The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-02-22
THE TROUBLES IN UNION.
T1isa ofon armed body to the jail
Execution of Prisoners-the cause Of
the TonJle-the feeling Of the Citizens
Of Union, Etc.

Our telegraph columns, yesterday
morning, announced that several prison
ers had been taken from the Jail in
Union, on SUNDAY night, the 18th inst.
by a disguised body ofarmed men, and
put to death by hanging and shooting.
This intelligence naturally created COZ
siderable excitement in our community.
Learning that gentleman had arrived
in the city direct from Unien County,
we sought him oct, and have gathered
from him such particulars Of the unfor-
tunate affair as he was able to learn
from Sheriff DUNN, Of Union, who was
on the same train with our informant,
on his way to Columbia, where he
arrived Monday afternoon.
THE ATTACK ON THE JAIL.
On Sunday night, about twelve
O'Clock, a thoroughly disguised and
armed body Of about FIVE hundred men
suddenly made their appearance in front
of the Jail in Union. They demanded
the keys from Jailor HUGHEs and
Deputy Sheriff HILL, who refused to
surrender them. Mrs. HUGHEs, the
wife Of the jailor, was then catecbised
rs to the whereabouts Of the keys but
being greatly alarmed, did not answer
merely pointing to bureau where they
were deposited. The drawers were i'm
mediatey opened, the keys obtained,
the Jail doors opened. A squad Of the
party took charge Of the jailor and the
deputy Sheriff. Ropes were put around
their Decks, when they we're taken to
the Sheriff. residence, and there tied
to his gate, where document was left
warning him, (the Sheriff. against obey
ing any similar writ Of HaJcas Corpus
from Judge THOMAS, or any other
Judge under like circumstances, aud the
following letter was found TIED on the
pocket of the jailor:
TAKEN BY HABEAs CORPUS
Iu silence and secrecy. Thought has
been working and the benignent efhca.
cics Of coucealmeut speak for them.
selves. Once again have We been forced
by force to use FORCE. Justice was
lame and she had to lean upon US. In.
formation laving been obtained that a
Doubling THOMAS the inferior ofNOTH.
ING. the superior Of NOTHING, who has
neither eyes to sec the scars Of opprcs.
sion nor cars to hear the cause of
humanity even the he wears the judicial
Silk, has ordered some gritty prisoners
from Union to the city Of Columbia, and
Of INJUSTICE and PREJUDICE for an
UNFAIR trial Of LIFE, thas clutching at
the wheel spokes Of DEsTISY-then this
thing was created and projected
Otherwise it would never have BEEN
We yield to the meritale and iaeroyQJie
and account this the Jest:
"Let not thy right land know what
thy left hand doe,h" is our motto. We
want Peace but this canuot be till justice
returns. We wa1; and 9W hare Justice.
But this cannot be till the bleeding fight
Of freedom is fought. Until then the
MOLOCH Of INIQUITY will have his
victims even if the uIcuAEL of Justice
must have his martyrs K K K.
TAKING THE PRISONERS.
After the squad had removed the
jailor and the deputy Sheriff, the Jail
was entered and the following named
colored prisoners we're taken out: Andy
Thompson, Sylvanus Wright, Bill Fin
cher, Bart Edwards, Joe Vanloe, Ellison
Scott, Tom Byers, Aaron Eustis, McBobo
and A. MeKissick, ten in all. Eight of
the number we're charged with the
killing of Mr.. STEVENS, the oue-armed
Confederate soldier, whose brutal and
unwarranted murder, some weeks since,
by 40 armed mob of negroes, will be
recollected by our readers. They we're
also charged With the murder Of Dir.
SMITH, Constable Of Union County,
whilst in the discharge Of his Official
duty-the execution of warraOts Of
arrest against the muiderers Of Mr.
STEVENS. ..Js
THE WORK OF DEATH. Ii
The prisoners were taken to place
known as the hanging ground, in the
vicinity Of the jail, where the work Of
death commenced, as subsequent events
show. s.',' -,
ANDY TEompson and Syivarus Wright
were found hanging by the neck to the
limbs ofa tree, whilst under ths tree
lay the dead bodies oil Bill Finehsr,