Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-07-20

BLACK ASp WHITE rErD IN SOUTH
CAROLINA.

The story Of the riot in Edgoiield county,
south Carolina, Is thus told by the New York
I World, which will not be suspected Of eNag-
gcration:
\ company of negro militia were paradIng in
the street. Of Hamburg. a small town just
J across the river from Augusta Va. on the al
tcruopn Of the Fourth. Two Young men,
Whit. and driving In buggy. were detained
/ bv the negroes. who dcployed in line scruss the
I road. High words were exchanged between
/ the negro captain Of the company and these
, Young men, aud day or two later, the former
was summoned before Prince Rivers, colorcd
tria-ju>iire and maJor-grneral Of the militia in
( that section. on the charge of obstructlnS the
! highway. liz refused to answer the summons,
/ aud thu ease was tponTd until another dav
W hen h- finally appeared. his language to-
wards Rivers was such that the justice had
him arrested for contempt Of Court, and again
adjourned the case until the following day.
which Wa saturday.
Doc" Adams. the captain Of the militia.
again failed to put IN an appearance Gen.
VI. 6. Butler. \ major-gcncrsl Of cavalry in the
late war. and now LAWYER Of Edsrfield coun-
~. had been engaged for the prosecution. and
finding that Adams had inircnChed himself
with his command in their armory, and had
announced that he would not be arrested. de-
I manded Of the Justice that he should compel
Adams 10 surrender his arms. Butler offered
t. give the bond Of twenty good citizens OF
F
ed over To COY. Chamberlain. Rivers held an
interview with adams st the arm0ry, and cn-
deay"rcd 10 persuade him 10 give up the arms,
which he refused la do.
Butler then proceeded to more forriblc meas
urr-; the armury wa. br-icg,7i by several hum
dred white, who had gathered in the mean
time: fire was opened on the building from the
mprnvissd shot-guns and pistols with which
the white, were armed. aud wa. returned from
the regulation bresrh-loaders in the hands of
the militia. The first person Killed so far a
can b. learned, Wa a Young white among the
be,iegrrs. \ small cannon Wa then procured
from Augusta, loaded with canister. and sew
/ cra rounds were fired At the artnorV. The
militia took refuge in the cellar, and their tr-
ing soon -ilcnced- They attempted to e.
cape, aud in the attempt two OF them were
shot dead while running from the house. \
third was captured and i said 10 have been
mOrtaIly wounded while in the hands Of his
rapiors. soon afterwards firing was suspeu-
ird on both sides. and general search was
made through the town for members of the mi
htia company, and twcnty-nnc prisoners were
secured. Gen. Butler commanded that they
should b. taken to the county Jail ut Aiken
and len for hi home.
The town was now entirely quiet and the
prisoners under guard Of the whites. About
o'clock in the morning, after General Buffers
departure, the whites having all disper sed *
ccpt thoss ia guard Of the prisoners. they were
assent led under tree, and four Of the ring
leaders were successfully called out and order
ed I" run. They were Tired upon by the guard
and Killed. The remainder Of the prisoners
were then turned loose and commanded to run
for the woods; they were fired upon BY the
guards aud several were wounded, but none
seriously. The guard then mounted their
horses aud rode away. The record Of The hight
shows >'Sen negroes Killed and several wound
ed; one white Killed and Que wounded.
THIS i an accurate account OF the affair, the
iaet~ ia the case a. given by the local press aud
furnished by respondents not differing ma
terialy a, 10 The details. Their seems no doubt
that four Of the negroes were -hot in cold blood
while in the hands Of their captors. aud for
this there i no excuse further than may b.
given Tor any exercise OF mob law. The ~. i,
universally condemned by the local press o
Georgia and South Carolina, on the border OF
which states the tragedy occurred, and BY the
better sentiment of the neighborhood
Statement OF Coior-d Justice Of the Peace
The Charleston Ne,es prints the subs tancc
c. OF ,taetmen, by Prince Rivers, color
ed Justice oil the Peace, at Hamburg. )
g.. to Attoiney-Gererai Stone, which dii-
iers materially In its account OF his actions
ifom previous reports.
Ia Substance he says. Upon aiiidavts
OF one Robert Butler he Issued warrants
As Trial Justice, for Doctor Adams and
the other commissioned officers OF "A Nil
itia company in the town of Hamburg,
for obstructin2 the highway aud prevent
il8 saiu Robert Butler from passing.
This was on the 9Th July, 1876 Owing TO
some confusion taking place 10 this office
on that day lie postponed the trial till Sat
urday. the 5th, at four O'Clock ia the after
noon. at which time General NJ. G. Butter
appeared. as consel for Robert Butler.
During the trial NC. Butler asked for
more time which was granted, he (Butler)
promising 10 be ready within haitian hour.
hut he never returned TO Rlvers's Office any
more. but went TO Augusta and returned
with two companies OF soldiers and demand
ed the immediate surrender OF arms in pos
session "f the militia u him. Af,er some
talk with Rivers he Gen. ButIer) grant
ed them half an hour to comply with his
terms. Rivers then vent TO the drill
room OF the company and consulted with
men, who were there assembled, to get
them To give up their arms SOONER
than have blood shed d. This they refused
TO do. saying Gen. Butler had no au-
thority to make them give up their arms.
The time having expired, Gen Butler
gave an order for the troops under him to
fire, which they did. and said the fire was
not returned BY the militia for some time
Butler told me he would have the arms or
burn the town. | Drivers, offered to box
the guns and send them TO Chamberlain.
but Butler would not agree to this"