The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-01-02
The Press and Banner.
Wednesday. Jan. 2, 1878.
Excitement at Grecnw

On Saturday las, two coloreu men
were arrested at Bolton, on suspicion o.
being actors in the recent FRANKLIN muir
T. der. The facts, as we learn them, which
led TO their arrest were as follows: One OF
4 the negroes came up the railroad by the
4 freight train, getting off at Gree wood.
He went to the house Of y notorious char
4 acter in the village and gave him TWO va
Uses, and the money to express thcm 10
him at Bolton. The other went on the
train at New Market, and meeting ms
colleague at Greenwood, they Went u
Bolton TO await the arrival OF the valises
left behind. They were arrested by l.:
q NJ. Moore, Deputy State Constable OF
HNiucty-Six. \ Jury Of the prominent
citizens of Greenwood was empanclled
by Trial Justice. ]. X. Tarrant. An cN-
animation resulted in clearing them of any
4 purticipation in the Franklin murder.
But to do this they had to discloSeand di-
&yulre the reasons for their suspicious
8acts. One of the negroes, Thomas Car
rol, had been coroner and sheriff pro Z
of EdGefield County. and Sald ne was
paid three hundred dollars by James y.
Richardson to leave the State. and was
when arrested, IN his way to the North
west. According to Carrots statement;
when he was acting Sheriff OF EdSeflcid
County. he put upon the block a piece of
4 real estate which was bid off ut five
thousand dollars by James A.. Richard
ason or some one for him. This money was
i paid to Carroll some twenty miles from
1.-THE Court House, and he was robbed be-
fore he reached homo. Information OF
the above facts and rumorS OF intended
lvnching having reached Shcrlft Jones
late on Saturday night, early on Sun
Udav morning q dispatch was forwarded by
him asking if there were any further de-
vclopements, and if there was any dam
ger of the prisoners being lynched. Mr..
N. +. Riley answered the dispatch, III
torming him that there was no danger.
Y On Sunday evening State Deputy Con-
stable Moore of Nincty-SiX, was INFORM
ed that a squad was being organized i'll
Edgcfield County for the purpose OF
IYHCHINa TIE PRISONERS HELD AT
i GREENWOOD.
HE at once sent a dispatch to the Mayor
$Df Greenwood and went himself to the
scene of action. Mayor Parks in his
Hprompt and decisive manner called the
frown Council together, and they deter
hnined TO resist any such unlawful pro-
&cedure. Sixty men were notified to meet
Is quickly as possible at Taggart's Hall,
u prepared for any emergency. A dispatch
#yaS sent to Sheriff Jones at ten O'Clock
! hat night, notifying him of the turn affairs
! had taken. He at once went to Green
wood, reaching the own about haf-past
bne o'clock.
GUARD-;-DLooDY WORK EXPECTED.
lie found it. lighted up by the burning of
kerosene barrels, and other combustible
&nattor, while on all the roads and streets
cading into the town the measured tread
# the armed sentinel might have been
heard on his lonely watch. AS the long
s. hours of nightslowly passed away, and
Is the lynchers did not appear upon the
scene, the hope grow stronger and
stronger that the sun of the last day OF
eevenly-seven would, after all rise upon
A PEACEFUL TOWN.
4 About eight o'clock Monday morning
wo mei came. into Greenwood giving
heir names as King and Watson, with
\ warrant purporting to be issued by an
;dcctield trial Justice, demanding the
prisoners. Trial Justice Tarrant refused
Il surrender them, and they were taken
= ,n the train to Columbia for safe-keeping.
Hrhcy were guarded to Newberry by ten
discreet men from the town of Green
wood, and rs a double precaution we
! ire informed that they locked their pris-
bners in the water closet. when the train
BASED the various depots. Arriving
4afely at Ncwbcrry Deputy Constable
Moore, who is a most excellent officer,
! deemed it unnecessary to keep so large a
guard, and dismissed eight of the num-
Der. Whca the prisoners were gone
8ruE PEOPLE OF GREENWOOD WEIR
GREATLY RELIEVED.
The thanks of the country arc due TO
Mayor Parks for the prompt organization
Hi the citizens of the town into Il commit
j &c of safety, which it is generally bel!ev-
ed, was the cause Of the non-appelrance
If the lynchers, who were we'll posted as
! o the acts and do!ngs of the good people
hi Greenwood. There is no doubt that
he wise %precaution exercised prevented
he execution of Il bloody design. d.