The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-04-26

Fma. Dispersion.
Lemon Not Killed by the ku-Klux.
Since Sunday morning last! ezeitei
and exciting rumOrs have preailed il
our midst, concerning the disturbance
in the adjoining county Of Osrendop,
producing more or less ag'tatan of the
public mird.
We have been at some pai9to get'as
near as possible to the Truth iiEegard to
what occurred, in order tg quiet or
satisfy the public mind in reSrd there
to.
On Wednesday afternoon8st, before
nigh, Peter LEMON, blacE han, and a
County Commissioner of ClaEudon, vas
assassinatcd IN his buggy, q the public
road, about % miles fro9 Manning
The assassination took placept or near
branch or swamp thickct. ] Buck shot
entered the legs, stomachA breast and
head Of the unfortunate m4, which, it
is believed produced infant death.
Nothing satisfactory has bme to light
in regard to the assassins,l but naither
the whites or negroes be5cve that any
such order as the Ku Nhx had any.
thing to do withit. LEND was turbu.
lent and offensive egn-notoriously
so-aud had been once oltwice shot at
once by colored mand whose sister,
it is alleged, be had rafshed. And
some of these parties, fobably white
and colored) moved euti5ly by feelings
of personal revenge, are iievedto have
taken his life. Lemontwas returning
from Manning, where, ifIis reported, he
had made some distq qbance and had
some difficulty, on the d y of his death.
lie is said to have bien in state Of
iutozication, and to haze driven back
into Manning once ct twice, before
finally taking his leave,
On Saturday, the negpes, armed, to
the number of three org four hundred,
rendezvouscd at Fell dwship Church,
near the place Of tA killing and
abcut one hundred of Eem proceeded
to Naming, threatening to take the
lives often white men nd to burn the
town. There we're busfew white men
10 town, but messengers wore dispatch,
ed, and TIE handful. was speedily
augmented, until, probably, some two
Or three hundred, at different times,
we're present. ;
The Sheriff and Intcndaut, We learn ;.
Col. H. L. BESDow to act.
A parley ensued-the character or par.
:iculars OF which We have pot learned
Ind both sides finally dispersed, after
;wo days. The leading whites acted
With promptness, but via caluuess and
prudence, and but for his there must
have been a bloody collision.
At one time the negroes seized g.
,olorcd man, named EaEERT NELSON,
whom they suspieioned intending to
put him to death. He@as RESCUED by
The whites, who dccIar& thatahe shoald
not die without fair sial. {
TIE negroes seem to;have been great
y excitco, and greatly in soaiusioa as
10 their suspicious or information >snd
They retired With threats
against certain parties suspicioned By
them, aud the end OF she difficulty, is
probably not yet. Thawhitcs are calm
and determined, aud whilst they will
neither seek or cncOs ago a difficulty,
with them, will NJ hesitate to.
strike telling blows in aefence, if a coll
lision cannot be avoided
The Columbia CNnk "a paper that
asscvera.es its purpose to
deal fairly and publish s trutb) iuthe1
issue of Moaday last, h 1 glaring sensa-
ton capital lines, ia re4 4fd to this mat.
ter, headed "Ka XII Outrage id
Claresdoa coun.y.' ~ regret to zee
this; in as much as : nisBads ths
public mind abroad, a1 tends 10 dis
.ract and torment and vrk up . deeds
of blood the elements at Aoms-1Wo teatl
for political effect.
TEE COUNTY conmI IoNEks AID
sTRs sUPEKINTEND NcY 0R THE
COUNTY POOH ElOU1 3. 81