The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-06-24
From the Spartanburg Spartan.
Laurens and Her Troubles-Joe. Crews, the
Notorious Sc0undrel, Exposed at Last.

Notorious SCOunuTel, EApOSeu aG Ldst'
On the Sth of November, 1868, party OF
five young men-consisting of DR.. E. G. Shell,
two brothers named Barksdale, and two broth
ers named Hudgins, all residing in the same
neigh hborhood,- were returning on horseback,
after nightfall, from Laurens, where they had
been spending the day. Henry Shell, Esq,
father of Dr. She'll lived just three miles from
Laurens, and the forks of the road are just be-
yond his house. DR.. Shell had concluded to
spend the night with the Hudgins, therefore
the party did not stop at his fathers; but all
rode on to the forks of the road, where the
Barksdales were to turn off towards their home.
Just as the party reached the forks, murder
Gus volley was fired upon them from the fence
corners, and DIR. She'll was instantly killed,
falling from his horse to the ground, while the
horses of the others, several of whom were
slightly wounded, dashed forward, but were
Immediately turned and brought back to the
SPOT where DR.. Shel was lying. The murder
ers Immediately fed, and though every effort
has been made to get to the bottom of the whole
affair, and though a negro acknowledged that
he was present and participated in the murder,
for which, On his own partial confession, he
was sent to the penitentiary, yet the people OF
Laurens have long felt and always believed
that he was simply "scape-goat," and that
when all the circumstances were fully deyel-
oped, it would be found that Joseph Crews had
instigated the murder. Several years ago, a
negro boy, named Adam Epps, died at Lau-
rens, and while he was lying at the point o.. of
death, Joe. Crews remained at his bedside for
considerable length of time-until he died,
as the negroes said, for fear that Adam would
make death-bed confession in regard to the
murder of Dr. Shell. Nothing definite, how
ever, was arrived at until II. G. Alley succeed
ed in arresting Alf Walker and Wright Suli-
van-the first for the murder of Rev. Mr.. Mil
ler, of Union; and the second for q number of
robberies, murders, etc., in which they had
been accomplices. 1t was well known that
these men Especially Wright Sullivan) were
tools of Joe Crews, so they were questioned in
regard to the murder of DR.. She'll Alf Walk
er, who is now about % years old, said: II was
too young when DR.. Shell was killed to have
had anything to do with it," and that he had
commenced his career as pupil of Joe. sabout
the time of the Laurens riot. He says he was
kept in Columbia with Wright Sullivan and q
number of others, as swift witnesses; and that
Crews wanted them to swear to whatever and
against whomsoever he told them. He aeded,
however, that Adam Epps was there when DR..
Shell was killed; that Wright had told him
"he was there and knew all about it, but would
not tell the names, saying, that some of them
were dead, and nearly all gone away"
denied knowing anything of the affair; but
when Alf Walker was carried to Greenville to
testify against him, he became alarmed and
made full confession of all the rascalities and
crimes in which he had been engaged, adding
that he would never have been engaged in any
murder if it had not been for the white men
who induced him and started him in that line.
Wright had always been notorious rascal and
thief, but it is a rare thing for negro to turn
murderer. Doubtless, however, the former
characteristics were the traits which comman-
ded Joe.s admiration for him, and was the
original cause of their friendship for each other.
Another self-confessed witness turns up, in AL
fred Parks, who was also arrested as belonging
to the gang, and we give his and Wrights con-
fession below.
In his first confession, Wright states that
Tuxbury, Adam Crews, John Bolt and Abe
Dial, who are still living, and Adam Epps, Abe
Simmons and Bill Riley, who are dead, (the
two last killed in the Laurcns riot,) were pres
ent; and that Crews put up the whole job, and
paid them to execute it. After the killing
was done the party reported back to Crews, who
was anxiousy expecting them, as ne walked to
and from his house and barn. John Bolt the
ing that he is guilty, as we'll as Crews sent them
to do the job In this way the trouble in Lau-
rens began, the feeling between the two races
being kept up by the ingenuity of Crews, until
it reached climax in the Laurens riot when
for a short time the people in their indignation
threw off the yoke, and nothing'bu the timely
Aipht of the scoundrels saved them from their
just punishment.
Crews is as indefatigable as he is mean and
malicious, and has never let an opportunity,
slip for annoying and prosecuting the people OF
Laurens. After the Laurens riot, he went on
to Washington, and secured from Grant the
use of Brigader General and some six hun
dred troops, with which to subjugate Laurens,
and has always until the present time had
troops at his command to hold her people in
awe. He has literally carried every election
since the war at the point of the bayonet; in
deed, we may say that Laurens has not had
anything but mock election since the war;
He has arrested, hand-cufed and Imprisoned
her citizens, many of them old men; he has
driven many of her best young men from their
homes, and has done the country an injury,
which it will take years to repair. There is
but little doubt, but that at one time he con-
tcmplated assassinating several of her best cltl-
zens, having hired men in New York tor that
purpose, whose confessions, coupled with cir
cumstantial evidence is almost conclusive. 1t
would be impossible for us to enumerate the
wrongs which her people have suffered at his
hands; and in all of his prosecutions he has
been assisted by the Hon. Senator Y. j. T.
Owens, who is as malicious, but not as mean,
simply because he has but little sense. We
thank Providence, however, that the time has at
last arrived when her people can become free
from their hated presence. "The mills of the
Gods grind slowly, but very fne," and we feel
that Joe. has waved the ceptre over Laurens for
his last time. The devil has certainly taken
care of his own so far, or Joe. would have re-
ceived his just reward long before this, we
cannot understand why Joe. and his son Adam
have not been arrested at once; tor we care
but little for the punishment Of his hlrelngs'
or even that of his son, in comparison with our
anxiety to see Justice meted out to the princi-
80 G-A.zs l. as Loroto Earo hnan nr0-