The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-05
THE NEGRO KU-KLUX.
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE MURDER
GUS OUTRAGEIN BARNHELL.
Attack upon a House by Band Of
Armed Negroes - One White Man
Killed, Another Wounded, and Two
Ladies Wounded.
From the Augusta Chronicle.l

Ladies Wounded.
From the Augusta Chronicle.l
On Sunday night the city was excited by
rumors of serious collision between the
white people and the negroes In Barnwell
County, South Carolina. From the first re-
ports it appeared that q regular battle had
been fought, and that manr were slain on both
sides. Fortunately these reports proved, as
they generally do, to be gross exaggerations.
TIE best news, however, proved to be terrible
enough almost too terrible for belief. Ceh-
mite Information received yesterday morning
from Silver Bluff, on the Savannah River;
stated that's band of armed negroes had killed
one white man. wounded another, shot one
lady seriously, and another one severely.
After the shooting took place, they had re-
tanned their arms and their position, and de-
fed arrest Beyond these fragments, nothing
else was received until yesterday evening
late. when two partclpators arrived IN Au-
gusta-a white man who had been shot, and
negro who had been with the band OF shoot
ers. From what we can gather OF the affair
from gentlemen of South Carolina and the
colored Ku-kux himself,
THE TRAGEDY
seems to hare been enacted under the fol-
towing circumstances The difficulty took
place at the house OF Mr.. Angus Red, situated
on Beach Island, about twelve miles from
Augusta. at o late hour on last Saturday
afternoon large band OF armed negro men
were seen approaching the house occupied by
Mr.. Red. They were within few fleet Of the
front door before they were discovered. The
ladies III the house gave a'scream OF terror as
II apprehensire ofthe bloody intentions OF the
black fends. Mr.. Thomas a. Low, a neigh
Dor, who was in the room, and lying down
near the front door, heard the warning Sig
nal. and attempted to rise. As he was In the
act Of rising the
NEGROES FIRED voLLEY
OF him. killing him almost instantly. The
muskets, with which the colored Ku-Klux
we're armed, were loaded with buckshot and
direction. Besides killing Mr.. Low they
wounded Mr.. Red in the shoulder, wounded
his wife, Mrs. NJ. 4. L. Red, In the neck, and
his mother, Mrs. 8. E. Red, In the face. The
negroes then entered the house as though 1t
was fortress taken OF the point OF the bayo-
net. That they at first Intended killing hr.
Red there can be no doubt, but when they
found him wounded they coutented them
selves with disarmlng him, threatening him
with instant death II ne did not give up his
pistol. After they had secured this they lett
the premises without bestowing any attention
upon either the dead or the wounded. They
returned to the plantation of Mr.. Paul F. Ham,
mond, from whence they mad come: anu re-
naming there armed, set the law and It's ON
GERS at defiance. Mr.. Low was found
RIDDLEp WITH BULLETS
literally riddled. The outlaws had fired the
volley when they were within very short dis
lance OF him. and most Of the balls had taken
effect in his arms and body. The surgeon who
examined the wounds at the coroner's Inquest,
held the next morning, found more than ffty
balls in his person, and OF this number no less
than seven had pierced the poor mans heart.
The stomach, and other portions OF the body,
were frighlfully mutiated and manged BY the
shot. The coroner's jury returned verdict In
Accordance with the facts Of the case, and the
nearest magistrate was applied to and war
rant issued By him tor the arrest of the muir
derers. But the negroes had no idea OF being
arrested, and, as we SAID before, ss
HAD SET THE LAW AT DEFIANCE.
Learning they had not fed, but still remain
ed at their homes, q deputy sheriff went to
Mr.. Hammond's plantation on Sunday morn.
ing for the purpose OF arrestlng them. The
negroes were found there still armed, and
while they offered no violence to the officers,
they refused to be arrested, and said they
would hold their position to tue last. Seeing
that they meant to keep their word, and that
q conflict with them would be useless, the
officer retired. On yesterday morning he
paid them another visit. They still declined
to be arrested, but said that they would go to
Aiken on Tuesday (to-day) and stand trial,
Several Of the
RrNGLEADERS ESCAPED,
sad carried their guns with them. They are
all at large. and Will desperately resist any at
temot at capture. sCne Of them, however, we
are glad to soy, has been SSsgeed, and Is now
in the jail of Augusta. On yester1sSy evening,
about 6 O'Clock, gentleman who lives below
the city, on the road to Sand Bar Ferry, in
formed the police that man who was sup
posed to be one of the leaders In the attack
had crossed the Savannah River at Sand Bar
Ferry, and was coming to the city. A police
man and county constable were at once dis.
patched to the lower portion Of the city, and
soon met the fugitive, arrested him, and
brought him to the City Hall. The prisoner
freely admitted that he was one or the party
who went to ked's house, but denies that ne
fired himself, and says that he advised the
others not to fire. The following is
HIS STORY:
He gives his name as Owen S. W. Smith, and
SAYS that he came from North Carolina some
time ago. He has been residing on Mr. Ham.
ya.a sahaaI-Ue- -sa,,e eirat -eurry Saturday even
ing Messrs Red and Low visited the house OF
negro whom they accused of stealing, and
threatened to kill him, putting their revolVers
to his head, aud only sparing his lite at the
earnest solicitations of the colored women on
the premises. Soon afterwards, the negro
made his escape out OF back window, anu
Messrs. Bed and Low returned to the house OF
the former. In the meantime, the negro went
to the quarters and told how he had been
treated, and scheme OF revenge was agreed
upon. Smith says that he advised them not to
shoot any one, but he also took a gun and
went along with the party. His account OF the
killing corresponds with what we have above
written, except that he says NIT. Reo would
have also been killed had he not interceded tor
him, Influenced by kindness which the for
mer had done him. Smith was arrested as q
fugitive from justice, and has been lodged In
jail for thirty days, to await a requlsitlon from
the Governor OF South Carolina.
1t is believed that others OF the gang will be
hunted down and arrested.