New-York tribune., 1877-06-02
BLOODY WORK AT ELLENTON.
rwo 1ErrfRs FRoM Mss sCHOFlELD.

SIR: NV last letter printed below related the
killing of the mon at Eenton as they ran from tne
bouse. and the interview with tho unlted S'a'es
troops on tuesday morning railroad eIhpioSo
testified that on that same Tuesday ABOUT 'o hIne"
men went down in his train from Augusta 10 h''u
20, TI,ov were commanded by o. \. Butler and
oftor reaching Ellenton took a freight train and
went several miles further on, to Robbins Statioh,
where Simon Coker, intelligent colored man anu
member of the Legislature, was sitting on 'he Pi"
form. Capt o. n. Butler ard several others steppeu
ont. and going to him said, You are my prlsohei'
then forced him To enter the box car and return
with them to Ellenton. when he was taken apous
100 wards TO large tree told TO say his prayers and
at the order to fire halfdozen of the Southern
chvalry empted their guns into his body and he fell
dead. This Simon Coker was man who bore a
good character was influential with his race, and
had freoucuflv advised them TO keep quiet and not
start any disturbance
Can the civilized mind conceive of men boasting
Of their Intelligence and education deliberately put
ting up a human being rs a target and then nave
the audacity to tell him to say his prayers Does
seem possible that the testimony OF earnest words
spoken so near eternity had no other elect tnah 10
make the leader say Pull your hat over your lace"
and then six Of the armed men fired Mt once What
raijroad CORPORATION IN the North would permit an
,
AMOUNT of testimony proves that this was actually
done in broad daylight in September, 1876. After
Cokcr was made to leave the train at Elem
ton Station he was taken To Bonncrs store,
and guarded by half dozen men until
they were ready to march him to the place
of execution. Elenton is a small town of few
houses. on the Port Royal Railroad which runs from
Augusta to Port Royal. and these men came from
Georgia to help the South Carolina whites get into
power. Though several persons saw tins DONE the
whites did not and the cOored men were AFRAID
10 interfere Unless this spirit Of indifference or
rejoicing among the afistocrats when negroes are
murdered can Be eradcatod, the present peace policy
will be the noiseless combination Of elements that
will yet burst forth like volcano and pour its tide
of hot lava over hundreds Of innocent beings This
Government must not reject the cornerstone of Tree
Thought and free speech it will crumbe, and
those upon whom it fails will be ground to
powder"
PERHAPS if wonld be we'll to state that this o. Y.
Butler a tall chiyaric Georgia gentleman, who had
lost an arm I'm fighting for slavery, was arrested IN
Aiken at a Hampton meeting, and gave bonds to
appear at the United States Court. Bat a few weeks
since lie who makes only righteous Judgments
summoned him to give an account Of deeds done a
the body" and when the Augusta papers gave all
The culogy words couid give and the bar mourned
and friends Of the murdered man leaned nore
closely on the God who is no respecter Of persons'
One such fact would shock almost any community,
and vet ife after life was thus sacrificed, and then
the whole neighbOrhOod rose uD IN anger that the
United States Dstrict-AttOrGey, the Hon. ID. }.
Corbin, arrested tho offenders. Every newspaper
hurled dirt al him, and the air was hllod With vlIe
accusations dcnouncing his course of depressing
Southern gentlcmcn' aud threatening death to
those IL the colored people who dared to go to him
and give testimony. The United states should be
proud OF Government officer who left no stone u-
turned in his efforts 20 discover the truth spent
days and days taking the sworn testimony OF those
who had suffered or know She facts and yet it re-
mains TO be seen whether, when this same oiicer
knocks at the door Of the Senate Of the United
States. with his certificate of lawful election, he
will be met in the yestibule by the wolf of peace in
shecn's clothing, or permitted to pass on, only to
find the seat given to W. c. Butler the leader of the
Hamburg massacre, who emphatically said at that
time. This is only the beginning; it Will not end
ill November"
Another witness was Robert Turner. who was in
the field with his son when Wyle Baily, Mannlce
Crossl nd, Pig Bush. whom ne identified IN the
court room, and other white men rode up from
toward Ellentou. This was on Thursday. after the
United States troops had been there. They were
WnOODlg ana uhiiooluBf anu tliti ''i0sN'l't 't'iN
swearing and some questioning, W. Bay said. Lay
down your sack and come with me-" The witness
begged them "Plcaso not kill my son; he is sicly
any way but they drove hil of to the woods, and
the father and wife found his body mile and half
distant a hole in his side (she " could put her hand
in ~, and the brains running out on tho ground lie
was 10 years old and Republican.
Another man, Kit Fnzer, walking down tho
railroad; party overlook him and ordered him 20
halt He kept on aud they shot and killed him. and
then cut one ear of.
Scarcely morning comes but what there Is some
disgusting personal remarks about Dstrct-Attorney
Stono-whose principles and purity Of character they
are not capable If understandng-or his assistants
Slr. Earle and Major d. I. Ccrbin, while the same
papers Withhold much Of the vital testimony for
the prosecution, and then give the usual southern
natiery to the luminous" opening speech for tie
defense. Most unfortunately, Ths Cincinnati Gazette
is the only Northern papf wi!h 4 spondent here
but If the thousands Interested in these could
have heard the plain statements made at the open
ing by Major Corbn and the testimony given by
witnesses. and frequently corroboHted by those
called for the defense. the public mind would have
some idea Of what il cost Aiken and Barnwe
Counties to make Rutherford b. Hayes President
The defense viii not attempt 20 deny but endcayor
10 prove Justification By trying to show the colored
people tine aggrcssOrs
The whites had the arms. ammunition, and horses
and there were about 100 of them against 20 or -
colored over a dozen OF whom were killed while ouly
one white man was shot. Any unprejudced person
attending this court would not find it difficult TO got
the truth, and yet with six white men on the jury
who. no doubt, are strongly iubucd with the
mon Southern spirit " that there is wrong in
killing a nigger,' there IS little hope Of any being
found guilty though mstral would not seem so