Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-09-16
From the Clinton (Mlss.l Clarion, Sept. 6.
THE MISSISSIPPI RIOT.

delivered at lie Soto. 81. To.
From the Clinton (Mlss.) Clarion, sept.6.
THE MISSISSIPPI RIOT.
For several weeks it has been understood
that there would be Radical mass meeting
and barbecue at Clinton, on Saturday last, 4th
instant, to which everybody, however, was in.
vited to be present, irrespective Of party" or
race. It was largely attended by negroes,
there being fully two thousand present, who
had gathered from every section of the coun-
ty. Besides halfa dozen or more white Rad.
icals there we're probably twenty other white
men. 1t is said that as the negroes marched
through Clinton they were singing songs to
the effect that they were going ITO bury Clin.
ton and kill Democracy" that day.
THE GROUNDS
The barbecue was given in grove about
three.quarters of mile west Of Clinton. 1t
is bounded on the north by the Chiffon place,
on the south by the railroad (runnlng through
cut about twenty feet deep) east by public
road, and west by very small branch down
steep hill From the Chiffon place to the
railroad is about eight hundred yards, and
from the public road to the branch about
nine hundred yards. The speakers stand
was very nearly the centre of the grove, p.ob-
ably little south and west of the centre.
We are thus particular about the grounds so
that our readers may fully understand the
whole affair. The speaking had progressed
considerably. Judge A. R. Johnston, Demo-
cratic. Conservative nominee for the State
Senate, had concluded bis address, and Capt
IN cxl. Ill,
publican,) had been speaking probably ten or
fifteen minutes. A party ofeight or ten gen.
tlemen having sent to Clinton for bottle of
whisky while Judge johnson was speaking, and
not caring to hear Capt. Fisher, left the grounds
to take social drink. They walked down
the hill, crossed the little branch (Which was
about two hundred and fifty or three hundred
yards from the stand) to the west side about
ten feet. Here there we're twenty or more
small cotton wood or willow trees, but no un-
dergrowth whatever, and the limbs of the
small trees were from ten to fifteen feet above
the ground. On the east side of the branch,
we will say, there is an open place extending
to the foot of the hill. This opening is not
more than twenty yards wide.
ONE ACCOUNT OF THE DIFFICULTY.
When they stopped and were drinking,
half dozen or more negroes, headed by one
who claimed to be sort of committeeman, ap.
preached them. The leader said that they
could not drink there. They replied that they
had left the grounds on purpose not to violate
the rules, and that they we're far enough
away. They were then ordered, in an insult
ing tone, to 60 further. They declined to do
so, and one of them raised the bottle to bis
lips. The committeeman jerked it away from
him and was Immediately knocked down BY
the gentleman from whom he took the bottle,
and the fight was commenced by the negroes
who accompanied the leader, firing into the
party of gentlemen.
ANOTHER STATEMENT
made by a colored man, and corroborated by
several white persons, is that difficulty COM
menced near the stand, by remark which
was made by white man on the speech OF
Capt. Fisher which was resented by colored
man. A fight between them ensued. The
companions of the white man bore him rapid.
" away down to the branch. The colored
man and number of others of his race press
ed down upon them, the colored man swearing
1hatthe "damn white man should not hit him
and live" Charles Caldwell, ST., the State
Senator, attempted to interfere and stop the
difficulty, without avail. The white man was
pushed across the branch, the negroes still
pursuing, leaped over the branch, and were IN
the act Of graphing the white man, when '''''-
THE FIGHT BEGAN.
The white men drew their pistols and return
ed the fire, and two of the negroes fell dead
side by side. One of them was the leader OF
the party. The white blood was up. They
iumoed the branch, crossed the open place,
and charged the retreating negroes. The ne
groes returned volley for volley, and without
effect. A number of negroes we're wounded
but how many is not known. AS the charg-
ing party mounted the hilltop, the whole
mass meeting broke and ran, leaving wagons,
horses mules, chairs hats and coats. They
scattered in every direction, as if regiment
of cavalry was coming over the hill. When
the whites reached the top Of the bill, they
found that, in the excitement Of the charge,
they had emptied their pistols, and had no
more ammunition. They bore off to the
south of the stand and toward the railroad
cut While they were executing this move
ment promiscuous firing had begun immedl'
ately around the stand, between the few whites
there and the negroes. When the party had
gotten directly south of and about fifty yards
from the speakers stand, they we're joined oy
the other white men, not more than ten in
number. They were then moving little
south of east, to get into the railroad cut and
to the public road leading to Clinton, where
it crosses the railroad.
THE RALLY OF THE NEGROES.
When this movement began the cry rang
out among the negroes: "Kill the damned
white men, they are running; )" "Rally, rs'iy,
Republicans" "Charge 'um," &c. About
three hundred negroes responded to the call,
and led on by the Wilburns, young Caldwell
and Others they pursued, keeping up an In
cessant fire upon the whites. The white men
had now reached small open field which
skirts along the railroad. Quite number of
them were wounded. Up to this time the re.
treat had been covered by few who had
ioined the party from the stand, but BY the
time they had reached the railroad, these also
had exhausted the loads in their pistols, ex-
cept one who had reserved his fire.
THE CROSSING REACHED. ....
The gentleman with the loaded pistol took
his stand upon it, and that one pistol saved
a.. H., - kLo ,hol rfy 1uho mono foptu.