Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-08-29
a FAMILY FEUD.
Augusta Special Aug. 49, to New Yorl

Augusta Special Aug. 49, to New York
Times. -
About g. 600 men assembled at Edgefeld, s..
c., yesterday to listen to speeches from Wade
Hampton, Gen. Gearey, Judge Mackey, and
others, on the occasion of the opening of the
political campaign. Among those present were
several companies of State troops. A platform
was erected about half mile from the village,
and procession was formed which marched
out there, when the speaking took place. In
the crown were Benjamin Booth, James Booth,
Thomas Booth aud s. Booth, and BROKER
Toney and Mac Toney. The Booths and Toneys
had long been at enmity.
It appears that, about 1869 or 1870, several
men named Booth went to the house of Adam
Jones to attack him, some bitter feeling exist
ing between the parties. The Booths were &C
companied by a young man named Luther
Toney. Jones was prepared for the attack,
and the assailants, discovering this, aban-
doned or postponed it. BY some mischance,
however, young Teney was shot, and; as was
claimed, accidentally killed by. one of the
Booths, in whose company he was. At the
same time the relations of Toney regarded the
killing as intentional, and the affair became
the occasion of deadly family feud between
the Toneys and Booths. The enmity led to an
encounter, few yeara ago, between members
BROKER Toney. few weeks ago, apparently
to keep his hand in" killed Gus
Harris, colored deputy United states mar
shall. under circumstances not generally known.
Early Monday morning the first indication that
there was to be, serious trouble was apparent in
Toney walked up to q man named Herring, who
was abusing Democratic negro wearing red
shirt, and begged him to desist. While he was
still talking James Booth came up, drew his
pistol and remarked that he would defend Her
ring. Toncy drew his pistol also, and both
jumped belinda tree. Toney told1im to come
out from behind the tree and he would ''shoot
with him. About that time some person in
terfered and, the difficulty was stopped. The
Booths, however, followed Toney during the
day, to get an opportunity to renew the diff
Guilty. About: 2sso'clock Teney1 left the
ground where the political speaking was going
on and rode over to the village. The, Booth 3
followed him. Toney's friends, noticing this.
rode after him, and the whole party met in the
public square in Edgefeld., and a. general
melee began. 1t is said Broker Toney killed
ono of the Booths before he was shot himself.
While Toney and Ben Booth were struggling
in ,desperate encounter, SOME one shot Toney
er version is that Toney waa killed by Ben
Booth during, the struggle in which the latter
was mortally wounded. 1t is pretty certain.
however, that James and Thomas Booth were
killed by Tohey in the early part of the fight.
Ben Booth was accused of the murder of Luther
AVnCy cOAAC yC0Ao, ckOs cIAA VSn - COHV4CLCU
and sent to the peritentiary for that crime.
BROKER Toney, though but 26 years Of; age.
.ppeszst0 have been a., desperate character.
Besides killing Gun Harris, IL ~ mentioned
above, he murdered another negro: 'Benianiin
and James Booth, were old and gray hatred
men. Thomas Booth was almost q boy - ,;': -:
- The result of the fight in casualties Is ,,aa
follows:. Rrooker Toney. James. Booth y. and
Thomas Booth, killed; BENJAMIN. Booth, NOR
tally, Mark Toney and W. L. Coleman, serious
", and 8. Booth, D. .sandets, g. Ryan, and
Clarence seiglet, slightly wonnded.! severalo OF
these were ipR2pent speStston not At AZ CON;
in the encounter, and al ths killed and wound
ed, were whibs 1men. When tho firing began
the shots were heafd at tho sscene:of Tho 30.
litical meeting; half : mile distant. and cav.
Ham pton, WHO was ignorant q the Cause; sent
'Adjt. Gen, Noise and the Edgsf eld Riaes, one
Of the State companies assembled. for review
to to- the village to supplies. y the aistarb.aoe
Noise ordered the crowd to dfliPierse but they
Refused: he then ordered the hihtatyi COIN,
1spany' TO ct their aum unitioni and fire oa til,
crowd if they did not dispsrse.; By thu .,timl
! the smmpnition arrived, the crowd bad leftt,s