The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-03-15

1t is strongly suspected oy Illis conuuuiIy
that Captain Christopher has apprehensions.
Indeed it is said that he has confessed his In
ability to sleep o'nights from fear of "war's
alarlms," while by day everybody knows that
his bump Of caution is represented by a
| guard of FIVE men and sergeant, who never
leave his side while he walks. Colonel wilson,
| a prominent lawyer here, and the sheriff took
occasion to tell him that he was as safe as any
man we'll could be-that the people welcomed
the presence of the troops as friends and
allies, and that he: was in no conceivable dam
ger, except from an up-country earthquake;
| but the officer remarked that he 'tet better
among his men,"
The X. KS have evidently demoralized one
microscopic corner Of the United States army,
and found another superstitious victim of
| their CORY locks.
The literary efforts Of the captain in making
it appear that the roads were picketed by
Ku-Klux have already been published. They
simply illustrate his fears. A portion OF the
citizens who assembled for the protection of
their homes and the homes Of their neighbors
respond as follows: I'VE may remark, paren-
theticaly, that one of the signers of this paper,
Mr.. P. s. Russell, is Republican, who ls said,
by Treasurer Rose, to have been visited by
the X. KS and to have suffered at their
hands.l
In the "Daily Union," Of Friday morning,
10th, we notice two communications purport-
ing to be from one John Christopher, captain
18th United States 1nfantry-one to the Gov
ernor of South Carolina, and the other 10 the
sheriff of York County. In both OF which he
asserts that the arms taken from the negro
militia company from "Carmel Hill" by the
sheriff and Ills posse, on the afternoon OF the
9Th, were used on the same night in picketing
the roads leading to Yorkyille, for the purpose
of preventing the prisoners from whom the
arms were taken from reaching their homes In
case Of their discharge; and that the guards
upon the roads consisted of the same Illegal,
unknown and armed band that made the raid
upon the office of the county treasurer"
Such a statement emaaatiDg from an officer
In the United States army, Ia class OF men who
heretofore have been presumed to preserve
the Instincts of gentlemen, and-to be able to
speak the truth. may, despite the known and
gross eXagSerations Of which we have been
the victims, gain credencein certain quarters;
we, therefore, In justice to ourselves, deem 1t
proper to make simple and truthful state
ment of the facts. On the evening of the 9Th,
some citizens Of Our town were notified BY
several of their friends, living six r;eigbt
miles below Yorkville, that they and their
families were threatened with an attack from
IN armed band of negroes, composed In part
of the company of Jim Williams, who had
been hung by parties unknown two nights be-
fore. A party of fourteen or fifteen, to which
we belonged at once started to the assistance
of our friends. We were joined by others on
the route who had been similarly notified,
and arrived during the night at the scene Of
the threatened disturbance. Owing to our
presence, no attack was made, though we have
positive evidence from y gentleman living in
the Immediate neighboraood that The negroes
were assembled in numbers on his plantation
during the night. The body of Jim Williams
was Kept unburied, evidently with the inten-
tier of making it rallylng point for the at
tack upon the whites. The coroner Of the
county, when he proceeded with his jury. the
day before, to hold an Inquest on the body OF
Jim Williams, found an armed. band of fifty or
sixty negroes upon the ground, aud it was at
ther personal peril that the Inquest was held.
In preventing the threatened attack, In this
instance at least, we were conservatorS OF The
peace. instead OF violators ofthe law.
During the night, one of the leutenants OF
jim Wllllans's company. one Tins by name.
came 10 o,tr party. and voluntarily informed
as where we would ind some Of the arms be-
nosIIed with him, and asked that they be
taken to the sheriff, which was done.
Towards morning on the 9th, we started to
Yorkville. where we arrived after daylight.
Passing directly In front of the camp OF the
garrison. we were halted and questioned by
Captain Christopher. This eX >lains the pick
citing so nervously described, aud is simple
statement OF the case. That we were an illegal
band we emphatically deny, for we were
without regular Organization, without dis
ouise, and were engaged In the defence of the
lives not only OF our friends, oilt OF their helD,
for assistance; had we neglected this highest
and most sacred of duties, we would have
been unworthy of the name OF men. That we
were an 'unknown" band, the list of names
In Captain John C.'s possession, and the sigma
lures to this communication, sufficiently dis
prove.
That we were the 'ssame band that made the
raid upon the office Of the county treasurer"
we pronounce to be talsehood-a ialsehood
as black and Infamous as the heart from which
it emauated-aud we challenge the proof.
Ii Captain Jno. Christopher feels himself az.
grieved ~ the foregoing remarks, we have
only to say that we are personally and indi-
vidually responsible for what we nave SAD
We acted as Individuals, without organization,
In going to the assistance Of our frienGsr and
as individuals we hold ourselves responsible
for our action.
We deplere the present troubled condition
of our county, and If by any effort OF ours the
peace of former days could be restored,
that effort would not be wanting. But while
ignorance sits in high places, and bad and
designing men hold sway, who would accom-:
pllsE tieir own selfish designs at the cost VI
their country's rain, we are well nigh tempted
70 '!Despair OF the Republic"
We profess to be law-abidng citizens, and
as long rs there Is a semblance OF law In our
midst we are ready to uphold and support It,
Signed: w. H. Colcock, J. J. w. Tonllnson,
E. E. McCaffrey, R. B. McLain, K. D. Owens,
Calvin Parish, Edward Graham, W. B. Wilson,
Jr., D. S. RUSSELL Geo. Steele, Porter Good, j.
P. Harndon.
In conclusion, we have only to say that The
best men of York and Chester agree as 10 the
proptiety Of removing the arms now in the
hands Of the militia, and they i've reason 10
believe that it will be done. Remove the
thorn in the flesh, and tie wound will heal.
WARWICK.
Since receiving the above letter we learn
that on Saturday the Governor concluded to
recall the arms in the hands Of the militia in
Chester, and Captain Kennety,'ot the adju-
tant generals department, proceeded to the
locality by the p NJ. train, for the purpose of
carrying out the instructions of his Excel
lency.
We also learn that three companies of United
States troops arrived Saturday at P. NJ. from
Atlanta one company of which was immedi-