The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-06-15
Governor Chamberlain's Action upen
the Lynclling Affair.

Governor Chamberlain's Action upen
the Lynching Affair.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER. :.
Official information has reached me
that, on the 23d day of May last, six per-
sons, named Austin Davis, Stephen Lake,
Larkin Holloway, Jesse Lake, Jefferson
Settles and Marshall Perrin, charged
with the murder of John L. Harmon and
Catharine Harmon, his wife, at place
called Winter Seat, in the County of
Edgefeld, were forcibly taken from the
custody of the sheriff of Edgefeld County
by body of men, numbering several
hundred, and Immediately shot to death.
The murder of Mr.. and Mrs. Harmon,
so far as the evidence produced at the
coroners inquest shows, was cold blooded
and fendish; but the subsequent killing
of those charged with this crime by others
than officers of the law, and in manner
not authorized by Law, renders every per-
son engaged in the killing murderer in
the eye Of the law. No plea of provoca-
tion, or of the necessity for protection
and example, can for moment be admit
ted to Justify such an act This State. is
not new or imperfectly organized COM
munity in which concerted violence must
sometimes supplement or supersede the
laws. The laws of this State take notice
of all crimes and provide punishment for
all criminals. The courts are every
where accessible and frequent.
Nor were there special circumstances
attending this affair which could give
occasion or excuse for this defiance and
overthrow of the law and its officers.
The persons charged with the crime were
in the custody Of the officers of the law.
Escape was impossible. If the county
| Jail was deemed insecure, the citizens
could have. guarded it. A term of the
Court of General Sessions was close at
hand-a court in which the presiding
judge and the juries could not possibly
be charged with lenity toward such
crimes. No grounds whatever existed
for fearing Executive clemency after due
conviction. During the term of Office of
the present Executive no person capitally
| convicted has been pardoned, and the
sentence of no person so convicted has
been changed by the Executive, except
upon the urgent and combined recon-
mendations Of court, jury and citizens.
And yet in the face of such facts, six
citizens covered by the @gis of our laws,
their persons inviolable from touch or
hurt, except by the hands of the minis
ters of the law, have been summarily, de-
liberately, openly and ruthlessly slain,
without legal trial, without proper legal
scrutiny of the evidences of their guilt,
and without the smallest chance of legal
defence. To the horror inspired by the
original crime is now added the horror
which such lawless vengeance should
everywhere inspire. The peace of So
ciety was broken by the first crime but
the supremacy of law was oyerthrown by
the second crime.
AS the Chief Magistrate of the State it
is my duty to warn my fellow.citizens of
the nature and effects of such resort to
violence for the punishment of crime,
and to call upon all the officers and
agents of the law to bring to just account
those who have dared to usurp the awful
prerogatives with which the lawfully
constituted representatives of Public JUS
tice are alone invested.
In testimony whereof 1 have hereto set
my hand and caused the great seal of the
State to be affixed this third day of June,
A. D., 1876, and of the Independence of
the United States the one hundredth.
D. 81. CHAMBERLAIN, Governor.
By the Governor: ~
q. E. HAYNE, Secretary of State.
The following letter, on the same sub
iect, is addressed to Judge Carpenter, in
whose circuit is Edgefeld County:
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
COLUMBIA, June 3, 1876.
Hon. r. B. Carpenter, Judge of Fifth
Judicial Circuit:
DEAR SIR enclose for your exami-
nation copy of an executive proclama-
ton having reference to the recent kill
| ing of six persons in Edgefeld County,
charged by the verdict of coroners jury
with the murder of John l.. Harmon and
his wife in said county. ~.
It is my duty to do all in my power. to
cause the execution of the laws in all
cases of their violation. The courts, and
their officers and agents, are of course
the chief means for the execution of the
laws and the punishment of crimes.
Over the courts I have no control, but in
the present instance I deem it my duty
to call your official attention to the mat
ters embraced in the enclosed proclama-
ton, and. to suggest to you, with proper
Difference, that the attention of the grand
| jury of Edgefeld County be directed to 2
| full examination of the matters referred
to, to the end that such judicial action
may be taken as the due execution of
the laws may require and the facts OF the
case may warrant.
It having been brought to my atten-
ton that two women, named Matilda
Holloway and Bette Perrin, who were
charged by the coroner's jury as accesso,
ries to the murder, are still at large, and
that other persons still living were proba-
bly connected with the crime, to q greater
or less degree, I beg leave to suggest that
measures should be adopted to bring
these persons before the court, to be dealt
with according to law.
In all possible ways it will be my duty
to assist your Honor in this most extra
ordinary and painful affair.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
D. H. CHAMBERLAIN,
Governor South Carolina.