Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-03-17
Disturbance at Chester.


We copy tho following account of the dis.
turbancu at Chester from the Columbia Jnton
of the 9th instant:
Regarding the recent difficulties in Chester
county, the following statcmcnthas been fur
nished by civil officer Of that county as be-
ing the unqualified truth, and which We have
been requested to publish The statement
as given to us, says the present serious Giii
Guilty was commenced about two weeks ago
BY body Of disguised nlcn in the upper part
OF tho county, who went to the houses Of
three colorcd men, took them out and beat
theu: badly, and took from their houses three
muskcts belonging to the State, the men hca
ten being members Of Que Of the militia
companies.
The matter having been reported to the
captain OF the company, on the following day
he went unarmcd to the house OF one f.
Crawford, who he suspected of being one
of the parties who took the arms and there
found the guns in brnkcn and useless con.
di;ion, which guns he carripd away
Matters remained pretty much in quiet
st tie until last Saturday night, when another
body of disguised men attacked the house Of
jim Woods, coorcd man, who having been
Informed of such intent, had got three or
four friends in the house with him that
when the house was Cred into these men took
to the woods, whore they sccrctnd themselves
until the attacking party withdrew, whcn
they followed aud tircd Upon them killing the
horse of one, wounding one man severely
and, from accounts received, it is supposed
that others Of the party were wounded, and
scvera, ofthcir masks and cloaks were captured.
That on the following Sunday night (mst, J
the party came back again in larger force and
attacked the same house, and were again re.
pulsed, and that on Monday morning, the
members Of the company of militia, (these
attacks having all been made upon tAclu)
came to the Major of tho regiment, in the
town of Chester, for more ammunition, which
he gave them.
At this time, it is stated, much excite.
ment existed in the town, and the lnt,nGant
called upon the Major, (who is a white ma.
tive of the place, and agreed that if he, tic
Major would get the colorcd men to leave
tho town, he, the Intendant, and the citizens,
would guarantee that nothing should happen,
and under this understanding the miiii, of
tho county, NJ no had gathered there to a cou
siderable number, did leave.
On Monday night the citizens were noti
prchcns;ons of fire being felt, and the Major
Of tho regiment reported, with some Of the
colored militia, for duty with the rest, which
he subsequently learned was a rusc to gain
time, for upon returning from his duty, and
after all Of his men had returned to their
homes, the Major met bodies of armed stran-
gers about the town, and when the night
train came down it brought an armed squad
frnp R.,o1r t,,N No.1 Il ,
who is supposed to DC the leader Of the gang.
Upon this the Major got together ten or fif-
teen men with the intention Of staying by
his house.
Tuesday morning, at o'clock, the Intcn
dant promised the Major that nothing should
happen, and in ten minutes afterwards an
attack was begun at the depot, by the parties
from Rock Hill, which attack was rcpulScd,
one colorcd man being slightly wounded,
when it was believed there would be no far
trouble; but when the 8 O. clock morning train
arrived, it brought from Winnsboro about fifty
armed men, who got off at the depot. The Ma
jor Of the regiment then collected near his house
company of the militia, having before this,
tclcgraphed to the Governor, as to what course
to pursue.
at daybreak an agreement was entered in.
to, that the company Of militia was to 90 be-
yond tho lmits of tho town, and that the
collection Of armed whites should leave, which
was carried out, and the Major of the regiment
referred TO, Mr.. j. G. Rcistcr, who is also
Clerk of tho Court Of that county, and one
Of the Town Council came to Columbia to
confor with the Governor.
Yesterday morning, Major Rci$tcr rccoiv.
ed dispatch from his vito, stating that on
Iki> s,.lk l. \ !. 1
| visited his house, during his absence at Co.
|1lumbia, and completely gutted it. ,,.lls,a
This is the statement received by us. We
learn that company of tho 18th United
Sthtcs Infantry started for the scone of dis
turbanco yesterday: T. ,,l ..l .aI g.
| DeA. The cheese manufacture of New Yorl
| is growing to'stupendous proportions Twelve
hubdred factories arc now in operation ia ak
ing ono million pesnac Jear!y.