Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-07-18
The Hamburg Massacre.

Gov. Chamberlain, OF South Carolina, in
his letter to Senator Robertson, gives the
following particulars of the Hamburg mas
sacre:
"On the Attn of July instant a company OF
state militia (colored) were marching along
one OF the streets OF Hamburg. The street
was over 100 ieet wide, and the company W As
marching they were met by two young wa te
men In buggy, who insisted on keeping
their course In the street without regard to
the movements Of the militia, aud drovs
against the head OF the column, which there
upon halted. Some parleying took place
which resulted In the company yielding
opening their ranks and allowing the yOang
men to proceed on their course. On TIE ri
lowing DAY the young men referred to t1Dk
ont warrants OF arrest against some of The
ofncers OF the militia company, VINO WIRE
brought before a trial justice for trial. Tne
trial was afterward adjourned till four p. m.
Oh SATURDAY, the sih instant. Before that
hour arrived on Saturday mauy white citi-
Gems from the country around Hamburg
began TO gather In the town and armed
themselves with guns and pistols. Tue
militia company in the meanwhile had
assembled at their armory in the village
and at the hour set Tor trial the defendants
did not appear.
At this point it has been stated In dis
patches and newspapers that the militia
officers having detied the authority of the
trial justice, the citizens were called on 10
assist the trial justice by acting as his posse
Nothing of the kind, In fact, occurred. Tue
militia failed to appear because of their fear
u
men; and the trial justice, after calling them
took no further steps to cause their presence
IN his court, on account of the excitement
and the evidences of an impending conflict
While things were In this cOnditiou there
being, according to all accounts, from 200 to
800 armed white men from the SURROUNDING
country In the town, a demand was made by
the whites for the surrender to them OF tue
arms OF the militia. An hour or two passed
IN negotiations concerning this demand, the
whites Informing the militia company that
| m q oh
time most of the witnesses say In half
h0ur-the whites would open fire on the MI
arms, saying that the demand was wholly
unwarranted and illegal and that they mad
reason to fear for their lifes If they gave up
their arms.
A brisk fire was then opened by the whites
upon the building in which the militia wsre
assembled, and soon after one Of the attack
litia in the building. A piece of ARTILLERY
was thereupon brought across the bridge
from Augusta, loaded with canister, and
fired several times at the building In which
were the militia. This had the effect to cause
the militia to endeavor to make their escape
from the rear OF the building. The town
was living in the building, was instantly
shot by the attacking party while thus en-
geavorlng TO escape from the building
Twenty or twenty five of the militia were
captured by the attacking party ana kept
under guard for several hours Finally,
about O'Clock on the morning of the 9ta OF
81
their captors and with complete apparent
elaboration, five of the captured militia
men were called out, one by one, and sh0,
10 death In the presence of large body of
thelr captOrs. The rest OF the captured srty
were either turned loose or broke loose and
ran. They were fired upon as they ran, and
tnree o. them severely wounded, one of them
The attorney general, who has person ally
visited Hamburg, thus concludes his OH
cial report - me:
MAKING ar all f,r
me Iacts snow the demand on the militia give up
their arms was made by parsons without lawful au-
arms had they been surrendered; that the attack on
the militia to compel cou lance with this demand
was without justification or excuse and that after
there had been some twenty twenty five prison
es5 ca pt1red and completely in the power OF ia IL
slstance, hye of them were deliberately Shot to I'll
Such was the affair at Hamburg, II YIN
can lind words to characterize IFS afros!ty
and barbarism, the triviality of the Gauss.
the numerous and inhuman spirit with
marked 1t In all its stages your power o!
language exceeds mine. It presents n darSsr
picture OF human cruelty than the slaughter
OF Custer and his soldiers, for they were slot
in open battle. The victims at Ham 1urs
were murdered in cold blood after they I'D
surrendered and were utterly defenCel 5
NO occasion existed for causing the pres, ,:e
or single armed citizen at Hamburg on tb,
day OF The massacre. No violence was ~
fertd or thr, atened to any one. 1t is, ird j.
said, as usual, that "the nigsers were I'm m
n ~
acCcal physical aggression was on the part
the whites; that they made demand which
they had DO right to make, and when that
demand was refused. as II should have bean.
they proceeded to enforce IT by arms and
crowned their success In enforcing their de-
mands by brutal murders.
NEW YoRK's DIVIDED DEMoCRAcY-
The New York correspondent of the PhiIa-
days ago, that the anti-Tammany portion
would abstain from participation in the ap.
preaching ratification meeting at the Wig
wan, under the auspices OF Mr.. Kelly, is
verined, so that all present expectations OF
treaty OF peace may as well be dismissed.
The Kelly people have named the 18th inst
as the time for their demonstration; the
other side, with characteristic adroitness.
nave liked on the 9th, no doubt calculating
thus to stake the edge off, the other meet.
Ing. as in this hot weather even the democ-
racy cannot stand two "great outpouringsn
SO quickly. one on the heels OF the other. Mr.
Oswald Ottendorfer, editor of the stats
Zeitung, is to preside. The meeting will be
date vicinity of Tammany. The list of
Speakers has not yet been made out. The
following gentlemen will be present at the
John Hancock, of Texas; ]. Proctor Knott,
OF KY; Charles G. Hooker, of Miss John *
w. T. Whyte, of Md. There some talk abou,
ex Governor Seymour also being present
put II is doubtful whether, under the pecu-
gulshed gentleman will deem IL polite IN
respond. Ifhe pleases one faction, he is surs
10 MAKE an enemy of the other
THE BERDELL SHOOTING AFFRAY.-
Wisner Murray, who was shot on Thursiay
night In Goshen, N. Y, by Robert II. Berdell,
was examined by DIR. Stinson last Sstur-
day. They extracted more of the bullet from
his bead. Three fourths of the ball is sup
posed TO be still ia the brain. The left side
is paralyztng gradually. The physicians pro
pounce the wound very dangerous. Mr..
Murray win probably die. Mr.. Berdell was
arraigped, but owing to the absence of ma
terial witnesses, the examination was ad-
journed until Wednesday morning. Public
sentiment, heretofore against BerdelI, is nov
largely in his favor. Two witnesses will
swear Murray bad pistol In his hand while
running away from Berdell.
The DEATH RATE OF the city ran mn
frightfully last week. The number of deaths
reached 1,29s, against S5s of the week before,
and 943 OF the corresponding week of 1915
The increase OF mortality was mostly
among infants. or the whole number OF
deaths last week S62 were Of children under
&c..