The New York herald., 1876-11-08
THE CAINHoY BUTCHERY
a Fightful Story Of Savage Colored
Murder and Outrage Upon Their
Political Opponents.
ARMED PROTECTION NEEDED.
1 Campaign Conducted BY the Aid Of Argu.
ments from Guns Axes and Clubs.

CHARiEsroN =. u. OC1 H. 1919
rhs present. campaign In the lower counties OF
South carolins has made some strange dsvsiopmsnss
90 70 tA~ moral social and political character OF What
are known In this state ..,he island aigssrs" The
HsHAIp corvespendeas, permit 20 say, 10 native
q Charleston who has lived here all his life uh,rty
summsrsl, aad Who up to this p"riod had taoughs
himself thoroughly acquainted With all the phases st
character wel OF ths whites OF the blacks Of shs
low country. But this canvass has revealed shings
that never dreamed OF and incidents that hope il
may never be my lot again to witness In order 10
give the readers Of tss HERALD idea Of the way
things MANAGED in this county viii be necessary
to go back little. II mas happsnsd shat
Of the island negroes this soanty have heard
sdsmoerat make q speech AZ the beginning or the
present Canvass is was determined BY ,hs whites to
send speakers 10 a :he radical meetngs and 10 insist
spsn being heard This 10 what 10 known a.
DIVIDING TINE
The Arst effort made In this direction was early in
DctsbsF. when Bowsn. the white Sheriff Of Charleston
who absolute master Of every negro outside the city
limits had called msssiag a. place called Straw.
berry Ferry, about thirty miles from the city. should
shat the universal practice OF the negroes
this section aAd indeed. all the STATE, carry
their rinss TO all political meetings which shsy
attend. Strawberry Ferry is in the midst Of
the rico fields OF the Cooper River In She
Immediate nsighborhood there about black and
about thirty white The democrats OF Charles
ton city determined TO attend the republican meeting
and ask divsoa Of sine They accordingly chartered
steamer and the morning Of the meeting ~put
Tor '1As Ferry" The speakers escorted BY
about Any white men, most OF whom carried their
GaA There was miacing matters The whites
landing ~ the ferry fell in United States nag
placed she head Of the procession, and preceded sy
band. they marched 10 the place OF meeting. There
AA~~ Hcun "A ahnutE ofs ~ tItaia Aro,
With rides, muskets Ssad shossuas. Bowen, thsr
white leader, asked to allow the democrats to BE-
heard, and after soms parieyng shs request
granted Az that meeting there were present about
900 armed negroes and about sixty armed whites aad
although the speakers pensd sto each other without
gloves, Is the most peaceahs and orderly
political meeting have seen in South Caroiaa.
I shoslA mention in passing that there were
abcss dsxsn democratic negroes in shs
crowd, bat they were cowed IL 10 much
negrss life 10 worth In shs section 70 announce
himself democrat About two weeks later another
meeting held in shs place. and white demo.
srsis ofCharlesson agaia, asssadsd. This time sAsy
were accompanied BY three Of the colsrsd caA-
didasss for the Legislature The democratic ticket
They carried their arms, bat spon arriving ferry
your reporter with another gsnsismas, proceeded
She place Of msetiag aAd snef having conference
With We leaders OF the negroes, agreed that
both parties should aos bring their gas 70 the
Ing The white accordingly astsadsd shs meet.
ing snsrnsd. The negro militia violated their agree
meat and marched up 70 the stand viii their muskss
esil sAers disturbance when Of the eelorsd
dsmserssss candidates for shs Lsssissars attempted
speak tho negroes sssmeA disposed nos
him. Bus this time there Swsrs sfaliy one hsadrsd
black democrats present. aad the dstsrminsd ssand
taken BY NE whites and their black allies slsncsA and
sverawsd The militia There was no disturbance
sAis occasion.
THE nDIsro sIoUx.
By this time 10 had besa arsAngsd BY Bowen (who 10
shs republican eosasy charnso, and the democratic
county shAirnaA 70 have jslns discussion all the
- isiasaa II further agreed snas neither party
shsuld 90 armed 70 tho meetings. The next mecsins
ssssnAsd as EdWso Isand. Here are l,9oo
black and about twenty white vossrs About any
white men from Charleston aMeaded this meeting
they unarned. II was here mat arss diseov.
sSd she trap had set for them BY shs bssk
and here that obsaissd insight into the re-
gro character which In shrsy years. hers
bad failed discover. The whites headed by band
OF music, marched rom che iandsg TO sss p'sss Of
the meeting, some Two miles distant A. they ap-
preached about 600 negroes were fsund drawn up II
line, armed only with clu0a The whites gave sArss
.'our fellow eisixsns" didn't seem 10 understand IL
snd ~ once made charge upon ss bloody Ashs WAS
Ss SoE.. ss" =:
that the guns Of shs negroes were concealed in shs
woods within 100 yards Of We place q nsesas and
thas company Of armed negro militia had actually
besn posted ihe cussas on the retreat Of The
whites % shs boa. which brosshs .Asn y The island
Under these circumstances the whites dstssminsd
stand everything rather thaa hazard 6ght and they
ssd good deal TO ssaad Such Or the resAsrs OF
sot form hs most remote idea Of ihs people whs were
assembled :hsrs that Day. IL Is not exagsefason 70
pared w,sn sHsm FOR myseiI am FREQ to say that
rather than face that crowd again would alone and
unsrmsd iste the centre sf . sioux camp The msn
bYan1sheA cubs, eurssd the whites and threat
ensa 70 kill The colersd democrats wAo with she
party nom sAs city Tho women were srmed with
clubs aad knives. One Of shsm walked up 70 ne ~
making lev hasy nsnsruada In my ne,s hook.
kicked ss me and uttered . curse which shall nes
oiask msa Who ever held = so.mission in ia
The Cnited States army. A. he said himself be came
freedom Of bic race. Utterly d,seusssd with The
rcGasry NJ the republican,. party In the State he had
'hss =. s IsGs suDsoT The s:;;: ss%o
the dsnocra.,c spsaters He was nos .l.evsd .
ssospsd massacre By orbsaranee asd By submit
ting 20 every insult that was offered thsn.
And nov come 10
Yeur correspondent was not present a. the butehery
sos be arrived there The nish after The
and enabled By careful investigation to arrive at
ras - ossr aonso nsr"c. ssss zen sns 'ss
gbo wsre present nj thc meeting and nnd nothing
that does corroborate the statements contaiped
10 shA account aireaay sent 10 the HyRALp by tee-
graph. Il reasonably certain that the trap was laid
Tor the Whites hst the riot brought about By the
blacks VINO msstook MsKinlay. radical malasso for
democrat ana that It was 'heir set purpose
every colorsd democrat who was pseserl Before Nc
Ktniay had we'll begun hts spsesh the negroes
sat OF the swamp win thor rnes, and the whites,
be,ns unsrmed, made dash for an old carriage house
N the neshborhocd whore about thrtr rines belong
,nr 70 the negro militia were ccncea'ed The rest Of
TEE HoknisLE
has sssn told iatshfuy and imparsIiy In the columns
ef the HERALD Bat have NOT told your readers Of
the horrible scenes Witnessed on the mornng after
the massacre. A. midniehs ths fight vas over
ssd the dead sad dyihG-many OF them
ossushs In by friendly negro named Jim
AlssSn. demoerat who risksd hm Life Tor
this purpose-were lying in the Episcopal chapel
o. casnboy. The aarighsed women had furnished
what mattresses they souId bring with them In their
0ieBs irom tAeir hcmss, And sp the sassrs nght
nintstesine 70 shs vAass ~ the veuodsd and dying