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


AA1lu Va 1luVGuuIDRD,
ABBEVILLE.
ALFRED BUTLER. II RADICAL EuLLY, AS.
SUME5 TIE ROLE OF "THE LOVING HIND
AND PLEASANT ROE" ANU wants" PRO
TEcTIoS-HE WILL SWEAR EVE AT THE
RISK OF HIS LIFE, TIIoUGH HE wAs IN
WILLING TO VOTE ovER ANYONE'S DEAD
BODY HE CLAIMED Ills RIGHT TO VOTE
AS 4 TAXPAYER, BUT MEN WITH CORNs
or THEIR FEET NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
WENT HUNTING AT Il TAP OF THE DRUM
Ills OF COLORED DEMOCRATS
"A CuEw OF TOBACCO"
KNOCKS HALL, Friday, 0 A. MI
February -, lSSi.
lie said:
~ want TO know If I am compelled to give
tho names OF those who prevented me from
voting2"
Captain Eaton-You must answer any prop.
err questions that may be asked you.
Alfred lSutler-I have been threatened that
l would be killed II l gave the name OF any
person, and / want to be protected. Can you
protect me In giving my evidence?
Captain I;aton-This evidence IS not taken
for HE purpose OF prosecution. do not de,
sire to ask you any names; but II you should
be asked name by MIR. Calhoun, / suppose
you would have to answer, but do not sup
dence YOU give here. If you should give cvi.
dencc for purposes Of prosecution, that would
be another matter, and the COMMISSIONS
would then protect you.
Major StOcDrr, T.. :. CT you should be
troubled III regard to this contest, invesliga
ton, Or examination, Inform HE.
Captain Ehton-Do you apprchend personal
danger II yuu give any Laincs in this lnrestt-
CATION?
BUTTERFLIES.
Captain talon-Thcn I will not put you UP
us Il witness.
Butlcr-l will swear. anyhow.
The oath was then administered to Alfred
Butler, and Captain Eaton proceeded with
the examination.
@. Where were you on the day of tho Lost
csecti2n? \. Al Aobevi'le Court House.
Z. Did you vote: A. NO.
=. Why did you not vote? A. On tho
morning OF the election Mr.. Titus, the RepuU-
ilcan County Chairman, gave no three hun
ured Republican tickets. lEat morning a
good many culofci men cnllie 10 ITO in my
yard for t:cs c,s. 1 gave them out to different
squtds-soulcIiincs L.fiy tickets at II time.
Game TO the rolls VITA II ntimbar Of cOlore1l
inen to whom had given tickets; perhaps
uIou. 30 camc with me. L was met 10y Nj.
Len White, and he asked me, couldn't | vote
the Democratic tichet? / told him | couldn't.
| asked him, couldn't | vote? he SAID be
lllUuD 81. " llcu j SOl 10 lle CDuIt lIOtSc u
crowd OF white incn halloocl. close up
They were Standing brfuie Il fire In the yard,
which they had built the night before. When
| went up TO vote they asked mo what sort OF
= ticket | wanted To vote. | tOlI them 4 lte.
publican ticket. They tod Inc / couldn't vote
II here that day, unless voted it over their
dead bodies.
q. We're you told this by persons In the
crowd Of white men who said. 'clOse up y.
Yes; l said to Judge Lyon | am a lax payer,
and wanted TO vote. stayed there for so!he
time. They were shooting about there, while
| stood there. Several white men pulled out
their pistols and put out their icet. They said
they had ccrns On their feet, and the first man
that touched them would have the top OF his
head shot OIL.
q. Where was the ballot boz? A. I did
not SEQ it. 1t was inside the Court House.
q. Who're were the crowd Of white men OF
whom you spcaiI? 4. Standing In the door,
between me and the ballot box.
Q. Did they MI UP the passage? a. Yes;
q. Did you SEQ pistols? 4. Yes; guns
were put at the side Of my head and shot Oil.
back to the crowd, and advised them to 50
back home peacsabiy, as l understood We
could not vote here that day without trouble.
q. What did they DO? a. They all follow
crowd beating Il drum and shooting. The col
ored people left the poll without voting. AT
ter they got to my house they scattered and
went home, by different roads.
q. DO you FAY that the white people were
shooting and beating drums? A. Yes; they
beat u drum and shot all the way. don't
say that they shot at any one.
T.. Did you return to the polls hat day?
A. No; | went hunting; and remained away
until night.
q. Was there any unusual noise In town
the night previous to the eleclion? 4. There
was shooting all night. They shot all around
my house. There wasnttwenty minutes that
night when there wasn't shooting heard.
q. What was the reason you did not vote
that day, and why did you advise those vita
you no: to vote? lCol. Calhoun objected to
this question. Objection notcd.l a.. Well,
as far rs Republicans were concerned, |
thought they would get INTO a row II they I'M
dcrtOOk to vote; because / had been instruct
cd by white men that 1 could not vote unless
| voted over their dead bodies.
Testimony for the plaintiff here closed,
when Col. Calhoun cross-e1amined the wit.
ness.
q. What time did you go to the polls? a.
About seven o'clock.
Q. Were you in sight Of the Court House
door from the lime you came unt:l you went
@. Didn' some Republicans vote on that
day: y. or my own knowledge l don't
know.
that .ome voted? a. l have never seen the
Official count, sir.
q. Did you not sec the official count print
cd in the newspapers? \. can't read.
Y. W dS IL WI Itttul W y ~ u. / u
have been. | don't remember.
q. Was not the way clear so that any one
could vote after you attempted TO vote? \.
1t was not, while l was there. l found 1t
blocked, and | left it blocked.
Z. DO you say that the way was not clear
for all to vote, during any portion OF the day,
after you left? a. No. I don't say that.
Q. Where were you when this conversation
tS"s rl nii'ts q, I the Court n%1gpih louise st steps, IS."S
e.. Were they speaking to You or to any
one in your crowd: y. They were speaking
as if talking TO some one back IN the Court
q. Don't You know that the ballot box was
In tho Auditors Office: \. do not, sir.
q. You stated that guns were shot OIL by
your head. How many? A.. One.
q. Where were you when that gun was
shot of: y. Between the Court House and
Brucc'S fIOtcl-aboul twenty-five yards from
the court House. 1t "mout' have been thirty
O.. What were you doing then? \. / was
convcrSins with Mr.. White.
O.. low far did they follow you with drums
and guns: ~. ldidntSec any guns; thought
! 1t was pistols. | saw pistols shot now and
then. / don't know how Tar ii Is to my house.
They followed me as far rs my house bcatin.
drums and shooting.
O.. How many culnrcd men went with you
to your house: y. They 'mOut' have been
; two hundred or two hundred and fifty. | adj
vised them to 20 on home. II WAS aboHt hal;
past seven Or eight O'Clock that this took
place.
z. Did they disrcrsc when You advised"
y. Yes.
q. Did you not know that there was Il conf
pany of cuiU.ru Democrats III t!IiS town in
1916? y. Yes AT least they said they were
Democrats, | uOnL believe amy culorrt! man
j. Il Democrat. He might say he was. IN the
hope that he would get Il chew OF tobacco for
saying 50. | don't believe Il culOrtd man can
be Il Democrat.
q. Don't You know that Il great many col
orcd people voted with the Democrats in $50
and ISIS: \. No; | do not.
q. Don't yOu know that 4 great many "o'-
Orcu people had the reputation oi voting with
the Democracy i'll 1916 and 1873: A. Vel.
yss.