The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-10-17
SATURDAY AT SUMTER.

Oa last Wednesday Information was
received here that q grand Radical
pow.wow would occur at Sumter on Sat-
urday, at which several Northern leaders
would be present. The information
also brought with it an invitation to
the Democrats of Kershaw to come
down on that day. In response to the
call, about one hundred and fifty Demo.
crats left Camden Friday afternoon.
They proceeded as far as Thzah Church
that night, whe9 they. campea. 1t
carried u. back to the war to see the
a~~ssas fires ssantssaD-.ll around in the
woods, aud to tuhea--a---hcss EARRING
on their iests with eacll other. Earfy'
Saturday morning start was made.
When on the outskirts of Sumter the
column was formed, and with cheers the
bows marched in. The town was
already full of red shirts, with large
supply of the black element also. Our
estimate ;- that there were two thousand
white men and about one thousand
oegroe, present when all The crowd had
come into town. Conspicuous in the pro.
cession of the red shirts was banner
born by colored Democrat on which
appeared the words:
"REMEMBER CAINHoY.'
Early in the morning a proposition
was made to the Radicals to have but
one meeting, allowing two speakers on
each side. After waiting sometime the
reply vas returned that the speakers
expected by the Radicals had not ar
rived, and that they would only call
their forces together to dismiss them.
We may state here, that it was reported
that Sam Lee, the arch Radical of SUM
ter, got so frightened that he got him.
self locked up in Jail One thing is
certsin-he was not seen or heard OF
on the streets during the whole day.
What afterwards occurred is well
related as follows, in the Oolumbla
Register: >.~..3 -t. y.r
"The Democrats then formed pro-
cessiop and marched to the depot. The
Radicals assembled at Emanuel Church
two hundred yards distant, where they
had arms concealed. They were ad
dressed by Andrews, Butler Spears
and Ooghlan, WHOSE language, though
moderate and temperate, was intensel,
partisan. General johnson Hagoot
and Maj. Hugh S. Thompson addressed
the Democrats, when the Radicals
dispersed. and all came back to town.
The Democrats organized q meeting
in front Of the court house. when the
first disorder occurred. A policeman
was carrying violent negro to th'
, guard house, when another negro, whit
attempted to rescue the prisoner, wa
knocked down. AT the same tim'
> .Coghlan was on the court house steps
defying the crowd, with drawn pistol
Intense excitement prevailed for severa
minutes, and riot seemed tn be inevi
table. General Hageod, was mainl.
instrumental in preventing what nigh
have been a serious conflict, and in hi
manly andeavors to prsserVe the peac
was nobly seconded bysMes'rs. Noise
Thompson. Fraser und others. wher
t the excitement had subsided, Genera
:, Noise spoke with great force and ability
. and vas followed by Hoe. j: s. Rich
! ardson in telling speech. Other
also addressed the assemblage. Man
negroes were present, listening atten
a tively. At suudown the crowd gener
9 ally dispersed"
t The reporter of the JOURNAL has
o thank the proprietors of the 7"u
i SgEt4rop for coprtesies extended tt
him during the day.