Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-11-25

house was cut of by horsemen, who formed cor
don across every path, while crowds Of white men
packed the steps and portico OF the Court house
building, preventing the approach of any one sus-
pected of republicansm. Up TO nearly ten O'Clock,
the hundreds of colored voters, waiting to deposit
republican ballots at poll number two, which they
had been made to believe was exclusively their
own, were prevented from even getting near the
box BY the crowds Of white men already in the
building and voting there.
Amid all the stife and danger Of the unequal
contest in which they were compelled TO engage,
not gun or pistol was to be seen in the hands or
on the persons Of the outraged but inoiiensive
blacks. If there was a weapon among that surg
ing mass, il was most skil!fuly and considerably
concealed. A few, it is true, had sticks, but be-
vopd that thew we're as defenceless as the children
of a New York public school. They never gave
expression to a threat, and even desisted. when
requested so to do, from inlulging in a cheer for
the candidates OF their choice.
All the previous night the place was in posses
sion of mob of VIII lite men, dancing in the Court
house and yelling everywhere. From daylight
until 10 o'clock the black mems polling place, so
called, was surrounded by at least three hundred
mounted men, some on horses, some on mules
some with Confederate uniforms trimmed with
yellow, all with red shirts, and obcying the com
mands of Seen" Gary, who, pistol in hand
yelled his orders to open or close ranks advance
or retreat, as he would have done had he been
leading a rebel regiment against the men of the
-, In nd TO tl,n, al
there were large number dismounted, but all
armed, having the same purpose, and obeying the
same orders as the mounted force
At 9.45 o'clock United States Deputy Marshal
Beatty obtained company OF United States inian-
try under the command of Capt. Kellogg, who de-
tailed squad of four and afterward eight men,
under Lieut. lloyt, to open the war to the poll.
This squad pierced the ranks of the "red-shrts"
who had packed their horses so closely together
that the only approach to the windows, back of
which was the baot-box was under the bellies Of
their beasts. An alley, however, was made by
the gallant officer at imminent risk of his life and
the lives of his men. Over the heads of the little
band innumerable istols were held. Not a man
of that drunken, fou-mouthed crew but had his
pistol in hand with his finger the trigger. Thus
eight brave men, representing the United States,
opened and kept open narrow pathway along
which the poor but undaunted negro had the dan
gerous privilege Of running the gauntlet.
Every black or brown man that essayed to reach
the box through this threatening and furious
crowd was greeted with opprobious epithets, such
Is only South Carolluians can utter, and which
they intensified by interfering every variety of
rebel yell. II one unguarded word had fallen
from the lips Of a colored man, scene of carnas e
would have followed fiightiul to think of. BE-
fore the soldiers came on the ground, several col
ored men had been beaten with bludgeons and the
butts Of pistols. Their folbearancc however, was
beyond all praise. On reaching the box, the for
tunate voter found white man named Shepard
standing guard over it, who with his sinister eyes
endeavored to look the poor negro into such a
state OF terror that he began to ask himself wheth-
er the poor privilege of acting for few short mo-
ments the part OF an American citizen was worth
the risk he ran. The gauntlet being safely run
the colored voter was then put through" long
frivolous catechism-so minute that at the close
of the rolls several hundred of the colored repub-
cans had failed even to come in sight of the bal
lot-b box. This was the mississippi plan," carried
! to degree Of perfection not eXceled even by
/ Nlcksburg itself
In the afternoon, the whites having done all the
voting and repeating at Poll No. which was re.
garded as necessary to accomplish their ends, il
was suggested that the crowd of anxious colored
men at No. 2 should 90 there to vote. Some es.
sayed so to do, but every avenue was so carefully
guarded that unless they had crept between the
/ legs OF the horses, they would have found no way
OF approach. In other portions ofthe district sim.
liar and even worse scenes were enacted. AZ
Coopersvllle the managers were assaulted and
run oil by II o'clock. At another polling place
both the manager and the United States Super.
visor were Put to flight quarter of an hour be.
fore the time for opening the polls. AT anothe,
the democratic manager got exclusive possession
Of the box, and retained 1t long enough to bring
about the curious result Of giving a large demo
cratic majority at poll where ten black repub
cans had voted to one white democrat BY these
and similar neiarous ways, the democrats ma 1e
a majority of over 5000 in district where there
are not that number Of legal voters all told 1t is
significant of one of the methods employed, that
in the State of Georgia, which this district abuts
there were $4,000 less votes cast at this election
than at the last They were sent into South Car
DINA and Florida. The villainy of which this is
but poor outline will, / have reason to believe
he fully established by the reports to be made both
by the United States Marshal, and the officers o
the Regular Army on duty at the various points