul play was intended, or
from habitual caution, the negro, when
he came from his house, brought his gun
along with him. As soon as he came to
where McCreery and johnson were stand
ing they engaged him in conversation, and
one of them asked permission to examine
the fire-arm. Without waiting for re-
ply he snatched the gun away and the
two assassins commenced firing upon the
victim with their two receivers. He
must have been mortally wounded or
killed by the first two or three shots, but
the ruffians continued firing till no less
than fourteen shots had pierced his body.
Leaving the body of the murdered man
where it fell, the colored thugs resumed
their march, and at about ten o'clock at
night arrived near the house of white
man living few miles from the house of
the negro whom they had killed. Here
their murderous tactics were repeated,
but with less success than in the first in
stance. Hailing as before, they called
the man out and asked him to give them
a chew of tobacco. Almost Immediately
they fred upon him, but fortunately their
dim was defective, and the man was only
wounded, not killed. He managed to
retreat into his house, and barricading it,
armed himself and set the rlffians at de-
fance. Deeming it unEise to continue
the attack, the thugs retreated and sought
bloodshed in another quarter.
AT about half-past II or II o'clock, the
assassins halted in front of the cabin of
another negro, some miles distant, and
woke him up and called him out of his
house. As soon as he came fairly into
view, they fired upon him and killed him,
shooting him in sveral places. AT this
house the ruffians seem to have become
surfeited with blood, and determined to
suspend their murderous operations
They retreated in the direction of the
Edisto river, and nothing more, We be-
lieve has been seen of them.
In the meantime, information of the
first murder was circulated among the
people of the settlement in which it had
been committed, and strong and well
armed party of white men and negroes
organized and started in pursuit of the
ku-klux, thugs, or assasins. Guided by
torch-lights they succeeded in tracking
the Williams from the house where the ne
gro was killed until they came to the
residence of the white man whom they
had wounded. They found the white
man still entrenched in his house with
his arms BY his side, ready for use if
another attack upon him should be
threatened. When he saw the posse APP
preaching his house he thought that his
former assailants had returned, and
came near firing upon one of the party
a Mr.. Burnett-before he could be con-
WINGED that he was mistaken. From this
place the murderers were traced to the
house of the second negro who had been
killed, and from there the trail was fol-
lowed until the Edisto river was reached.
AT this point it was discovered that the
assailants had gone up the river in the
direction of the Charlotte, Columbia and
Augusta railroad. While the main body
of fhe pursuers followed up the trail
through the country, one of their number
M. John A. Burnett, got on the cars at
the nearest station and came to this city,
that be might post our police and have