Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-07-27

THE HAMBURG RIOT.
Letter from Governor Chnm-
Derlatn---A CauseleSs and
Cruel Massacre.

| Governor Chamberlain of South
Carolina, writes the following letter
to Senator Robertson, at Washing
ton:
| STATE SOUTH CARoilsa. ENEcvfIvE CHAanEgl
COLUMBIA. July Is ls-6.
The Hon, T, ], Robertson. United States senator.
| Washington, II. C.
DEAR SIR- Your request for a
statement from me of the recent
bloody affair at Hamburg, in this
Sfate, was duly received. / have
waited before replying until official
reports and statements should be
received. There are now before mo
the official reports of the Attorney.
General and the Adjutant and In
spector Generals, tho testimony
taken at the Coroner's inquest, and
the written statements of several
other persons who were present and
witnessed the whole or parts of the
affair. / will present to you as
briefly as possible the leading facts
as they appear from the evidences to
which / have referred.
On the 4th of July instant u CON-
pany OF the State militia teolored)
were marching along one Of the
streets of Hamburg. The street was
over 100 feet wide, and tho company
was marching In columns OF fours.
While so marching il was met by
two young white men in buggy,
who insisted on keeping their course
in the street without regard to the
movements of the militia, and drove
| against the head OF the column,
which thcrcupon halted. Some par
leying took place, which resulted in
the company yielding, opening their
ranks and allowing the young men
to proceed on their course. On tho
following day the young men re-
ferred To took out warrants OF arrest
against some of the officers of the
militia company, who were brought
before trial Justice for trial. The
trial was afterward adjourned till
n. NJ. on Saturday the sth instant.
Before that hour arrived oo Saturday
many white citizens from the coun-
try around Hamburg began to gather
i'm the town, with guns and pistols.
The militia company in the mean
while had assembled ut their armory
in the village, and at the hour set
for trial the defendants did not ap-
pear. At this point IL has been sta.
ted in dispatches and newspapers
that the militia officers, having do
fled the authority OF the trini justice,
the citizens werc called on to assist
the trial justice by acting IA his
posse. Nothing Of the kind, In fact,
occurred. The militia failed 10 APP
pear because of their fear of injury
Mt the hands of the armed white
men, and the trial Justice, after for
mally calling them, took no further
steps 10 cause their presence In his
court, on account OF the excitement
and the evidences OF an impending
conflict.
While affairs were i'm this eondi-
tion, there being, according To all nc
counts, from 300 tO 30O armed white
men from the surrounding country
In the town, n demand was made by
the whites for the surrender to them
or two passed Ia negotiations con
cerning this demand, the whites IN
forming the militia company that II
the arms were not given up IN
short time (most of tho witnesses
say In II half hour the whites would
open fire on the militia Tho militia
refused to deliver up their arms,
saying that the demand was wholly
nnwarrautcd and Illegal, and that
they had reason Ia fear for their
lives II they gave mp thoir arms. a
brisk fire was then opened by The
whites upon the building In which
the militia wcro assembled, and
soon after one OF the attacking party
wns killed by shot from the militia
in tho building. A piece Of artillery
was thercupOn brought across the
bridge from Augusta, loaded Win
canister, aud fred several times ut
the building. This had the effect TO
cause the militia Ia cndcaVof 10
make their escape from the build
! ing. The Town Marshal OF Ham
| burp a colored man who was ieaV-
ing the building, was Instantly shot
by the attacking party. While thus
| endeavoring to escape from the
| building, twenty or twenty-five o'
| the militia were captured by tho at
tacking party and kept under guard
| for several hours. Finally, about z
| o'clock on tho morning 0f the 9th o'
July Sunday after consultation
among their captors, and win com
| pletc apparent deliberation, five OF
| tic captured militianen were
marched out, ono by one, and shot to
death IN the presence Of a large body
OF their captors. Tho rest OF the
captured party were either turned
| loose or broke loose and ran. They
were fred upon NJ they ran, and
three Of them severely wounded, one
of them probably mortally.
| Attorney General Stone thus sue.
cinctly reports this part OF the AFFAIR
osix men took A. T.. Attaway out o.
| the ring He and his mother beg
ved for his life, but in vain. lie WA
| told 10 turn around, and was shot u
death by the crowd. David Philip
WAS next taken out, and was similar
'lly killed. Pompey Curry WAS mex
called out. He recognized amont
the bystanders Henry Getzen and
DIR. Pierce Butler. and called on then
10 keep the other men from killing
him. He ran, and was shot ~ ~
ran, one bullet striking him IN TIM
ilay hcIo,y the knee. AfterWard