The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-08-15
Of the Butler Rifles.
Shooting Match-Barbccued Dinner
Speech by Abbeville's Trucst Son.
He Objects to the Mutilation Of This
Grand Old County.

Editor Press and Banner:
AS you are always willing and ready to
publish anything of interest to your read
ers, or any part of them, I enclose the fol-
lowing account of the anniversary cele-
bration ofthe Butler Rifles, at C%okesbury
last Wednesday. The writer took the 8
o'clock train in company with the Hon.
Robert r. Hemphill, Col. Jas. s.. Cochran,
the orator of the day, Mr.. T. e. Seal, Rev.
VIM. Wightman and others. The Abbo-
Vile delegation was taken in charge by
Mr.. Mac. Moscly, the prince OF good fell
lows, and Mr.. G. NJ. Hodges. The meet
ing was to be held ut the sulphur springs,
about three miles from the junction.
When VIC arrived we were astonished
beyond measure to find about two hum
dred ard fifty ladies present. There
were about the same number OF gentle
men present. The exercises of the day
consisted Of the election of officers, shoot
ing match, counting young ladies, eating
q Darbecued dinner and listening TO al
eloquent address from Col. Cothran.
The company consists of about one
hundred members. They are a fine body
of men and are worthy to represent Edge
following excellent officers were elected
Captain, w. z. McGhce; Lieutenants-
LIST G. NJ. Hodges, I'd a. B. Ellis, Sd J.
McMoselcy, 4th David Aiken.
THE SHOOTING MATCH.
The marksmen consisted Of twenty
men--two teams of ten each. We will
designate them as tho picked and scrub
teams. When the match was called at the
end Of sixty shots, it was found the score
stood IS to 45. The best shots of each
4-~~. ,a-, ,o1o.foI 20 lon;la tho no,,tncf
They were J. p. Bull of the picked team
and Henry Turner of the scrubs. The
latter score stood one to three in favor OF
of the scrubs. The committee consisted
of Abbcville men who gave complete
and general satisfaction. They were w.
II. Branch, chairman, II. G. Seal and Z. 3.
Gary, and A. w. Jones, secretary.
Il DINNER
consisted principally of barbecued meats,
cooked under the supervision Of Messrs.
Wiss and Mundy. The counting was car
ried on continually--there was no inter-
ruption to this pleasant exercise.
SPEECH OF COL. CoTHnAN.
The speech of Col. Cothran in regard to
the fence law and new county was tho
best and strongest we have heard: That
the fence law will pass in a few years but
not at present. The people are not pre-
pared to adopt il yet. The arguments
used in the Press and Banner against the
new county were partly. those used
by the eloquent speaker. Of course they
were made stronger, and coming out as
they did before q crowd in sympathy
with them, they carried everything before
them. In scathing terms he denounced
the idea of mutilating the grand old coun-
ty Of Abbeville. He said that for thirty
years they had been pegging away at
establishing a new county. He said that
Judge D. L. Wardlaw had buried the
scheme for thirty years and now it must
be buried by us for thirty more, and this
time it must be buried face downward, so
if it ever wishes to scratch out it will
scratch into the other world.
No one who listened to the eloquent
and impassioned appeal of Abbevi1le's
truest patriot, could for a moment enter
tain the idea Of cutting up Abbeville and
forming o new county.
SPECTATOR.