The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-03-09
How Tho Hampton sheritfs Enforce III. Law

GREEN PoND, March 1.-The Radical negroes
on the Combahee, have again openly defed the
law. The readers of the Journal of Commerce
will remember that the store of Shaffer & Ferry,
ut WATERFORD, was entered by burglars last
week and robbed of almost the entire contents
The thieves captured wagon load of groceries,
and were tracked to some distance from the town
The parties robbed were Chamberlain officials.
Radical-Sherif and Deputy Of last year-and
1t was party of their constituents who robbed
them. When the rice plantation riots took place
last fall, these gentry played powerless to check
them.
But now things have changed, Hampton is
Governor Of the State, they are the losers, and
they at once appealed to Sheriff Black, Demo
crat, for the arrest of the thieves. Warrants
were issued by one of the justices appointed by
Governor Hampton. posse of ten men was
sworn in by the Sheriff, and the thieves were
followed. Several of the thieves IAN organized
gang)were arrested, but some of them an nnounced
that they only recognized Chamberlain their
MASTER and that they would not submit TO mr.
rest. The posse overlook the thief and his sup
porters near Blue House, but the Chamberlain
supporters outnumbcrcd the Sheriff's posse and
the latter retired after having been fired upon
by the thieves.
The negroes soon gathered in full force rs they
uld during the rice field riots and swore TINT
tho thief should not be arrested: This thing wns
managed by an officer of the law however, and
the result was quito different from the esult in
the rice field riots, when Chamberlain was Gov
enor OF the State. The Sheriff sent out couriers
an every direction to summon n posse, and to-
day about three Hundred we'll armed white men
responded to his summons. They gathered near
"hltehall, at Calf Pen, and announced them
solves as being ready to obey orders.
The neg oes to the number of about eight
hundred had assembled at the same place. The
women were armed with hoes rice hooks and
rskes, and the men with State rifles The
wiites, who constituted the Sheriff's posse, con-
sisted of Captain Eliotts militia company. from
Combahec. and detachment of armed citizens,
under MIR. Fishburne, frsm Walterboro. Sher-
III Black had command of the posse. The ne
roes who protected the thieves, were formed in
e on the opposite side of the railroad track,
md for while things looked threatening
The Sheriff did not mnce matters. He or
dered: his posse to dismount and charge the riot
ers They obeyed the order and went in to cap
ture the thieves, The negro rioters broke and
run at once, without firing shot Even the
women Threw down their weapons and busted
Abut fifteen or twenty of the thieves were CAP
tured, disarmed and sent to Walterboro. Tie
Sheriff and his posse are following the balance
OF the rioters. No blood was shed
frhe gang of thieves who have been arrested
are evidently the same crowd who burned and
robbed the two stores of Mr.. J. d. Bissell dur
ing the last two months. Thisis rendered GER.
tain by the fact that some of the goods stolen
from MIR. BisselPs store were found in the DOS
session of the thieves who were captured Jour
of Commerce.