The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-06-18
Work Of Negroes.
THE GEORGIA PICNIC BATTLE.
Details of the Riot in Liberty County
on Monday Last.
Sdr0Mndh Ne1CS.

Yesterday morning at 0. 10 O'Clock q colored
excursion party left savannah on II train or
the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad chartered for
the OCCASION, for Mcintosh Station, NO. ) on
the road. The train was under Charge Of Con-
ductOr Henry Brighton. The party ndmbcr-
cd about one hundred and nifty, males ana le-
males.
Al No l the train was boarded by a body Of
negroes armed with musictS, cross belts and
bayollciS, but not regularly Uniformed, with
the exception OF the captain. The force conf
prlScd three on-cOmrilSSiOle officers, VINO
wore side arms, eight privatcs and the rap.
tain, and HcccSSlunS were made 10 the cfoWu
al the next station. On reaching No. 5 quite
q nu,nbcr Of colorcd people from the surrouil-
ding country were found assembled: The
party soon uisc,nbarkc cd and proceeded to the
platform, Il Sllo distance from The track,
where dancing was inau.uratcd. The day
passed without disturbance until about =
O'Clock, when u difficulty occurred on the
platform between II Liberty County ncgronnd
one Of the negroes who had come from No !,
which created excitement. Aitersome trouble
the parties were separated and the Liberty
County negro started to leave the platform.
THE CHARGE OF TIE MILITIA.
Just at this juncturc the captain OF. the
armed negroes, named Randall, who had been
drilling his squad some eighty yards from the
platform perceived the c0mniotion, and with
out knowing the cause gave the command TO
his gang to charge ut the double quick into
the crowd, which was Ubeyed with alacrity.
y SOULFUL Tic WllueSG CODluSlOn CLSuCu, 40
the iniuriatcd negroes rushed wildly forward.
A numbcr OF men were Knocked down, club
bed and bayOncted, bot were not, so far as
could be aSccrtained, seriously injured. The
Liberty County negro alluded to was struck
over the head with InuSkets, and stabbcd
with %bayoncts. He succeeded, however, In es-
Gaping from his enemies and fed rapidly
down the track. holly pursued by the. entire
body Of armed negroes, who. linding he was
d%istancing them, drew pistols and
ell firing at him. The ltlfDrtuntltC lrllOW WtlS
struck several times, being cOrnered by tn
captain, WIS stabbed by that warrior In the
throat with his sword, and fatally injured.
The attack Of the negro troops excited the
general melee followed. the firing becoming
inuiScrininatc Some OF the Savannah ne
grOes participated in the sklrmisl, taking
sides with the negroes from Mol, but the ma
jority, we learn, refrRlnCd from any active
part In the affair. Another negro was shot
and carried oil behind Il house near the track
where he died In few minutes. Our iillorin'
ant states HAT there were three 0r 1Our nun
drcd shots fired, and IL Is II marvel that more
were not killed. All the negroes seemed to
have weapons Of some kind, and as the mr.
ing WAS promiscuous, 1t Is not improbable,
considering the crowd. that the casualties
were greater than could be asccrtailed III Tic
confusion that prevailed.
THE RETREAT TO TIE CARS.
The negro company becoming alarmed Mt
lhC - vi ~
County negroes, sought refuge In the cars,
which were quickly fillcd with the other cX-
cursioniStS, and the conductor was DcsOllSnt
TO get out OF the way. Before the train could
be moved, however. the Liberty County ne
ErocS made rush forward ana threatened 10
tear up the track to prevent the train leaving
stating they were determined to have Ran
dali and lynch him.
Conductor Brighton, who remained perfect
Is possessed and cool, warned them That II
they attempted any damage To the track IL
would be at their peril, It's with the train force
he would protect the property OF the compt,
ny. His determined manner had the elleclol
dctcrring the negroes from carrying out tne
threat, u they then aSlicuif they would be
allowed to take Randall from the cars;
Conductor Brighton replied that he hau no
objection, provided they had Il proper officer
to make the arrest, but ne would not ailo"
any charge to be made Into the cars.
Meanwhile preparations had been maze 10
leaAr. the switch was thrown open ana the
whistle blown, when the nIaddeicu ANA pal,
fled negroes made Il dash for the platform ~
the rear car with the intention of gaining en-.
trance and securing Randall. \ negro belong
Ing to the 40. ] GROVE blocked the door and
endcavOrcu to keep the crowd back, when nc
WAS shot In the side and cut with u ii,Zcr
across the lett leg, below the knee, In Il most
fearful manncr and lumblcd to the floor bleed
ing profuscly.
FIRING INTO THE TRAIN
The train then moved of, and the negroes
running alongside the track fired twoor three
vullcyS INTO the cars, when II negro named
Adams, living in Savannah, but. IL former
Elcmbcr of tic negro troop from No. i, was
shot entirely through the body. The firing
continued until the train was beyond reach,
after which the trip TO the city was made
without further trouble. The negro warriors
from No. |, especially capt. Rahdall,' were
thoroughly frightened ana kept very quiet
until No. WAS rcacllod. when they quickly
left the cars. The negro who was shot ana cut
with II razor bled TO death, dyingSllurtly after
No.. , was passed, and the body was left ut No.
l., to which place the deceased belonged.
Adams, the negro who Was shot through
the body, was brought to Savannnh, ana WAS
carried oil by some friends, but where coniu
not be usccrtained. He Is very badly wound
left the cars that he wanted u surgeon.
Shortly after the trouble commenced. Con
durlor Brighton tcIcSrapllcd Mr.. j. >. Tyson,
master OF lraltsport'Iion, OF the charge lil;lur
ON the cars, anu his apprehension OF luri!icr
difficulty. MIR. Tyson ut once notified Lieut..
Howard, acting chef of police, Of the affair.
and also of the hour OF arrival OF tl!c Tram,
the impression being that the -riotil'S. was
continued on the cars. Lieut.. Howard d's,
Iutchcd Il detachment Of police to the depot
10 await the train for the purpose OF making
arrests ii necessary. tpou ~thearrlva! nl The
cars however, everything, was found puitt,
and no complaint was niade.. There were ru-
morS last night that Il cOiOreu militia co1npa-
nv from Savannah MAS involved In the inc
lee but this report was u~nlOunded, MS the en-
cursiun which left here had no colOrcd troops,
the affair being Il general matter under man.
agclent of II committee.
TIE RIOT TILE RESULT OF AN OLD FECD.
Assam explanation OF the unprovoiicd and
outrageous cOnuucL OF the armed negroes III
charging upon the crowd, IL Is proper to state
that on Il previous OCCASION ut II picnicnt the
same place some difficulty occurred between
negroes from Liberty AND chatham County.
which ~cngendcred considerable Ill feeling.
Mcarc informed that us . us 1t WAS learn
ell that there you'd be Il colOrcd excursion
f.Um savannah at No. ), messengers were
sent out To drum up the negroes In ihbcrty
living near the station and get them to attend
the picnic. The negroes from MOL have. 1t
appears, some cnmily against their brethren
In Liberty, and the armed band from that
place evidently anticipated trouble yesterday.
Being on the lookout for n rumpuS Randall,
ut tic first comnlotiOn, without stopping TO
inquire the cause, made the attack as stated.