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

p=ELEEs rROBOsCls PEELED WITH A PISTOL, AND TIE
PEOPLE DID NOT PREVENT TIE PUNCHING.
Moses Teelcr, sworn. Examined by Cap
tain Eaton.
Q. What roll were you at on election day!
A.. Greenwood.
@. Did you vote? a.. No.
q. What ticket did you want to vote Re-
publican or Democrat? \. Republican.
q. Why didn't you vote? a. They would
not let us, the white People.
q. What did they Go to prevent you? A.
They rode into the yard where we were. and
rode over us, and we had to get out OF the
way.
Q: How many solored men were driven
Q. Had they voted! A. No.
q, When they came bnck did they vote :
A.. Some of them did.
Q. Did they all vote? A. No.
=. How many didn't vOtef a. Don'tknow
the exact number. but not many.
Q. What prevented them from voting the
second time: A.. White men rode like they
were going to ride over us again and com.
mcnccd knocking some and said they should
not vote.
Q. Did you see the white men strike any
A. l don't know who they struck, they
punched me with Il pistol. l know they struck
me.
Q. What did they strike you WITH A. They
struck me Oh The nose with a pistol.
O. What did you do when you were struck!
\. / stood still until | saw them all getting
away, then | got away too.
Captain Eaton now turned tho witness over
to Colonel Calhoun who cross-cxamined him
as follows:
@ Did you 60 through an alley way to gel
to the door through which you wanted to 60
to vote! a. Yes.
q How wide was the alley way9 A. About
70 feet
q. That alley led into a vacant lot, didn't 1t,
tothc back Of the store! A. Yes.
Q. How large was that vacant lot! A. Not
quite an acre, about Z Of one. :.
q, pid the door through which you all
wished TO enter, open into the vacant lOtf A.
Yes.
O. Did the door through which the white
people entered open into the alley? a. ies.
q. What time did You arrive at the polls ?
a. About two hours after sunrise.
O. Did you come with the crowd OF colored
q: Did you all march through that alley
, and on to the polls: \. Yes we went up to
the box through the back door.
The rest of the testimony of this witness
was merely q repetition of the statement OF
the previous witness. He displayed. tho us
ual amount Of ignorance rs to who the men
were that prevented the negroes from voting,
and rs TO whether or not there were any col
orcd Democratic voters.
l'EhEh - kNV Nv VT
THE EXISTENCE or COLoIsED DEMOCRATS.
Thomas Finley, sworn. Examined by Cap
tain Eaton.
Q. What poll were you at on election day ,
A.. At AbDcrillc.
@. What official position did you holdt A.
l.. S. Supervisor.
Q. How long have you resided at Abbeville
Court House! ~. 10 years.
q. Do you know what has been tho usual
Republican vote ut this precinct. II so state
what IT is! A. 1t ranges from sW to 1850.
.. Was it that here when they voted ut
Smiihvillr: a. Yes.
q. What has been the usual Republican
vote at Smithvi!le! a.. About l5 or IN.
q. From your knowledge of the location Of
this pull, where would the voters OF that pre-
They generally voted ut Abbcvllle.
q. Taking into consideration the fact that
the Smithvlllc poll was closed, what should
have been the Republican vote ut .Abbcvillc
court House 1T the last election. judging from
your knowledge of the Republican vote ut
previous elections at both ui those polls! 4.
From l.tahI to ,lWp.
q. What WAS the Republican vote ut this
poll at The las: election: A.. Six.
O.. lp You know of your nw - knowledge
why the Republican vote WIS so small: y.
No.
q. Arc colorrd people in this county. as Il
rule, Itcpubi lean or Democrat: a.. Generally
Republicans, but Il good many went Demo-
cratic.
q. DO you know how many colorcd voters
there are in this county a.. About 500 to
| 40.
q. How many of those colOrrJ people are
Democrats: A. ! can say; IN 20 there were
Il good many: | saw Il company Of ~ riding
here At one time.