The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-04-21
The Provocation for the late Disturb
ances in the State.

Some Of the leading Republican jour
nails have been candid enough to asccr-
tain, and independant enough to pub
1ish the truth as to the cause of the late
disturbances in the upper part OF the
State. Among these is the Cincinnati
ComnscrciGt, one of the ablest and most
rnterprising journals in the County;
This paper sent q reporter to tuion DIS
trict to sift and verify the tacts as to
the aiicdgcd outragcs, and he finds and
So announccs, that all tho violence had
been stirred up by an unprovokcd muir
ticr perpctratcd by the negro militia,
and that the execution of lynch law was
by citizens who dcspaired of any other
iustirc. The following is his recital OF
the original provocation:
''r'In this county the negro militia
were the aggressors in the actual work
of murder. But for them. from what
can find out, there would have been
no outbreak. The civil officers appoint
ed for Union County were very obnoN-
ious to the citizens, as they were ignor-
ant and Incompetent. Governor Scott
appointed two negroes here county ccm-
iiissioiicrs, who could not read or write,
and other officers of the same sort.
tFhis set the Ku-kluX to making threats
and a company of negro militia were
sent heie.
. About the first of the year, twenty Of
these militia murdered white man, C..
M Stevens BIZ name. This Stevens had
had been q rich man before the war, but
in the struggle lost everything, and at
, The time of his death was engaged as q
drayrnan. lie was bringing a barrel
of whiskey, and when four miles from.
town was met by twenty militiamen,
who demanded his whiskcy. He gave
thena some, but refused to give them all
Shey wanted, when they deliberately
a. murdered him. When the news reach
ed here the next morning it caused the
,trreatest excitement. \ party Of armed
-ilen immediately set out for the scene Of
murder. Late in the day the lifeless ho-
iv Of Mr.. Stevens was found, lying in
the c0r,,er of fence, face upwards legs
crossed, and his coat thrown over his
face, A number of colOred men were
arrested, and intense excitement pre-
vailed among, the people. Towards
night reports came in that an attempt
would be made by members Of the MILL
tia company to release the prisoner, and
n strong guard was placed over the Jail.
About eight o'clock it was discovered
shat number of negroes, with guns,
were ,eongmgatcd at the house of Silas
Hawkins. and posse was sent there by
the sheriff to dispcrse them. \ knock
ut Hawkins's door brought voley of
musket balls which severely wounded
one of the posse. The posse then fired
into the house and killed two Of the mi
litia- .. Z. ...r
This was on Sunday. On Monday the
excitement increased. At midnight the
barn of Colonel Young, sitaated but two
suuares from the Jail, and.right in the
CentSe Of the town, was discovered TO be
On fire. On Tuesday morning one Wal
ker, q captain of militia, WAC arrested,
and the negroes gathered to release him.
He persuaded them not to attempt it,
however, seyins that it would cost more
than it would come to. The negroes
desisted, but went prowling over the
country firing off their guns, and, to,
gether with the eSasperated whites and
ku-kluX, managing to keep Innocent
people in perpetual alarm" ." ...-.
As the New York World truly re-
marks, there is not a Northern Commu-
nifty where such outrages would. not
have kindled spirit of vengeance, per-
petrated as they were by tire very agents
of the reconstructed government, organ
lied as the pretended guardians of or
der. But it does not appear that the
citizens would have taken the law into
their own hands, if there had been any
hope of other redress. The. rescne Of
the prisoner had been attempted. and
even if not rescued there was little rcas--
on to expect their conviction.