The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-12-13
Press and Banner.
Wednesday,, Dec. Ii, 1876.
The Lowndesvi lie Tragedy.


The LowndesviIle Tragedy.
During the past week we have been
unable to hear much that was definite
from Lowndesville in reference to the
assassination of Allen and the DISPOSE
ticn made Of the prisoners arrested for
the crime, and Oh yesterday morning
we dispatched n messenger to some OF
the leading citizens, enquiring for n
full statement of all the particulars,
and last night at half-past ten O'Clock
the following letter was received:
Mr.. Hugh Wilson:
DEAR SIR--Hours Of 18th inst. is at
hand and contents noted. In reply can
only say that on the night of the 4th inst.
that the citizens Of Lo~ndesville were
aroused about IL o'clock by the firing of u
number of guns. and unusual yelling, in
Il few minutes Mr.. II. q. Baker reported
that he and G.. S. Allen who were riding
up the street, near the Presbyterian
Church, were shot at by a number of per-
sons in ambush. A number of the citi-
LellS lSpbllSu W tiS SPoS oho A'oatN -AA'
Allen dead. An inquest was Immediate
ly held, and upon examination found
that he had received several gun shot
wounds, two Of which were mortal War
rants were issued and many were arrested
and nate 4 number confessed as to their
being present. All Of whom were color
ed.
There are various umo as to the
cause of this murder but as to the facts
in the case we know nothing.
JAMES NJ. LATIMER,
j. b. LEROY,
}. j. MOSELEY.
We had the pleasure of q cali on yes
terday evening from a reliable gentle.
man who wss at Lowndesville from
first to last, from whom we obtained
some interesting statements, which we
think will give additional ideas of the
true situation.
A negro named Rhodes who hnd
been in the employ of DR.. SIeer for
The past year, had been paid up and
discharged on Saturday
BEFonE THE MURDER.
On Sunday. the heSt 'lay. he t"!d a
number OF negroes that he expected"
to get into a fuss at LownleSv1le ON
Monday, and that they unjust see i!ini
out" Accordingly he went to
Lowndesville on Monday and go:
to drinking and became noisy ard
i.cursed out the town generally" III
the ailtrIO N ne W3S arrested II pull
into the ~caluL0nse. Between ten aud
eleven O'Clock a party, It Is SAID, o.
thirty or forty negroes a"s>cinh!e't al
the Presbyterian Church, about oae
hundred and fifty yards FROM the GALA
bonse and d small nunlicrof the ef"wd
went To the calaboose and opened II
RELEASING rHE PRISONER.
About this time Allen and Baker came
riding along. Baker observed the
crowd aud reiymed up his horse Il little,
speaking To Alien at the same time.
One IF the negroes called out,
'.srAND YOUR GROUND, MEN; FIRE!'
Atthis command q number fired, kill
Allen and %wounding Baker. Bakers
horse fell and he at once ran for
life. Que Of the negroes persued, run
ming
OYER II DEAD BODY
OF Allen, firing ut Baker ~ he ram.
Baker ut once gave the ALARM: AMI u
crowd soon assembled at the place oi
the murder, when all the negroes had
Disappeared, leaving Oh the ground
several clubs, q gun, all AXE, anu q
mask.
The body of Allen was the taken t"
Mosefey's Hotel, where an inquest
was held by Trial Justice Beckhaii,
but up to the time Of going t." press,
we have been unable to obtain the ver-
dict of the jury.
No attempts were made
TO MAKE ARRESTS
that night, but a large number OF cltl-
zens had assembled there long before
daylight next morning ready to begin
the search for the perpetrators OF the
crime. A number going to the place
at daylight began to examine the
ground and look for traces OF the as-
bassinS.
A PAPER GUN-WAD,
made of a piece of n copy of the Union
Herald was found, and upon carefully
opening it out, the name of Il negr"
mar living in the community wa
found to he written on the margin.
A detachment OF men was Immediate
ly DISPATCHED for this man. and when
found and accused of the crime he
made
A FULL CONFESSION,
giving the names Of nineteen or TWEEN
ty other negroes who participated III
the murder of Mr.. J. G.. Alien on the
night previous. This led o the
ARREST OF SIXTEEN NEGROES,
thirteen of whom were sent 10 Ai,der-
son and three were brought TO Ahh''-
vile JUL. The balance, 50 far, have
evaded arrest. One of the prisoners
who was started to Anderson,
KILLED HIMSELF
by taking laudanum. and, it is said.
died Oh HE rnIu.
The whites TO the nuniier OF se'ert
hundred, and quite II lIu!nu'r O.
friendly colorrd people, 's"mh.' a
Lown.le-viile, on iuestiay ai' 'r-
manned there until the i"i>"i:el- set
on Friday at noon for the An"r nn
. Jail. During thc>t day '"t Ac'H
men: wa !rv"nd dr>".:.ti,': n:.i 49,
Az H.h> tCLL
Hf the widest :Iu"'- g. -: Il - e.
d~eSIwra;iGn iE,ch:ici l., u c"r:.h:i! e.
Ly .iIe ne"tnt$ Oh the Hn!.-. VS.
rlnlor Wilic,, s~e-,I.it i"T II II;Ie i"
iav.: been bcl:nrea. Wa iiIA! Trey III
.rliei that i.!giri /" Sct !!r :" l@'.
Spears liousr. and I%Gn IL ir ""Hi'i
come uui, 10 slinJ; h.!u. .Ai!cE WHICH,
they had construed To
SACK TIE TOWN.
A general uprising OF the r%r"t WAS
expected and cOuriers were sent 10
distant n%eighbOrs to set thetu on lheir
guard. Ii would moi he eAaggeraslhS
to say that LDwndesvillc V 81"
such days of excitement. The en"r-
nifty of the crime committed by Inc
negroes aud the report OF the
THREAT TO MASSACRE THE WHITES,
40 opportunity frustrated. seemed suf-
ticient in the Judgment Of MANY, |"
justify the summary lynching of the
confessed murderers, aud it was with
great effort that wiser counsel prevail
ed but we are gratitied TO publish The
fact that the law-abiding policy was
adopted, and that the outraged riti-