The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-09-16
The Shooting of Joseph Crews.

The shooting OF Joseph LreWS.
On the Sth inst Joseph Crews and Charles
Bollin started from Laurens to NcwbcrTy III
a buggy early in the morning, SO that they
reached McCoy's branch, four miles from
L;,urens, about six Il. III. AT this point they
were fired upon by two men III ambush
with slot guns. Two shots were fired, only
one of which took eiIcct-lodging five lex
shot in Mr. Crews back and one in Mr.
Bollin's shoulder blade. 1t is thought they
expected the horse to be watcrcd at this
branch, so that they would get sure shot
at Crews but when the buggy did not stop
they fired and SO struck both the men, as
soon as shot, Crews fell over in the buggy
and exclaimed, Great God, Charlie, am
killed" Neither Of the men in ambush
were recognized, and there is no clue what
ever to who were the perpetrators-even the
mail rider, who passed there some half hour
before the shooting and saw two men i'll
fence corner could not tell whether they
were white or black At last accounts the
lower portion of Mr.. Crews body and his
limbs were paralyzed, and was not thought
possible for him to live. Mr.. Bollin was not
seriously hurt, Only one ball has been
found and extracted from Crews, leaving
four whose depth and location are unknown.
We regret this occurrence, as one, the ten
dcncy of which is to introduce violence and
hot tl,n ronI t,np,1o ,,f
Laurens have suffered much in consequence
of the conduct of the man who has ut last
fallen victim to the system of lawlessncSs
he has so disastrousy introduced. We
know that their property has been destroyed,
their homes invaded, their liberties taken
from them by perured witnesses, and in
some instances the lives of unotlcnding citi-
zens destroyed by the ruffians, who if not
prompted to these deeds of villany by their
acknowledged leader were at least encoll-
ragged in their disordcrly opposition to their
white neighbors, which lead to the terrible
troubles, which like fierce plague, have in
ficted blight upon the happiness and a
ruin of the prosperity of this county. But,
while this is true we cannot but dcplore any
semblance of disorder, especially ct this
juncture of political affairs, when every act
of violence, however much provoked, is
magnified into vast political insurrection,
to be used abroad as capital against us. The
practice of assassination is one that is un-
iustifable, either in political or moral law,
and should not be practiccd, however great
the aggravation. We hope our people will
continue to exercise that noble torbearance
which has characterized them for the last
fifteen years. 1t presents to the world fit
example of the moral grandeur of the South
crn character. The end of our troubles is at
distant when the mighty arm ofjusticc will
be raised III our Courts of law TO measure
out condgn punishment to those who have
so long run riot over the peace and prospcri-
tv of our State The shooting of Mr.. Crews
shows that there is danger to those who per-
sist in crime, even if they have scrvilc con-
troll of the law in their localities. The out
ragged sentiments of community will have
vengeance if the law fails to give them even
a hearing in the Courts, and this example
should be warning to those who attempt
by political power to avoid the responsibility
of crimes of the gravcst nature. We have
no doubt that the extraordinary conduct OF
Judge Mackcy in granting bail to all those
charged with the murder of DR.. Shell had
much to do in producing the feeling that
the only resource left to the citizens Of La'l-
rens to punish Crews for crime was to resort
to assassination, and thus put him beyond
the reach Of J[abcas Corpus. The Un'on-
UvaM thinks it the result of the Grccnvillc
conspiracy, but we think it entirely unwar-
rantcd. There was an effort to bring about
a trial of the parties accused of the murder
of DR.. Shell, and those efforts were thwarted
and no hearing allowed, and if in the exas-
pcration at this result some individual took
the life of the leader Of the accused parties,
however much the violence is to be regretted,
it is not surprising, and does not warrant
the charge of q conspiracy.
Since writing the above we are informed,
upon what we consider good authority, that
Joseph Crows died at II o'clock on Monday
night