The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-05-31
Trial Of the EllentOn Rioters.

A special to the Cincinnati Gazette
brings the first authentic intelligence
we have seen of the trial of the Ellen
ton and Hamburg butchers, now in
progress at Charleston, :. {. 1t will
he remembered that early lest summer
the white Democrats Of Suoth Caro-
lima began toput in execution the plans
which they had formed to carry the
State in the approaching election. To
secure the end i'm view il was found
necessary TO intimidate the black
population into either voting the
Democratic ticket or not voting at all.
Accordingly the colored people of
Aiken county were warned that they
had their choice to live as Democrats
or die as Republicans the DEM
ocrats were determined to carry the
State "even if they had to wade knee
deep in blood" In September the
conspiracy eliminated in the assem-
bling of several hundred white men,
Democrats, armed and equipped, un-
der the command Of captains and
other officers. They had lists of
prominent colored Republicans, aud
they had come together to kill these
men! And they did carry out their
bloody, terrible plan, killing some
fifteen or twenty black men, most of
them slaughtered i'm cowardly, cruel
manner while prisoners.
Doubtless there were hundreds of
eases of indivual intimidation which
have not been and probably never
will be recorded, but such horrible af-
fairs as the E!lenton and Hamburg
massacres commanded attention to
the wholesale intimidation of colored
men In South Carolina, and drew
forth from the Northern people, un-
used to seeing men murdered on ac-
count of differences of political opin-
ion. expressions of horror and indig-
ton.
Fortunately for the ends of justice
with an offense against the United
States, and still more fortunately
Chief Justice Waite is presiding If
the matter was in the hands of the
state authorities, not only would the
criminals escape, but they would
most likely be made heroes. Indeed
fha N srafs nf Snnsh lsar,lisn
who now control the State have al
ready chosen as United States Senator
NJ. &. Butler, a brother and chief ad-
wiser of the Gen. A. Z. Butler, who
was boss" of the butchers.
The Gazette's correspondent says
the trial promises to develop new and
startling testimony. The prisoners
number $50, and are to be tried in
patches of II, the first batch being
now on trial. The jury is composed
of six white men and six colored men
Mr.. Williams. the wealthiest man in
Charleston, Is the foreman of the ju-
ry. Chief Justice Waite overruled all
iIiotioiiS w lttihltdl III
tended to stave off fair trial. Final
ly Mr.. Youmans, for the defense, said:
"Well, we are at the mercy of the
prosecution. God help us"
Corbin District Attorney You
are at the mercy of truth and justice.
Chief Justice Waite think Mr..
ioumans will hardly repeat that re-
mark. 1t is not fair to make such an
insinuation.
The first witness Ia colored man
was then called, who told his story in
an unvarnished manner, carrying
conviction with it Of the most dam
aging nature against Gen. Butler and
his co-conspriators. 1t is difficult to
see how they can escape punishment,
and yet no one can tell what a jury
may do under the influences that may
be at work to warp their Judgment.