Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-01-27
Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer
LETTER FROM CHESTER.
CHESTER, Jan. "a, 1875.

LETTER FROM CHESTER.
CHESTER, Jan. "a, 1875.
Stephen Tongue, who expiates, by his life,
on Friday of this week, the killing of George
Mercer, appears to be profoundly sorry for
the commission of that horrible deed. In .
recent interview with him, I observed mani
festations of his sorrow and remorse. While
he confessed the crime he endeavored to ex-
tenuate its enormity. Whisky, as usual,
played prominent part in the perpetration
of the bloody act. In answer to my inquiry
if he was drinking at the time, he replied IN
the affirmative, though he was unwilling to
admit that he was drunk. Upon interroga-
ting him as to bis cherishing any hostility to-
wards George Mercer, previous to the night
of the sad occurrence, he replied that he did
not; and upon questioning him still further
as to the cause that instigated him to the
commission of murder, he said he felt that he
was Imposed on" by Mercer and his friends,
and thought they intended doing him some
harm. According to his version of the story,
two of these parties had struck him, and an
other, with pistol drawn, threatened to take
his life, before he gave the fatal blow that
resulted in the death of Mercer. 1t is prob.
ably unnecessary to state that this account of
the unfortunate affair is Incompatible with
that rendered by the witnesses for the State:
The painful fact stares every unprejudiced
observer in the face, that the colored people
are taking no steps forward in the path Of
improvement. Their love for ardent liquors
is increasing, and with this is an increase
among them of every crime mentioned in the
decalogue. Their standard of morality is
very low, and instead Of deriving improve
ment from the march Of time, they are year.
ly, if not daily, degenerating To illustrate
at the coroner's inquest, summoned after the
killing of George Mercer, testimony was rem.
dered to the effect that the negroes danced
for considerable time over the dead body OF
the murdered man. And now that Stephen
Yongue has been condemned and sentenced
to be hanged, the people of his race look for
ward to the day of execution as holiday,
and will enjoy the horrors of that scene as
they would circus.
There was considerable talk on our streets
on Wednesday, in reference to the failure of
Culp & Ragsdale, of Blackstocks. The lia'
bilities of this firm are about $4,000, the
greater portion of which is due to Northern
parties. The amount of their indebtedness
in this place is only $50. Their failure is at
tributed to their inability to make collections.
If my information is correct, they did not
exercise wise discrimination in the selection
Of persons for whom they made advances OF
supplies. The many friends Of this good
firm in our town heard, with sincere regret, Of
their misfortune, and indulge the hope that
they may succeed in making such arrange.
ment with their Northern creditors as will
permit of their continuance in business.
Gen. w. A. Walker, in his address to the
members of the Democratic party of this
! county, urges the immediate organization Of
Democratic clubs in the various townships.
In speaking of the present condition of affairs,
he regards it as an important crisis in the
history of the State,'' and says lit becomes us
as citizens to prepare for the ISSUE" The elec.
ton of Moses and Whipper to judicial posi-
tions is viewed as "an insult to every honest
citizen, and violation of every safeguard
which the law affords to life, liberty and
property" The Democrats of the county,
both white and colored, are earnestly exhorted
to engage manfully and zealously in the good
work of organizing the party for the coming
campaign. The address comes up to the full
measure of the occasion, and will, it is to be
fervently hoped, arouse our people to sense
of the duty that lies so plainly before them.
Trade was unspeakably dull in our town
last week. This gave rise to bitter com.
plants among the merchants. With stores
filled with goods, and so few buyers, they
yield to depression of spirits, which finds ex.
preston in gloomy forebodings as to the fu.
ture Failures aud suspensions, accompanied
by financial stringency ofexceeding severity,
loom up before their minds eye with continu'
ance of the present condition of business at
fairs. In addition to the general hardness OF
the times, the unusual dullness in trade at this
season is due, in measure, to the low price Of
cotton and the small amount Offering for sale
As an extension of time for the payment oi
taxes has been made, those who have not set
tied with the State and who are holding cot
ton for this purpose, will hardly sell, unless
there be rise in the price of the Aescy staple.
until the end of the allotted period approach
es, which is the 10th of February. Treasur'
er Yocom, while exercising an act of clemency
toward the people, might have given them
until the 1st of March but, suppose, their
hearts must overflow. with thankfulness for
the additional time allowed them to cancel
their claims with the State. "
On Thursday night the grocery store Of
MI. w. Holmes Harden was broken open,
and large amount of goods taken therefrom.
Sixteen boxes of cigars, one box and half
of tobacco, five sides of bacon, six hams and
ten gallons of molasses were stolen and car
ried away, besides other articles such as coffee,
sugar, rice, lard, etc., to which they helped
themselves very literally. The colored po-
liceman, William Jeter, who was on watch
over the street upon which the store is located,
says that the burglary must have been COM
mitted after o'clock, for he left at this hour,
and the store had not then been interrupted.
On Friday, upon the affidavit of Mr.. William
cConnell, the gentleman in charge Of Mr..
Harden's store, search warrants were issued
by Trial Justice Sanders. The parties in
whose hands the warrants were placed made
diligent, but an unsuccessful search through
out the day of various suspected houses and
places. But better luck attended their efforts
at night, for after faithful search, the stolen
goods we're found in the gin house Of John
Lilly, an ex-legislator, and colored politi-
clan ofsome prominence in the county: sus-
picion pointed her finger toward the following
negroes John Lilly, Green Lee, Sidney Hill,
Green Washington, Travis Wood, JAS. Ken
nedy, James Howard, James Price, Lafayette
Davis and Charles Simmons, all Of whom
have been arrested and lodged in Jail. As
the majority of these thieves are members Of
the Band, this institution will probably be
broken up, to the intense delight of the ,peo-