The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-07-20

no iuethef Steps 70 Chuhe tueH REepehpe
IN IA court on account Of the excitement
and the evidences Of an impending con-
1ict. While Attain were In this condi-l
ton, there being, according to all no:
counts, from 200 70 800 armed white men
from the surrounding country in the
town, demand was made by the whites
for the surrender TO them Of the arms Of
the militia, An hour or two passed In
negotiations concerning this demand, the |
whites informing the militia company
that il the arms were not given up in q
short time-most Of the Witnesses say in
half hour-the whites would open fire
on the militia. The militia refused to
deliver up their arms, saying that the dc.
mand was wholly unwarranted and ille-
gal, and that they had reason to fear for
their lives il they gave up their arms.
A BRISK FIRE
was then opened by the whites upon the
building In which the militia was assem-
bled, and soon after one OF the attacking
party was killed by shot from the MI.
iiia in the building. Apiece OF artillery
was thereupon brought across the bridge
from Augusta, loaded with canister and
fired several times at the building in
which were the militia. This had the
effect 10 cause the militia 10 endeayor to
make their escape from the rear OF the
building. The Town Marshal Of Ham
burg, colored man, who was living in
the building, was instantly shot by the
attacking party while thus endeayoring
10 escape from the building. Twenty or
twenty-five Of the militia were captured
by the attacking party and kept undet
guard for several hours. Finally, about
Two o'clock on the morning Of the 9th Of
july Sunday, after consultation among
their captors and with complete apparent
deliberation, Eve Of the captured militia:
men were called out, one by one, and
shot 10 death in the presence oil q large
body OF their captors. The rest Of the
captured party were either turned loose
or broke loose and ran. They were fired
upon a. they ran, and three Of them Sc
yerely wounded, one OF them probably
mortally. Attorney General Stone thus
succinctly reports this part Of the affair.
DETAILS OF THE klLLlhu'
Six men took A. T. Attaway out Of the
ring. he and his mother begged for his
life, but in vain. He was told TO turn
around and was shot to death by the
crowd.
David Phillips was next taken out and
was similarly killed.
Pompey Curry was next called out. he
recognized among the bystanders Henry
Gotten and DR.. Pierce. Butler called on
them to keep the other men from killing
him. He ran and was shot as he ran, one
bullet striking him on the leg below The
knee.
Afterwarl Albert Myniart Moses Parks
and Hampton Stevens were killed. sle'
yens did not belong 10 the company.
THE ATTORNEY GENERALS REPORT.
The Attorney General, who has Perso.
nally visited Hamburg, thus concludes
his official report 10 me:
Making due allowance Tor errors IN
minor details, the facts show the demand
on the militia to give up their arms was
made by persons without lawful authors
ty 10 enforce such demand or to receive
the arms had they been surrendered; that
the attack on the militia to compel q com.
pliance with this demand was without
justification or excuse, and after there
had been some twenty or twenty-five
prisoners captured and completely in The
power OF their captors and without means
Of making further resistance, five Of them
were deliberately shot TO death and three
more severely wounded.
Such was the affair at Hamburg. II
YOU can find words 10 characterize its
atrocity and barbarian, the triyiality Of
the causes, the murderous and inhuman
shirt which marked 1t in all It's stages,
your power OF language exceeds mine. It
presents darker picture Of human cru
ely than the slaughter Of Custer and his
soldiers, for they were shot in open bat
tlc. The victims at Hamburg were muir.
dered in cold blood after they had sur
rendered and were utterly defenceless.
No occasion existed for causing the pres
ence Of a single armed citizen at Ham
burg on the day OF the massacre. No
violence was offered or threatened 10 any
one. II is indeed said, as usual, that "the
niggers were impudent," but the evidence
shows that all the actual physical aS-
erosion was on the part OF the whites;
that they made demand which they had
no right TO make, and when that demand
was refused, as Il should have been, they
proceeded 10 enforce It by arms, and
crowned their success in enforcing their
demands by brutal murders, Shame and
disgust must ill the breast OF every man
who respects his race or human nature
as he reads the tale. To me in my official
capacity-wherein, as you will testify, l
have done my utmost at no little
risk Of my personal and polit.
ical detraciion from my politi-
cal friends, to remove abuses and restore
good government and harmony TO our
people-the occurrence Of such an appall-
Ing example OF human passion and de.
prayity comes as deep modification
aud discouragement. What hope can VIC
have when such cruel and bloodthirsty
spirit waits In our midst for lis hour OF
qualification? Ia our civilization so
shallow? Is our race so wantonly cruel
. Such acts call for condemnation and pun
ishment; for condemnation rs bloody
blot on The record Of your race and mine
: as cruel aliront 10 a race whose long
suffering and patient forbearance chal-
: lenges the admiration Of the world; as .
+ shameful dishonor TO the name Of South
Carolina; for punishment as violation o.
, the laws OF the State and a wanton blow
, at the peace and happiness OF our State
am glad to testify 10 the horror which
this event has excited among many here
f: who have not been wont TO heartily con
denim many Of the past bloody occur.
rences at tile South. Nothing, however
short OF condign and ample punishment
can discharge the obligation Of society
) and our State toward the authors Of this
causeless and cruel massacre.
: D. H, CHAMBERLAIN,