The New York herald., 1874-08-22
The BLACK RIOTS.
Bloodshed and Murder in
South Carolina.
sCENEs OF HORROR.
Feeling Between the Rival
Factions of Negroes.
The Whites Standing Aloof from
the Battle.
GEORGETOWN, S. O., August 10, 1874


GEORGETOWN S. O., August 10, 1874
Georgetown, the scene Of the recent riots among
the negroes, Is one of the negro centres OF South
Carolina. IL is on the northeastern coast oil the
State borders on the Atlantic ocean and is en-
trey cut OF from the rest OF the world oy the
absence OF anything ike railroad or telegraph
wire the nearest railroad depot 70 the county
seat the scene Of the riotlng, IS nifty miles, and the
place can only be reached by means OF stages or
nv water One steamer leaves Charleston every
week for Georgetown. The population OF the
county consists OF q 773 whites and 1883 negroes;
that OF the town is made up Of 7s whites and
a77a negroes The great preponderance OF the
negro population may oe accounted ior oy the fact
that Georgetown is the great rice grow ing region
of the Carolinas and only negroes can live on rice
plantations.
The riot was the result OF the peculiar teachings
OF the political leaders OF the negroes, and has
far been confined entirely to the wards OF the
nation. There are very few white republicans in
+he county, and these are made to take back
seats in the distribution OF political profts and
honors. The opposing factions are led respect
lively by Jones and Bowley, two negroes both
members OF the State Legislature and both for
eign negroes W. II. Jones Is short, sharp
negro. who came to the STATE at the close OF the
war without a shirt TO his back. He IL now
state Senator, is worth about 100000 and
commands the militia in his county. James A.
Bowley Is also Northern negro, who ''immi-
gratedn at the close OF the war without dollar
in his pocket and who is worth now not less than
100000 The legitimate salaries OF these two
gentlemen are inst 5000 each per annum, and they
have each been serving the State about SIX years.
When the
CANVASS FOR THE COMING STATE ELECTION
opened both of these worthless were ANXIOUS to
control the votes OF their county and they once
went TO work to secure the desired end. In tns
state to canvass means to go out on the planta-
tions with the unettered negroes and hold mid
night orgies with them the guise Of religious
prayer meetings. severa. times in the progress OF
the canvass the Jonestes and Bowleyites met, and
ss often was there real plantation fight. When
the time for calling the County Nominating Conven-
ton arrived the negro poppulasion POP men and ND
hustings, and not only vote, but fight like devils
for their iavorite candidates., was worked up in
frenzied state OF excitement, Which had its nat
BLOODY SCENES
that followed. Jones and Bowley both claimed to
be the County Chairman, and each called q con-
venuon. The Bowley convention was to meet at
twelve O'Clock on the 1lth, the Jones convention
hour ar the usnal concomltants Of republican con.
ventons IN South Carolina were at hand. The
armed negro militia. drum and nie and a
And the Bowey Convention proceeded TO business.
Things progressed very smoothly until negro
who nails from Jamaica, and who rejoices IN the
sne oi the lesser lights that revolve around the
dozen pistols were at once hauled out and the
carcass Of Upper Top. BY miracle he escaped
with slight wound; but several bystanders were
mortarly wounded, and o stampede ensued. Upper
TOP tried to beat a retreat through the second
story window, but an industrious Bowieyite de-
ise down with chair. In another moment he
would probably have been torn to pieces by the In
iuriated mob but inst at this jpncsIre the Jones
Aght were adjourned 20 the streets, where
.. ss sd1s ns'Tss Ts ~ & ssssn
Or Two shot, shots the mSos separated and tSs
r In se meantime she nO
70 work, runners were despatched to the
surrounding plantations and by night the negroes
had swarmed into the town, which was now
entirely at their mercy. The handful OF white
citizens who 1--we there abstained from any inter.
ference The militia were composed entirely OF
negroes, as Is the case a. over lhe State and took
IN active part IN the night but dd not attempt 70
the Sheriff we're poweriess, and when the sun
A NIGHT OF HORROR BEGAN.
The negro men were armed with sxteen-shooter
rides, furnished BY the State, and they kept up
sne other. The women, armed with rice hooks "a
Kind ofscytne), pickaxes and shovels, joined in
shrleks and curses The scene beggars descrip-
tion. 1t can only be imagined by one who has
been IN the wlds OF Ethiopia or on the seacoaSt OF
Boutn Carolina About eleven O'Clock in the night
the Bowley negroes surrounded the residence Of
yones and opened hre upon IT. with their rines Tns
managed TO keep them at distance, but they
concealed themselves behind trees ana fences and
kept up a continuous flsilade until daybreak.
In the meantime the inmates had barrcaded the
doors and windows with lot OF legislative re-
ports, the printing OF which cost the state be-
tween $500 600 and 100000 annually, and TO tbes
barricades they probably owed their lives The
morning revealed terrible sight. Jones and two
OF his companions were wounded, and the house
was literally riddled with bullet holes. On Thurs
THE JONES MOB aArIIEp IN FORCE
and drove the Bowleyltes IRON the town. band
% sssFo we%sn ,e oI The assault
belongs 70 Bowles, and IN winch were himself mis-
e and aeea I'm ney aTn The with
short wor. Of me inmates had they
trance. Bowley surrendered himself to the sheriff
And was locked up in JAN 70 save his life rom the
day Thursday and all day Friday By Friday hight ii
Jones managed to get his militia in hand, and
prisoners IN the meantime the mob sui con. on
unued TO hold thetown, and the reign ol terror
threatened every moment TO become
REIGN OF BIOODsHBD.
Jones began TO nnd the place too hot for him.
incarcsrated, 6ocked 10 the town in numbers and
swore with fearful oaths that they wonld iDeratt
him or murder every one Of the Inhabitants
Every hour brought reinforcements TO the scene
The Jones faction, equally fnfuriated at the attach
on the residence Of their leader, swore that they
would burn Bowey's house, and II they could az
L ID no other way tney would burn the whole
Town. The whites who own eli the property II
the town, fearing that this threat would b'
carried into execution, sent special messenger
to General Vogdes commanding the United
states troops stationed ct Charleston beggins
a detQclmeut
and property. General vOqdes replied that nt
could not do 80 without she orders OF the Presi
dent The Collector Of the PORT at Georgetown
had also sent to the collector a. Charleston
request 70 despatch the United States revenue
cutter 70 protect the property OF the gov
rnment This request was compiled with
and on Sunday evening the cutter carrying three
guns and manned by thirty marines, sailed for the
scene o. she disturbance On Monday morning