Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-11-10


Rape and Summary Punishment.
"A negro named Robert Williams was
lynched near Pezer, in Greenville county, on
Friday last by crowd of people from Green
Vile and Anderson counties, for the commits.
sion of rape OH Bessie Bladen, white orphan
child, about nine years old, residing in the
vicinity of Williamson. A correspondent OF
the Greenville Ne,cs, writing from Pelzer,
under date of Friday last, gives the following
particulars of the affair:
She was ward of the Rev. John Attaway,
of Williamson, being in Greenvile on visit,
and on her return home her condition was dis.
covered. She then confessed and detailed the
horrible circumstances of the crime which was
committed by Robert Williams, colored, in a
cotton field, in which they were at work togeth'
er. He had threatened to Gu. her throat if
she told of it, and terrorized her into silence.
Last night he was arrested, and this morning
he was taken to Williamson and identified
by the child. He was taken from the guard
house at that place by citizens of Anderson
and Greenville, and brought back. being
marched through here about II o'clock to.
day, attended by probably 100 men of both
colors. He was notified of his impending
fate and acted very coolly, calling a colored
man to him, to whom he confessed his crime
and profered a request for preacher which
was granted. Just across the Saluda River
in the woods, he was hanged to tree that in'
clined over hillside, being put on a horse,
which was driven from under him after the
rope had been properly adjusted. He died
very easily and was stolid and unmoved to
the last. There was not the least excitement
or disturbance, the whole affair being conduct
ed in quiet and business style. After Will
liams was dead the party dispersed, leaving
him hanging. The coroner was telegraphed
for, the hanging occurring at about noon
and Trial Justice Hawthorne came down
from Greenvile, arriving at the scene to-
night and finding the body hanging stiff and
straight among the trees in the moonlight
with the feet almost touching the dead leaves
on the ground. The remains were cut down
and the jury empannelled, S. 7. Hammond
being foreman. No witnesses we're examined
and after viewing the body verdict of death
by hanging at the hands Of unknown parties
was rendered. Williams was dark copper
colored negro about twenty-five years old ap
parently, his face being smooth and beardless
In death his countenace did not look like that
Of bad man, but like the oily, smiling and
deceitful smile of a negro. His dress and
general appearance was that Of the ordi'
nary country field hand. He was five feet
ten and we'll built. The features were not
at all distor..d, the neck being probably
broken, as regulation hangman's knot, ar.
tistically arranged, was used. The dead man
was formerly citizen of Greenville. Little
is known of him in this section, but he is said
to have wife and two children. He request.
ed to be buried in the colored burying ground
at Greenville. The body now lays on the
hillside near where it fell, the colored people
refusing to 20 near it. A box is being made
and white men will bury it where it is. Will
liams' victim is in precarious condition,
and physicians are attending her. An opera.
ton was performed on her this morning.
The Ninth Massachusetts Regiment.
- The commission appointed by the Ad'
iutant General of Massachusetts, has arrived in
Richmond to inquire into the charges of mis-
conduct on the part of members of the Ninth
Massachusetts, Regiment, on the recent occa-
sion Of their passing through that city en-
route to Yorktown. 1t is understood that the
testimony taken at Richmond and other
places will be withheld from publication until
the commission makes its official report. On
the subject of the disgraceful conduct of the
regiment, a prominent citizen of Boston writes
to the Richmond Dispatch as follows:
"The reported disgraceful action of the
Ninth Massachusetts, Regiment in Richmond
is attracting so much attention, both in Boston
and in Richmond, that am prompted to tell
you of the feeling of the better class Of citi.
zens here in regard to the matter. When the
Yorktown celebration was discussed, few of
those enthusiastic individuals who always
want to see the element of which the regi-
ment is composed represented on such occa'
sons, proposed to send the regiment to York.
town as Representative" body. Thereupon
money was solicited from the friends of the
organization, and it was sent as the "repre.
sentative" body. But representatives of
what 1t represented simply certain rum sell.
lers and the cheap politicians who raised the
money to defray the expenses. The regiment
went to Yorktown to "have good time" with
other peoples money, and it was not expected
that it would be credit to the State. | ven.
ture to say that not one good citizen was at
all surprised when it was learned that the reg.
iment was in disgrace. Nothing better was
expected. Now, the people of this State are
thoroughly disgusted with the organization,
and regret exceedingly that the disgrace
should be charged to the whole Common
wealth when it belongs to few rowdies who
are not capable Of upholding their own hon
or, much less the honor of Massachusetts
people. The Independent Corps of Cadets,
which escorted the Governor to Yorktown,
was sent by the State. and was the only Or
ganization which truly represented the State !;
and as to their acting like gentlemen and good
soldiers on the whole trip, there is no ques-
ton. An investigating committee has been
appointed to go to your city and inquire about
the charges made against the Ninth Regi-
ment, and it is determined that any miscre-
ants shall be severely punished. The better
class is heartily ashamed Of the egiment, and
trusts that the citizens of Richmond will not
Judge our people by few unpriucipled fel:
lows for whom we have no word Of excuse"
A Richmond dispatch of Saturday says
that the commission concluded taking evil
dence in that city on Friday evening" On
the commission visited several places,
where, in the course of the investigation, it
was developed members of the regiment had
damaged property and committed other wan