The New York herald., 1876-10-21

THE CsINHoY AFFAIR AS sREN DY AN EYE
wITNEss-THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OUT
BREAK-HoRRID BARBARlTIEs OF THE Me-
GRoEs ON THE WOUNDED AND THE DEAD
EFFECT OF DIsARMING THE wHIrRs.
The following letter was written by a son of Her
Britannia MaJesty's Consul in Charleston and ad-
dressed to his brother in this city
CHARLESTON, s. c., Oct Is 1874
have just returned from Canhoy, slightly
wounded, and have just witnessed the most barUarc
brutaiilies inflicted by black demons defencelsss
old men and children aud on the wounded who lcll
into their hands
Both political parties agreed to hold meeting at
"Brick Cnurch," near Cainhoy, and !. was further
agreed on the suggestion Of the republicans, % that
Kept faith when they got the democrats into trap
you will SEQ.
The democrats chartered the steamer Pocosin 10
take them TO Cainhoy, and courteously took Bowen
and the republicans with them, the beautiful day al
tracing large numbers OF boys, no did
| weapon. AZ Calnhoy we met tho whites from He'll
Hole swamp, with no other weapon than here and
h s s',r, ,ho nsgrn. ay,n ny
''Tooa-ioo, Too-la-loo,n y anu as We moved on IRON
Cainboy everything seemed so peaceful that the men
from that village left all their arms at home.
Mr.. William Venning rode on ahead Of the process
sion. Father knows well his latner, William H. vcn-
nngl On his arrival AZ the church he found large
body OF negroes, well armed with muskets and rncs
&C. Bowen mad also arrived in advance. Mr.. Ven
ming heart the negroes that tney would suffer
Delany, colorcd democrat tn address the meeting.
G. c. Bowen then said, Hide your guns, and they did
The procession arrived the began,
whnt saw, unless expressly state that it
is Information. col0red man named Mckenlay
was put tho stand by the republicans-ho mis-
taken by the negroes for Delany-and the began.
1t was discovered that the negroes had concealed
weapons in the chimney Of an old house near hand
and news OF IL brought 20 no ARRIVAL l
am sure that part OF plot to mako tho whites
seize those arms an excuse 10 bringing on row;
but at she time advised guns watched but
not moiested. Suddenly tho whites by the old house
emerging from pines and swamp at the back OF
the ''stand detachmcns oil negroes armed with mus
bats xvht thau fad RI fhn anna
moment confusion raised on account OF tho sup
posed Doany taking the stand, this commotion
probably being signal for the appear
gvc the respectable republicans credit tor beiiev
ing truly that the whites began the row by sezing the
guns, for they mostly behind or on the stand
facing the church had their backs turned TO this
detachment and did not see why the whites seized the
Mr. Duane tells me that he directed the guns in the
chimney " be seized but not until ihc negroes
advancing toward him with guns at tul cock. Then
| tho whites made rush for the chimney ned with
guns loaded, as am told by ALL with powder only. Mr.
| Venning Mr.. Boycc and Mr. Lambc have sworn TO me
las notary that they saw the negroes fre the hrst
shot saw the negroes pouring volleys into these
armed boys, though cannot from personal observa-
| Bored by the political speaking standing alone
by the church. Tho negroes were between The stand
and the old house. ana the whites were between US run
| the nre with small pocket pistols, but OF COURSE
against voeys of buckshoh sluss and broken
retiring behind the pines the pistols were useless.
moved over from the church IN iront OF the vestry
should encourage the whites 10 stand and defend them
| selves. had, may say. NO weapon for though
was lent old pistol II would not SHOOT and did
| not nro shot John Fickon though armed with only
slight cane, did the same. When got between the
''vestry" and tho "stand SAW Abram Smith, .
negro trial justice on stand firing boys
| ana men who were running away aud dcfenccless.
did try 10 stop dm, but the old iron had could not
smack cap Imovsd on 10 the vestry, having first
warned Smith that would kill HIM If ho fired again
Though had nothing to do It with) and no stopped
Al The vestry met c. c. Bowen The negroes hav-
ing rcd their voeys, had run back among tho pines
TO reload. and there was cessation or lu for a low
minutes Bowen called out for white TO go with him
to make peace volunteered. and he said, 'stop the
democrats firing" There was about corporal's guard
| oil them only lott SAID
| .Democrats, reserve your Ore while 20 with Mr..
Bowen" and they strictly obcyed me. walked arm
hero wish 10 render full justice Mr.. Bowen, and,
therefore, though / have no doubt OF his original
responsibility that IS merely my opinion) yet the fact
he did endeavor to sop the negroes renewing tho
| attack. The effort was for some minutes crowned
with complete success, but suddenly Cyrus Galliard,
an incendiary negro, pushing Mr Bowen and myself
| aside called out TO the negroes, "Mster Bowens We
| can't sten to you now Como on, boys; we We got
'em, now let's kill the sons OF D." aud, rushing
past u.s. he melted them orecommence; and socmny
swear that they fired again on the whites without pro-
vocation, and without a shot being first fired by them
Just then l. the messenger OF peace invited into
their ranks by their leader T. G. Bowen, heard negro
say, "Shoot that son OF D." jumped behind
pine heard bang, bang, bang bchlnu me- then
behind swamp cyprus, and then sprang from tree 10
treo for about 200 Yards back to The ve.try,
On my arrival said TO the whites,
who without returning the fire. wcro In shelter be-
hind the 'vcstry," that 1t only renamed forsthem TO
defend themselves They tried to do SO Tor momepI;
but the OF shot was too hot 10 be met with hail
dozen pistols at Two hundred yards range and the few
OF US who remained sullen.y retired 10 Canhoy.
There the boys and unarmcd men took the boat 10
town. About fifteen or twenty OF remained 10 pro-
tect the women and children, and passed fearful
night. When not on picket duty nursing tho
wounded; tho night was very cold and the previous
day being warm we wcro ali without overcoats, and
hen mu q relnforCemcuts
our God protecting from the 800 armed demons
who wc momentariy expected attack us; but they
giutted themselves with bloody least of cruelty
the poor wounded and children who fell into heir
hands Tho following arc lew oftho ms:-Old Mr.
Simons decrepi1 man oil seventy, took refuge inside
the vesry but the devils must have dragged him
chopped him with an axe, broke, by beating, almost
ground, with muskct, for We found below bm the
sill 10 the vcstry door aud in the ground the holes
made by the buckshot AS we picked him up tho
broken bones grated together though lie was at tho
time Twelve hours dead.
Mr. Whitaker mot with worse fate, for be was
brought in alive, suffering ieariuly from buckshot
through his stomach, and hugo hacks Of nesh taken
out OF him by an axe or hatchet
&. e. Bowen teegraphcd that a negro named Lachi
cote was the first man killed lie may have been,
but he Drst shot poor Whitaker IA Northern man
toId) This got from the man who killed him aud
from all who saw IT. As I.achcotts shot Whitaker
this man shot him through tho breast Iachcotte
was tho only negro killed that can hear Of
DAILY also lett the ground wounded. His
head was hacked In five places when louEd
Poor Walter Gradick, mere boy, had his eye
gougcd out and was cruelty beaten and wounded
The papers havo doubtless gwen you tu accounts
OF the other casualties, and II is sufficient for
say that not a single wounded prisoner LETT on the
ground survive the bruaiitcs shown him after
falling into the hands OF the negroes. They stole
coats, boots and hats from both dead anu dying.
1t may nog be asked why do not take legal meas
ures against Cyrus Galiiard to bring him to account.
shall do SO; but with no other elect know, than to
negro hate on myself, Tor, first, the republican
trial Justices Will throw all obstacles way when
| say republican ! mean by It always Carolina
republican Tor you know my Northern education pre-
vents my holding any preudiccs against bond fde
publican OF tho Nortb-thcn Bowen has complete con-
troll OF the sessions, and the prosecuting officer Bulz
is TOO well known Tor you 10 doubt tho utility OF my
effort
And that these demons nre rendering II unsafe
for n man TO 20 armed even through the country