The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-03-02

REVEREND FRANK BROWN EXPLAINS
HIS CnURCH TRoCBLES-A~ PEACEABLE
CONGREGATION THAT WORKSHOPS AND
VOTES WITH CLUBS-TEN WHITE MEN
SCARE SIX HUNDRED y FIFTY Ne
GRoEs, TWO HUNDRED FIFTY OF
WHOM TAKE FLIGHT.
Frank Brown, sworn. Examination by Cap
tain Eaton.
At the polls at Magnolia.
o., Did you hold any office during the elrc
tionc A. Yes, sir; I was d~oor-kecpcr while
the Republicans were voting.
Q. Did you hold any office from the United
States? 4. No.
@. Do you know Of any Republicans who
were prevented from voting at that poll? A
Yes; don't know how many.
@. DO yoa know how many Republicans
were Oh the ground that day? A. Six hun
dred and fifty.
q, How many voted' A. About fourhun'
O, Do you know why the other two hun
dred did not vote? Yes. sir: the reason was
before they could vote, Il crowd came from Alb
O. What did they do? A. Began to shoot,
hailoed, whooped. and cursed.
O.. Were they white or colored men that
came from Abberiile? A. They were all
white.
The examination by Captain Eaton here
closed. Mr.. Calhoun then objected to all the
foregoing, because Irrelevant, &c. The wit
ness wasthen cross-eXamlned By Col. Calhoun
as follows:
@. What were you keeping the door for
A.. To allow the voters to go In. two by two
70 as not to crowd the Secretaries.
@. What voters? a. The colored.
q. Who appointed you? Dr. Tnggart told
me to keep the cologed people In order.
n Was he n manager of election? A.
think so. He Is q Democrat.
Captain Eaton said: 'Of course he IS q
n Democrat. that is understood, If he was q
Q. Do you know any co!orcd Democrats in
this county,. A. There are some.
@. What time did you get to the polls' A
q. Did ell these six hundred Republicans
60 there with you? a. No, sir; they came
half hour later, and commenced 10 vote soon
af:er they g there; Nobody prevented us
q. Do you know Of any one who had not
voted before the Abbcy!iie crowd came. A.
O. What time did the Abbeville crowd get
there: a. About eleven or twelve O'Clock.
@. I want to know how you knew that
there were six hundred and fifty Republicans
them. did not count them myself; and do
mott know OF my own knowledge that there
were six hundred and fifty.
@. How do you know that four hundred
end fifty Republicans voted? ~. Because !
counted them. l examined each ticket at the
door az they came up to the box to vote.
@. How did you keep the count A.. They
passed by me. and showed their tickets.
q. Did you watch them. and see them put
their ticketSi In the box? 4. Yes.
Q. What Is your profession? \. Well, |
an q minister of the gospel.
O. Were you ever turned out OF the churcho
/ vas not turned out: l just quit but I'm
back egain:
fairly dealt by.
O.. What unfairness was done to you? A
They brought q charge against me. was no
guilty, and | couldn't give them satisfaction
G. Did the brethren In the church think Il.
YOU did? Tina; you were not guilty? A.
answer yes: they did.
O.. How do you know they thought as YOU
did? A.. Bccause they came 10 me and asket
me to 20 back.
@. What was the charge against you: 4
q. Can you read? A. Yes.
four hundred and fifty Republicans wht
voted? 4. | put the number Town with 6
pencil, and had them added up.
a. What made yon take slcii precautions
Q. Who objected? A. DR.. Taggart.
q. In what way did he object: He didn't
alloy them TO have Secrctarie..
q, He wouldn't allow who TO nave Secretar
rics? 4. Amos Johnson, the Supervisor.
Q. How did he preventth them: A.. lie said
he had no authority on his blanks TO appoint
q Secretary for him.
Captain Eaton said that is SO. DR.. Taggart
was right in that respect.
q. How about those clubs with which the
colorcd ,eOIlc CAME armed ~ the po;tST 4.
They had their sticks IN their hands, wa:k!ug:
each one had a stick some pretty good Size,
and some small, did not have a stick.
g., D,d they get those sticks for that occa'
q. You say that, n you are a preacher?
A. Yes.
@. DO they always walk with sticks? A.
Generally: always sec them with sticks at
preaching.
q. Do al the Republicans in that country
cary s.tcss7 4. Ios.