The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-09-12
REDMOND IN A NEW ROLE.
Tho Noted "Moonshiner's" Reception Mt
Eastatoe.
GREEyvILLE, S. c., August :

session at this place, and in view OF the
interest generally manifested in regard to
all the acts of the great outlaw, Red
mond, the following account of scene
which occurred lately in which he bore
q conspicuous part, is regarded as worthy
of being recorded. The particulars of
the occurrence, as narrated to me by
several eye-witnesses, were as follows:
A few weeks ago the candidates for
the various Offices in Pickens County met
by appointment at Eastatoe for the pur-
pose of presenting their several claims
to popular favor. The precinct is situated
almost in the heart of the mountains,
and is distant but few miles from Red
mond's nominal "home." The majority
of those present were inhabitants of
the surrounding mountainous country,
and it may be safely assumed that large
part of the expectant audience were not
altogether disconnected with the busi-
ness of illicit distilling. The crowd,
which numbered about 500 persons, also
contained fair proportion of mountain
matrons and maidens, and altogether the
occasion was q memorable one in that
quiet community which so seldom expe-
riences any excitement other than that
attendant upon the unexpected honor of
receiving the visits of raiding deputy
maishals.
The meeting was duly called to order,
in the course of the day, and the candi-
dates proceeded in turn to discuss the
momentous questions of locat polity now
agitating the public mind of Pickens
County.
The speaking was at last concluded, and
the crowd, now broken up into groups and
engaged in discussing the merits and
perhaps the wbiskey of the respective
favorites, was wholly taken up with these
matters when great commotion was OBJ
served in one quarter, and every one
rushing thither to see the fight, if pos
sible, or whatever other attainment
might be on hand, was suddenly greeted
with the most unexpected spectacle of
slender young man, surrounded by q
circle of friends and engaged in the en-
inently peaceful pursuit of shaking
hands with all within his reach. The
young man, as it very quickly be.
came known, was none other than the
terrible Redmond. How he came there,
or when, or by what avenue of approach,
no one knew, and no one has ever at
tempted to explain; but there he was,
und the greeting this fearful enemy to
his community received at the hands
literally of lis members would have
been matter of great surprise to any
stranger ignorant of the fact rs TO how
the unfortunate youth is regarded by all
those of his neighbors who know him 80
we'll, and so we'll what he has wrongfully
suffered at the instance of mistaken au-
thority.
The excitement over his presence in
creased rapidly, and presently reached its
climax when he was hoisted upon the
shoulders of half a dozen friends and
cal lied some distant up the hill and
hoisted bodily upon the frame of wag-
on which stood in a conspicuously &C.
cessible spot, where he was released, and
vociferously called upon to make O
speech.
As himself aiterward and needlessly
informed me, Redmond bad not come
prepared to meet such reception, and
still less, of course, was he prepared to
meet such call, bat once "up" lie deter
mined TO make an effort and do the best
he knew how. That best was by no
mesus bad. "Of course" will say the
merciful executors of the revenue laws,
"of course he did not lose such an oppor-
tuuity 10 abuse the government and its
agents, to defend his own crimes and TO
incite his gang to renewed deeds OF
wholesale violence and slaughter" OF
course he did no such thing. On the
contrary, this man, who alone and by
name has been excluded from the gen.
eral amnesty extended to his fellows,
(an6 all agree that there are in the noun
tains to-day many worse men than the
Mojor,) this deeply-dyed criminal and
imDlacable foe 10 law aud order, devoted
himself to a modest, earnest appeal to
respect the revenue laws; to stop tho
practice of jl)ict distillipg, and to dis
countepance it in others rs we'll.
This was before the Court met at
Greenville, and of course, before the am
nesty was proclsjmed. 1t follows that
Redmond hoped for no reward for what
| he was doing, and he at least never e1-
pected that what he did would be report
ed in his behalf. 1t was not from him
that I learned of the circumstances
bave here narrated. The argu-
ment he used was not one of high moral
ity, but it was at least sound, and pain
fully illustrated In the person OF the
speaker. it was addressed to simple
hearers, and was simply to the effect that
The law was against them, that it was
useless to attempt to evade it, and that
it brought far more pain than profit to
those Wbo disregarded its commands,
He used The only argument known tc
himself and insisted upon it with effect
his speech it is said created marked
impression, and I'll be bound went fur.
ther than all the threats and thunder:
which could be launched from the scat o.
power for year together.
He was not allowed to finish his ad
dress. New comers crowded into the
wagon to shake hands with him, and his
voice being finally drowned in the ella
mors of the multitude, he was pulled
down from the wagon aud escorted t
the ladies stand, where he was COMPEL
ed to 60 through the hand-shaking cere'
mony all around again. After time
as the witnesses tell it-he disappeared
more suddenly than he came, ana the
bewildered meeting disbapded.
| Redmond is neither feared nor hatec
Inv those among whom he lives. He j.
rather loved and pitied for his misfor
tunes, and bis influence is great for eyi
or good. He chooses to exercise it fo
good.
put it to you, Messrs. Commissioners
whether it is wise-I have shown yol
that it is not .just-to array such a man
perforce, against the law One kinc
word would enlist his powerful influence
Oh the side of obedience and order, would
relieve you of much trouble and expense
and many of your ignorant victims o
oppression. Can you not afford t.