The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-07-25

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None OF those thus captured had arm
in their hands..
Subsequently, aud. at sbont two
O'Clock q. m, six men. took A. 4. Alta
way out of the ring" He and hi.
mother ebgged for his life. but in vain.
He was then told to turn around and
was shot to death by the crowd. Da.
vid Phillips was next taken out and was
similarly killed. Pompey Curry was
next called ont. He recognized among
the by-standers Henry Getzen and DIR.
Pierce Butler, aud called on them TO
keep the other men from killing him.
He ran, and was shot as he ran, one
bullet striking him in the right leg, be.
low the knee. Afterward Albert Nv
Mart. Moses Parks and Hampton Ste
vens were killed. Stevens did not bc
long to the company. John Parker,
who has been commonly referred 10 in
the newspaper reports as John Thomas.
was corporal in the company, When
| he was arrested and taken to the spot
where the others we're prisoners he
recognized among tie party two
gentlemen Of Augusta, named Twiggs
and Chaflee. He appealed to them for
protection. They said he should not
be hurt He states that Gen. NJ. q.
Butler asked il he was one Of the d-d
rascals. The reply was in the sffirma-
tive. He was then shot in the back.
Messrs. Twiggs and Chaffee then said
II he was shot again they would shoot
the ones who did IL. They took him
of and had him taken TO Augusta. He
was shot before Attaway was killed.
He may recover from his wounds. One
Butler Edwards was taken as prisoner
He says he was taken before Gen. But
Ter, who at the time was in the street
near the Sibley building. This was
about twelve o'clock. Threats were
made TO shoot him. Gen. Butler di.
rected that he be taken to the others.
He recognized among tho crowd one
Capt. Carwile and--Dunbar, OF Angus
ia; said he had a long talk with the
former. He was among the prisoners
who were let ioosc'snd told to run: as
they ran they were fired nj and he was
shot in the head. He was not a mem.
Der OF the COMPANY.
Willis Davis, one OF the members OF
the company, was taken to the place
where were the other prisoners. The
men stated that John Swaringen. of
Edgefield county, had charge of the
prisoners. He states that he saw Gen.
Butler before the men were killed who
asked him what he was doing, and told
him he would have enough Of il before
he got through. He was shot in the
arm, near the elbow, when about twen-
~ PAGES distant from the crowd. The
ball is still in his arm and he suffers
much pain. He also states that some
OF the young men from Georgia remon-
strated against shooting the prisoners,
but in vain. Besides the killing and
wounding OF the men herein named
the party broke open several stores and
houses, and, in some instances, robbed
the inmates. They took from Mr..
Charles Roll, the postmaster, and a
very respectable white citizen, a gun
which he had in his store, and his
private property. From an old color
ed man named Jacob SanIuols, in his
employ, they took a watch and set fire
to his house. They broke open the honse
OF Trial Justice Rivers, and much dam
age, as well M robbed him OF clothing.
They obtained kerosene oil and at
prevented by Col. A. =. Butler from
doing 40. The ropes OF the public
wells were cut. and some fences were
primary object OF the whites was To
take away from the. militia their arms.
Tie man Parker. who was wounded,
states that on Friday, the 7th inst, lac
had long talk with Harrison Butler
(white), on Broad street Augusta. Bnt.
Ter told him that Rivers did not give
orders for the militia to give mp their
arms they would take them any way on
the next day. On Saturday rnmors
we're abroad in Hamburg that there
were armed parties coming in TO take
the guns, but little credit was attached
to them. Ono OF the white citizens OF
Hamburg heard q conversation between
David Phillips and Gen. Butler in the
afternoon. Phillips talked very 'big,
as the gentleman said, and Gen. But
Ter told him that they wanted those
guns and were bound 10 have them.
In the afternoon Col. A. y. Butler went
to the various stores in the town aud
told the proprietors that they must not
sell any liquor 10 his men. In spite OF
this, however, some OF the men com.
PEELED one Of the storrkeepers to fur
nish them liquor. From the same per-
son they obtained Kerosene oil 90 nse
in setting fire to a house. The whites
were armed with guns aud small aims
OF varions kinds, and many Uf them
had ants and hatchets. IL IN pruper TO
state tia. the Intendent 81 Hamburg
Mr.. Gardner, was informed by Gen.
Butler, in an interview with him, that
the arms OF the company must be given
up. Trial Justice Rvers is now hold
ing nn inquest aud taking the testimo-
ny OF witnesses. Until their verdict is
rendered IL will he impossible to tell
who were engaged in the attack on the
militia, and the subsequent killing aud
wounding Of the colored men. IL may
be possible that careful judicial in.
vestigation may show some slight er-
rors in some Of the minor details stat
ed in this report. But. making due
allowance for such errors, tho facts
show the demand on the militia 10 give
up their arms was made 10y persons
without lawfnl authority to enforce
such demand or to receive the arms,
had they been surrendered; that the
attack on the militia to compel a com
pliance with this demand was without
lawful excuse or Justification; and that
after there had been some twenty or
twenty-five prisoners captured and
completely in the power OF their cap
tors, and without means OF making fur.
ther resistance, five OF them we delib-
erately shot 10 death and three more
severely wounded. IL further appears
that not content with thus satisfying
their vengeance. many Of the crowd
added TO their guilt the crime OF rob-
berry Of defenseless people. and were
only prevented from arson by the Of
forts OF their own leaders.
Yours, very respectfully,
WILLIAM SroSB,
Attorney General s. @.
E..,. man h.r.. .............l -. ....... -.