The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-17
THE HAMBURG CASES.
ANOTHER SIDE TO THE STORY
THE ACCUSED RELEASED
ON BAIL.
Unique Scene at the Arrest The Hear.
ing Before Judge Mayer--Aiibis
Proved in the Cases in Which
Murder was Charged.

Special Dispatch to ,the Charleston Ne,cs and
Courier,
AIKEN, August 10.-The application
TOR bail in behalf of the parties accused of
completely In the Hamburg riot was
heard by Judge Mayer, to-day, at cham
bers. Early this morning, fifty-fve of
the sixty-one Carolinians charged, assem-
bled at Graniteville and surrendered to
Sheriff Jordan, who awaited them there,
and the long cavalcade, all mounted, then
marched into Aiken, attended by large
number of their friends. Upon reaching
the Lyceum where the court was to sit,
the roll was called, and the prisoners as
sembled in the hall. The counsel for the
accused, when the court had convened,
submitted over one hundred and thirty
afhdavits of prominent and substantial
gentlemen, showing that the shooting was
commenced by the negroes from the build
ing where they were barrcaded, and that
young Merriwether was killed before sin
| gle shot was fired by the whites; that the
| negroes, for days previous, had thrown out
threats OF a determination to force fight
upon the whites; that ammunition and a
cannon had been ordered by the negroes
and stored In their armory several days be-
fore the collision. That Attaway, Adams,
and others had freely and publicly de-
clared their intention of killing out the
whites in their section before the election /;
that on the day that Messrs Getson and
Butler were stopped by the militia COM
pany the negroes marched up to the horse s
head, at the place where only half of the
road was available, spread themselves
out ten feet apart, and beat their drums
beneath the horses head, cursing and
detying these gentlemen all the while ;
When an attempt was made to get
through the ranks the negroes filled up
the gap with their bayonets and refused
a passage, keeping the buggy standing fif.
teen minutes, until rain came, and then
let them pass. On the day of the riot
the negroes said they would die before
they would give up their arms, and dared
the whites to attack them, saying that
they were prepared and ready to meet
them. A large number of affdavits show
that not q single man charged ,oath 3,,ur.
der 1cdS present at the time of the aHeoeG
killing especially proving alibis in the cases
OF General Butler, W. j. Butler, Harri
son Butler, Thomas Butler, Henry Get
son, Thomas Oliver, John Oliver and
John Lamar. The afidavits cover many
thousand words, and are all properly
sworn to. Their reading occupied the
court until half-past 4 P. NJ, when the
counsel for applicants closed the evidence
reserving the right to submit general aft
davits denying in ito any completely in the
murder of any of the men charged. At
t0rney-General Stone, who represented
the state, then submitted testimony taken
at the coroner sinquest, occupying the court
until nearly dark. General; Butler then
made statement, pronouncing the afida-
\ Wits read by the attorney general respecting
himself and those intimately connected
with him as utterly, unequivocally anC
uuqualihdely false, pronouncing the state
ments of Gardiner, Robinson, Spencer anC
trlar as malicious perjuries, secured only
Tor political documents. Judge Maher ther
stated that unless counsel were particularly
desirous OF entering into argument, hi.
judgement was virtually made. Thu
counsel waived argument, and the iudg,
decided that the prisoners were entitled t
bail, and the matter of amount of bail wa
submitted to counsel for discussion. Tn
attorney general wanted from five to tel
thousand dollars apiece; but after argu
ment by Governor Bonham, and Gen. Gar
and Maj. cary, the Judge decided upo
one thousand dollars cash, and the prison
, ers were called up one by one. gave thei
5 security for appearance at court to auswe
. such charges as.might be preferred agains
! them by the grand jury, and were dis
- charged. The judge requested that tn
prisoners should give bond and quietly q
- to their homes without any demonstrate
. OF triumph, which request was met BY
= prompt assurance from Gen. Butler tina
the men would ready and strictly compl
D with his wishes. The judge leaves fo
+ Barnwell tomorrow, and will allow bail t
r the remainder of the accused, who were nc
present on account of sickness, upon appIl
cation and proof of surrender. Athoug
= an immense crowd was in town all day, n
J, disturbance Of any kind occurred