The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-04-22
THE EDGEFIELD TRAGEDY.
Blood, Horror, Desolstion and Degrada-
lion.
Edgcfeld Adveftiser.

I upon US IN long llle-IO chronicle du-
other affair of horror and blood in Edge
field. And, in consideration Of the sad
ness and desolation that hang over our
community, and of the terribly excited
state of feeling that prevails throug hout
our section, and more than all, for fear
that we mis- ght give partisan coloring to
the affair by any extended comment or
moralizing, we shall give, or attempt to
give, the barest narration of facts. Nor
would we willingly, under present cir
cumstanccs, do wrong or injustice to any
fellow citizens for our right arm.
Of course, as is already universally
known, this terrible melee was the out
growth of somewhat heated municipal
canvass. On Thursday, April LIST, the
voters of our municipality, white and
black, assembled in mass meeting, in the
Court House, at the call or notification
of the outgoing council, to nominate
candidates for the coming council. This
meeting was very largely attended; and
this had been the mode Of procedure in
such cases throughout the history of our
town. A. J. Norris, Esq, was elected
chairman. At this meeting, Mr.. Clisby
made a motion that the candidates be
chosen by primary election instead of by
the old mass meeting or convention plan.
4 AS has been enormously repor-
ted, not one syllable was said about the
license to retail whiskey, whether it
should or should not be reduced At the
same time, however, it was we'll under
stood that this was the question at Issue.
And up to this time, SO far as we could
possibly learn by diligent search and in
quiry, this was the only point of differ
ence. Mr.. Clisby's motion was voted
down by q considerable majority, and
the meeting proceeded to nominate can
didates after the old plan, and to elect
them by ballot. Before the voting be-
gan, Mr.. Clisby and certain of his friends
quietly left the meeting. The balloting
resulted as follows: For Intendant, G.
L. B. Marsha brother-in-law of Mr..
Clisby; for Wardens, Lee Holson, W. H.
Brunson, w. N. Burnett and R. S. An
derson-all white citizens. After this,
all was quiet for week, when it became
evident that the party of which Mr..
Clisby was the head hid determined to
run separate ticket. And in day or
two more, it was ascertained that this
ticket was to be as follows: For Inten-
dant. A. A. Clisby; for Wardens, W. D.
Jennings, Lee Holson, N. N; Cartledge
and George Simkins. The latter is q
colored man. In the meantime, we are
constrained to say, party spirit ran pretty
high, and both parties electioneered vig-
ilantly. Nothing violent, however, oc-
CURED. Capt. Marsh, foreseeing, we
presume, discord, or at all events con-
test, had, as early as the first part of last
week, peremptorily declined to be can
didate; and R. G. Bonham, Esq, with
out another mass meeting or convention,
vas put in nomination in his stead. Mr..
Bonham was, beyond all doubt, extreme
ly unwilling to stand, and only did so at
the earnest solicitation of some of his
friends.
On Monday morning last, the election
began at a. m. The managers were r.
81. Minis, B. P. Covar and st. Julian
Bland. All these gentlemen we're adhe
rents of the mass meeting or convention
party. One of the very first persons to
present himself for depositing ballot,
was Lawrence Cain, the mulatto man
who was formerly Radical State Senator
from our County, and who is still one of
the leading Radical politicians of Edge
field. He lives on the Southern outskirts
of the incorporation, and there is diff
! ference of opinion as to whether his
house is really within the incorporation
or without. His vote was challenged by
either Mr.. r. G. Bonham or DR.. Wallace
Bland, both of whom stood near the
polls. Mr.. Clisby contended that he had
the right to vote. After some discussion,
it was agreed to leave the matter to be
decided by recent surveyor, which sur
vey was said or thought to be in the
Auditors Office. Subsequently it was
ascertained that the said survey was not
in the Auditors Office. Cain, in the
meantime, retired from the Court Room,
in which the election was being held,
and after an hour or so returned, accom-
panied by Mr.. Clisby, and renewed his
application to vote. Hereupon it was
stated that the survey could not be found,
and the matter still being in grave doubt,
Cain was not allowed to vote, but was
informed by the managers that if he
would procure an affidavit from MIR.
Minis, surveyor, that his house stood
within the incorporated limits, he would
then be at liberty to deposit his ballot.
Mr.. Minis lives IL miles northward Of
our town, but still, before the hour of clos
Jag the polls, his attestation could have
been procured. After this, Mr.. Clisby
and DR.. Bland walked out of the Court
Room together into the high piazza which
overlooks the public square, and here
took place the fatal rencontre. We can
not recount the words of the dispute.
We know them not Wegive the results
without pretending to know or say in
what order they came. DR.. Bland
struck MIR. Clisby in the face with his
left hand. Mr.. Clisby shot DR.. Bland
through the abdomen. Mr.. St. Julian
Bland shot Mr.. Clisby through the stom-
ach, and Mr.. Arthur Glover, Mr.. Clisby's
father-in-law, three times in different
places. Mr.. Glover, it is affirmed by
some, fired twice, and by others that he
did not fire at all. If he fired, he wound
ed no one. And as regards the question
of whether Mr.. Clisby shot DR.. Bland
before he was himself shot by Mr.. St. Ju-
lian Bland, or vice versa, there is also
very wide difference of opinion and of
affirmation. And these differences Of af-
frmation come from men of equal re-
spectability and reliability. Nor is this
at all uncommon in such afirays.
At the time that we write, IL o'clock on
Wednesday morning, a couple of hours
before going to press, DR.. Bland is still!
alive, lying in his mothers house, and
there is scarcely the faintest shadow of
hope ofhis life. He is the oldest son of
the late Col. Elbert Bland, and his wild
owed mother is daughter of the late
Hon. N. l.. Griffin. He is barely
twenty-four years of age.
Mr.. Clisby is lying i'll his own house,
suffering intensely, but likely to recover.
He is not native of Edgefeld, but came