The New York herald., 1876-10-30
REroRr OF TRIAL JUSTICE OF BARNwELL
COUNTY on THE ELLENroN RIOT

COUNTY on THE ELLENToN RIOT.
RoRnixs' STATION Oct. l6, 1876
N. A. Patterson, trial justice, OF Barnwel county,
has addressed long communication 10 Governor
Chamberlain regarding tho disturbances by The me-
groes, which have been contorted by Inscriptions
partlsans into outrages by the whites send you the
following extracts from this important document In.
cludng u description Of the famous El!enton riots
upon which 30 much stress has been by republican
officials. Tho Justice says
AS my Office at this point is in the region of the
recent disturbance, known the sEcnton RIOTS y /
consider my official duty 20 report TO your ExceiIency
the cause and progress the extent oil damage
loss OF lifo &C., that occurred IN the SAID riots.
ORIGIN or THE TROUBLE.
Two negro republicans, near Siiverton IN Aiken
beat Mrs. Harley, helpless invalid the 18th uit.
They also beat her hcIpcsx little son and robbed tho
upon her assaants, who fed. Soon tho injured hus-
baud returned aud upon learning the outrage he with
neighb0rs, pursued the outlaws. They captured
one Peter Williams and brought him to Mr. Harlcy's
where he was dcnuaed by Mrs Harley as her assail-
ant. Ho attempted to escape, wins iircd upon and
wounded. The injured husband hastcnod TO the
est justice and obnincd warrant OF arrest Tor
Frederick Pope the other perpcirator. Learning that
body OF armed blacks with the outlaw Rouse's
Bridge and that they intended resistance the arrest
the constable called the posse conitatus OF
Aiken county 10 aid In the arrest This 1t was his
duty to do according TO the laws OF South Carolina
on the 18th OF September the posse and constable
wcrc moving peacefully along the highway without
ired upon by the negroes, who were hid
ambush.
The whites procured a white flag and sent mes.
sepgcr The negroes TO inform them that tho whites
were a Iawful and peaceful mission and to ask
conference Tho negroes showed great reluctance 10
respond. II only after several efforts that the
whites could induce conference Az last tho negroes
them. They informed the constable that the out
law Frederick Pope was not with them. Then both
blacks and whites agreed to dspersc aud 20 10 their
homes. The white posse was disbandcd, and returned
accordingly in different directions.
nAor Sas.sa ~tn,t A~A
O'Clock Thirteen members OF tho dispersed posse
were crossing the ..Doubc BRIDGE the same
stream, few miles below Rousc's Bridge about DARK
Thinking the negroes sincere IN their terms OF peace
ctizens had no idea OF an attack AZ the Double
Bridge the swamp Is very large and formidable. As
these whites we're riding quietly along IN small squads
they suddenly ncard the words from tho thick swamp
around Halt halt. haiti men, tell you"
rho negroes then bred several voIeys into the whter
The attack was sudden under cover OF night and IN
deep swamp. The whites found safety IN the. speed
Of their horses. As they were rctrcatng n few re-
turned the fire OF the negroes, killing Basil Bryant
who led tho attack, and wounding one Hamilton; scv-
erai whites also wounded, the remainder barely
escaping with their !iycs.
Tho Justice then proceeds 10 recount a variety OF
awcss pcrpctratcd by tac negroes including tho
burning OF houses and baths, the killing OF ono
Williams and tho wreckipg OF train on the Port Royal
Railroad, and then proceeds to describe tho
sLLgxrox RIOT.
ON Monday morning. the 18th OF September, e. r.
Cokcr lct his home IN BarnwcIi county, and, at tho
village, in Aiken county, about eight miles distant
). +. cokcr tho negro member OF the Legislature
who NJ the recent County Convention Of tho rcpnbi
can party, was chosen chairman OF the Convention.
being tho most popular man IN the county among tho
republicans CoKcr's armed mob OF about 400
grocs marched into E,lcnon about eight O'Clock. The
negroes all well armed many having the i'm
proved needle, brecch- loading riiie; Springfield, En-
cid and Winchester rifles They searched the stores
OF Ellcnton Tor arms and ammunition, and took away
the sidcarms from the few white people who hvc
there. Tho whites put their women and children up
stairs In The largest building town or safety Whom
'ady child would happen TO show their face IN
a window immediately became the target at which
dozen of Colonel Cokcr's gallant and bravo
militia would aim their rifles. They threatened TO
burn tho town and kill all the whites They sur.
rounded the depot and practiscd the manual oi arms
and all the military manmuvres Captain Parker
Colonel Cokcr's orderly capable OF teaching them
Coker madc an inccndiary speech to the gallant
militia, calling themselves the National Guard OF
South Carolina The yel> OF savage blacks the shrcks
o fainting women, the cries Of helpless infancy nlIcd
tho air. The negroes kept up their rioting dcmcanor
during tho entire day on Monday the 1sih ana until
late IN the evening The frightened whites expected
every moment 10 be their last only the
begging ant cntrcaty saved them and the village.
Colonel Cokcr told the negroes that he conld got
thousand negro troops their aid IRON Beaufort in
twenty-four hours
ACTION or rHx WHITES.
About ten O'Clock sunday night the whites began 10
send out couricrs TO the surrounding country Tho
posse and constable who had gone to Rouscs Bridge
Tor the OF Mrs Harcy's assaiIant, Frederick
Pope, scattered OF different highways iast re-
turning TO their homes. which they were induced 10