Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-09-18
4 RIOT AND STABBING AFFRAY.

about o'clock, P. NJ, last Saturday, and
night was made hideous by lot Of drunken
colored men, who de6ed the authorities and
brandished their pistols, cursing and swearing
that they could not and would not be arrest
ed. All this occurred in front of the dwelling
of Col. j. L. Young, one of the most respect
able citizens of our place, and within hearing
of his wife and children. This of itself was
an outrage; but when our efficient Town
Marshal, Mr.. John Faucet, interfered to
stop the disgraceful scene, these infuriated
beings set upon him and de6ed his power and
authority. In attempting to arrest Rube
Bates, who appeared to be the main leader of
the rioting crowd, desperate fellow by the
name of Sam Harris undertook to interfere
and seized the Marshals mace. Finding
himself unable to cope with such number,
Mr.. Faucet called upon Mr.. Greer, Deputy
Sheriff of the county, to assist him. Mr.. G.
promptly responded and pushed his way
through the crowd to Mr.. F's side. Seeing
the danger, Mr.. G. seized the town marshal's
mace and foored Bates and Harris. Harris
rose again and drew his knife and cut Mr.
Greer. Mr.. Faucet seeing the movement,
told G.. that he was cut. This was the first
knowledge Mr.. Greer had that he had been
stabbed. The blood began to show on his
shirt bosom, and seeing it, the crowd of ne
groes began to give way. On examining Mr.
Greer it was found that he had been stabbed
badly in the breast, the knife entering just
below the collar bone and passing down about
three inches, making a severe, though not
mortal wound. Harris skunk away from the
crowd as soon as he committed the deed
Mr.. Greer was taken to Drs. Moore & Dob
sons store and had his wound dressed. Up
to last night he had not been able to leave
his bed.
One of the rioters, Rock johnson, was ar
rested and lodged in Jail that night, which
caused much excitement among the colored
people, and Silas Hawkins, Trial Justice, and
Elijah Meng undertook to forcibly enter the
jail and liberate him. In this they were foil
ed by two or three peaceable colored men, who
prevented Hawkins entrance Hawkins &C.
ted in most riotous manner for peace Off
Ger, proving himself entirely unworthy the
position he occupies, and ignorant of the du-
ties of his office. The next morning, (Sunday,)
Elijah Meng, Rube Bates and Sam Harris,
the leaders of the row, were arrested. The
two Bateses we're released, but Harris is still
in JAIL This fellow Harris is a desperate
character, having seriously cut two colored
men before.
We are reliably informed that when the row
commenced, June Mobley, the County Audi
tor, was among the crowd, and was seen to
draw his pistol and afterwards replace it.
Hawkins is Mobleys Trial Justice, and Mob
ley is Governor Moses pet in this county.
Through Mobley's influence, Hawkins was
appointed.
After the fight was over, Mr.. Faucet dis.
covered that his coat had been cut, evidently
by some one who intended to stab him below
the ribs.
Whether this row was gotten up to unite
the colored people in opposition to the Dem
ocratic ticket at the election on the following
Monday, or was solely the result of drinking
whiskey, is not certainly known, but the fact
that number of leaders of the colored men
were in it, and used no influence to quell the
disturbance, gives strong presumptive evidence
that it was gotten up for some purpose.
If about four colored men we could name
could be induced to leave this county, or 60
to work like honest men and get an honest
living, instead of seeking official position for
support, we could be certain of perfect quiet
and harmony in Union.-Union Times, 18th
instant. -.