The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-10-26
From the New York Herald.
ELLESToN, AIKEN County, s. c..



to talk, about tho late conflict in this
county has tcdiously evolved fact or
comment from those who did not want to
talk, and has visited every battle field of
this guerilla war, from the defile where
the frat recontre took place, past Rou so's
Bridge, and the Double Bridge, the Cow,
don Swamp, Silverton, where the brace
Of black villains committed the frat
crime; Crown Mills, the point where the
railroad itrnplc was torn up, and finds
himself this morning at Ellenton, the
uttermost point of the conflict.
WAR THAT WAS wAGED IN THE DARK.
l have ,been especially careful TO silt
the truth out nf The cloud Of rumors thai
are flying about, and 10 note nothing MS
trustworthy that was not supported by
tho affidavit Of . respectable citizen. 1
doubt if there has ever been O serious
conflict at point so accessible to the
authorities concerning which 80 little has
been reliably published. There Is a
mystery. about the whole matter that only
the most persistent examination has
cleared away. Tho estimates as to the
killed and wounded have varied all the
way frcm ten to 800. A prominent Dom.
ocr1tic journalist remarked to me quietly
that be was afraid as many M 200 ne.
yroes had been killed.
A negro, who Was in the skirmishes
himself, did not think over three negroes
,were killed. Two United States Mar.
shais and the District Attorney have
been engaged week taking testimony,
and, when saw them last, with double
ream of affidavits, could not approximate
even go simple matter rs the number of
the alain. They hope to DO through. in
six or eight days, when they will report
officially. The trouble about the matter
is thht the Fighting lasted for three days;
that the bloodiest wors was done at
night; that the recontFes all took place
i9 Or near impe1etrable swamps; that
they covered an area Of thirty miles, and
that matters have not settled yet. Add
to these difficulties che facshthat both
races are still very mneh excited, aud
YOU will see how hard it has been TO get
the truth. What /! sha,l write is the
truth. It is backed doy affisiavits, by con.
current ciitamstances, @ m'n = f7-.
az ANDlT CANNOT BE aAfNsAID.
When the official report Is made 1,
must conform essentially ;, what il writ
ten below Tho. story is strange one,
and its suggestions are valuable just
now. ''i'',s''
On the 10th of September the housebf
Mr.. sAlonEo Harley at Silverton, :, ,wls
entered by two negroes with burglarious
intent. Alrs, Harley was sick In bed.
Her son, q little fellow OF tender years,
was her only companion, her husband
being absent. The negroes boldly enter;
ed her, room and commenced to rob- at
which she protested, Tho negroes then
attacked her and beat her severely, strik-
ing her twice or three times over the
upper part of the body with club. The
child then attempted to Zee the house
and was caught by the negroes and ee-
Serely punished, he receiving p blow
across the back Of the neck which may
disable him for life. Mrs Harley in the
meantime had seized her husbands gun,
which abe drew down upon the pluader-
ers and frightened them of, although the
gun was not loaded. ii'ia}H - 9fo III
Shortly afterward her hush nj arrived. .
hnd, collecting q crowd. starien IN purauit
bfthe villains. A negro, Peter Williams,
was captured under isni.sPicion \. l and brought
back to the house. Mrs. Harley at once
and fully identified him rs one OF the
burglafe. Pending her testimony tho
negro made o sudden burst for the door,
reached it and fed precipitately. Sever.
al of his captorg Fusbcd to the doors and
Windows and fired upon him. He fell
and wae brought back to the house fa.
stygsELY, AND 1T WAS THOUGHT AoRD
-oI r,.n TALLY WOUNDED. 4, y5..sr.,ts
He then confessed TO having committed
The robbery and been privy to the assault,
Of Mrs. Harley. which, however, hc
claimed was committed by one Frederick
Pope, oolored.ii He. was then properly,
taken care of by. his captors and. his
wounds dressed. Right here shall take.
issue with the published accounts. wit.
arhs did nos die, as iIas been reported,
bht iis now conrai6seent. Steps were.
then taken by the friends Of Harley and
his wife TO capture Pope. the accompli.e,
If not the principal, for the crime sor
which Williams Ehad suffered. The
proper afi9avits were made, and Charles
Griffin, o coIoyed Justice OF the Peace.
issued q warrant for the arrest of Pope.
III the meantime news had been received,
n very general and exciting rumor pre-!
vAiling to this effect, that large number
0faFmed colored men had assembled and
we're assembling for, The purpose of
avenging the murder of Peter Williams,
xho was then believed to be dead. vii.
liams was extremely popular with tie
negroes, and they protested at that tiyae
(the contrary having been indnbitably
proven since and confessed on nj! sides,)
that he was innocent Of the crime Inn
puted to him, D and that he had been
killed BY the whites through pure wan
toDness.
There afe no elected cons.ables ia
i5JtiiiI CssIuiiIia, anu Inc Justices appoint
a:constable for the serving of each war.
rant that they issue. Feeling that there
would be trouble in making the arrest of
Pope, Griffin appointed Mr.. Angus P.
Brown, a citizen Of known courage but
Of prudent good sense, to carry nut bis
writ Otsrreat,s iity, .saGs,sr., ta s,., al
AND RIGHT HERE THE WAR CLOUD
,c,. SHOWED ITSELF.
Mr., Brown quietly proceeded to sur
round himself with 8 small but deter
mined posse" By Saturday night he had
collected fourteen men, having intended
to take, only ten. He then waited for.
morning, that the search TO- Pope might
be commenced, keeping his men together
during the might. Early ih the morning
he learned that Pope ashst dat Rouse's
Bridge, under the protect7Hn of consid-
erable lumber of armed negroes. He at
once sent Messrs. Weathersby aud Stall
ings out as scouts 70 determine ii the
report We true, and III the meantime
advar ed with his Posse toward. the bridge,
tak!i.. the precautiopsto carry the negro
justic. with him, that the negroes might
DO persuaded 60 give up their man with
out q struggle. Wien the posse pissed
Silvefton. the Home of Mr.. Harley IL tyaa