Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-01-28

OnlCeu OLaLeS OOVeTHlDeDL LO LIiaI ~" 6i'en
by law to the Cherokee, Choctaw and Semi
mole Indians.
THE TROUBLES IN EDGEFIELD.
The Edgefeld advertiser furnishes the fol-
lowing in regard to the burning of Gen. But
ler's house in that county, reference to which
was made in the issue of the ENQUIRER of
last week:
As most of our readers are already aware,
the lawlessness and malice Of the negroes in
Merriwether township have eliminated in
their burning the house and home of our pa
triotic and beloved fellow-citizen, Gen. M. G.
Butler. This occurred week ago-on We'd
nesday night, the 18th instant. Gen. Butler
at the time was in Augusta, ten miles distant.
The fire was discovered between nine and ten
o'clock Mrs. Butler had not retired to bed,
but her four children had The eldest son is
away at school. She had scarcely time t. get
them up and out-not moment to save even
the most treasured heirloom. Everything was
lost-not on y furniture, books, law library,
&C., but even jewelry and silver-much of it
old and handsome. Gen. Buffers loss is enor-
nous, and our whole county is moved with
sympathy, and with Indignation at his misfor
tune. Before the house fell init WAS built
very high off the ground-the faggots and
splnters of lightwood, placed by the incen'
diary we're discovered. The nearest neigh
bors are mile or mile and half off. Be-
fore they could reach the scene, the work of
destruction was complete. Gen. Butler and
his family will reside in our town until their
house sha,l be rebuilt.
Mrs. Conway Mason's handsome residence,
in the Gilga section of Edgeicld county, was
burned between three and four o'clock, Mon
day morning, 1lth instant. This was also
manifstly the work of an incendiary. Mrs.
Mason's loss is. between $4,000 and $4,000,
hardly anything being saved from the build
ing. Mrs and Miss Lanier, who were visiting
Mrs. Mason at the time, experienced loss of
fully FIVE hundred dollars
Circumstances pointed unerring ly to the
fact that an incendiary had been at work at
Gen. Buffers house. A pile of lightwood
shavings and other combustible materials,
found under one corner of the burning build
ing, showed how the fire had been communica-
ted. A negro man had been seen lurking
about the premises during the day, and suspi
cion was at once directed to him. On the
night of the 18th, party Of gentlemen called
at the house of the suspected negro, who, how
ever, fled at their approach. Several shots
were fired at him, but apparently without ef:
feet. He was afterward arrested, and con-
fessed that he had set fire to Gen. Buffers
house, having been hired to do so by Ned
Tennent. Upon this information Gen. Butler
had warrant issued, Monday, for Tennent's
arrest The warrant was placed in the hands
of constables, all colored, who proceeded in
quest of Tennent. The latter, however, re-
sisted. He and his partisans turned their
weapons on the officers, and declared their de-
termination not to he arrested, either by
black or white.
The officers then applied to Gen. Butler to
raise posse to assist them in arresting len.
nent, and Gen. Butler, with eight or ten of
his neighbors, went on Tuesday with the off.
GERS to find him and serve the warrant. While
passing along road in the afternoon, the
party was suddenly fired on from an ambush,
when they returned the fire. A number of
negroes among them Ned Tennent-.etreat-
ed from the bushes under fire from the posse
and escaped. The officers captured several
army guns which had heen left behind, with
bayonets fixed on them. The officers and
posse finding it impossible to capture Tennent
that evening, returned to the point from
whence they started. When the negroes who
we're in ambush, Tuesday, fed 50 hastily, they
left behind several guns and bayonets. These
proved to be the same distributed to Tennent's
militia at Edge6eld Courthouse by Col. Cain,
and which Gov. Chamberlain promised the
committee should be returned to the custody
of the State without delay.
On Tuesday night, as Mr.. Joseph Merri-
welher was leaving DIR. McKie's house, ten or
fifteen shots were fired at him. DR.. McKie
himself WAS called to some negroes who were
wounded in the skirmish reported above. On
his return he reported that he had seen three
wounded negroes, two of whom were mortally
hurt. As he was returning along the highway
he was fired upon twice. One of the balls
went through his pants near the hip, and the
other struck his horse back of the saddle, Sc
riously wounding the animal When it is re-
membered that DR.. McKie had gone to see
the negroes at their own request, and that it
was on his return from this errand Of mercy
that his life was put in such danger by the
friends of the wounded men, the savage char
acter of Tennent and his adherents stand out
in bold relief.
The following dispatch was received in Au-
gusta on Tuesday,:
ToL 4. Ransom, Esq. The ball has
opened. Assemble all the men you can and
come Immediately. In haste.
A. P. BUTLER.
Mr.. Ransom is member of the Sweetwater
or Currytown Sabre Club. In response to
the note he proceeded at once to Gen. Buffers
place with other members of the company.
On Wednesday, about noon, another courier
arrived with request for further reinforce
ments A number ofyoung men Immediately
left for the scene of action, and several others
followed later in the afternoon.
A gentleman who arrived in Augusta on
Wednesday evening, travelled right through
the disturbed neighborhood. Up to that time
no other collisions than those reported above
had occurred that he heard of. He was chal-
lenged twice on the road by armed squads of
Tennent's militia. They had breech.loading
guns He confirmed the news that the whole
neighborhood was arming, and that serious
apprehensions were felt that fight would en-
sue whenever another effort was made to ar
rest Tennent.
On Thursday last, Judge Mackey visited
Edgefeld for the purpose of investigating
the cause of the troubles The PAenir, Of
Sunday, gives the following as the condition
of affairs at the latest advices;
"Dr. Barker returned yesterday, from a
visited to Edge6eld Courthouse, and also to
Augusta, Ca, where he had an interview with