The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-08-04
THE MURDER or nRAYroN.

The killing Of Deputy Collector Thps.
l.. Brayton by Mellow, the Illicit dis
,iller near Central, is an occurrence
greatly TO be regretted by all las abiding
citizens, for il has no circumstances OF
justification connected with it. Mr..
I}rayton was an officer of the govern
mcnt, engaged in the discharge OF his
duties for the enforcement Of the laws OF
the country and any ofense committed
upon him shows 1 resistance 10 law that
cannot be encouraged. lie was re-
,pectablc man, aud dcmeancd himself in
Il respectful manner so that there is no
justification for his murder, and the per.
petration of this crime shows "A dsor.
cicrcd state of society that evidences
some UNUSUAL cause. To those familiar
with affairs in Pickcns county, this cause
il readily detected. and is nothing more
than the atrociou, manner IN which hun.
,ircds Of men, women aud children in
her borders have been treated by the
ruilianiy men who have been sent there
by the government to execute the rcve-
nue. laws. Their course has been nso-
lent. oppressive and, III many cases,
criminal. They have committed the
gravcsl acts Of violence, from murder Of
the most unjmsliiiable character down to
HE ollcnsc Of insulting women and
frightening children. and the people
have had no rc,lrc,.,. The Courts have
been shut to them, aud under the cover
ri their Official duties these officials. who
Aomrtimcs have deserved hanging and
often ncritcd the l'cni,cntiary. have gone
free, and been continued in office to lar-
ras% The people and cmbittcr them by the
repetition Of their crime. These things
have aroused hatred for the revenue
officer, in the hearts OF many Of the
people of that county, which is justly
founded. 1t has also stirred desperate
men To desperate deeds, and. unfortu.
natcly, these men do not stop TO consider
the facts connected with each case
They know that revenue officers have
killed unoiending citizens and gone free,
and they make their fight on these Off
GERS whenever they appear. The citizens
really feel that they IRE nt the mercy of
these meE. and desperate men like
Mellow are inclined to protect them.
selves by lawlcss methods against set
Of men who are themselves oftcner than
otherwise nothing more nor le-s than
lawlrss rufIinns.
These are the causes which though
wholly insufficient, no doubt led McDow
TO fire upon Brayton. The crime which
he has committed may be explained in
this manner, but it cannot be justified.
1t brings condemnation aud rcproach
upon our people, and is condemned and
regretted everywhere. The people of
South Carolina owe it to themselves that
these occurrences should be stopped, and
we nave no doubt that tho people of
Pickcns county will do their full duty in
the matter. The harsh criticism Of the
Northern people upon US is to be
expected, and gocs to show that their
ignorance and spleen has not been en-.
tirely destroyed by recent events. If
they would only bring to benr public
sentiment that would require none but
honest and prudent men to be employed
by the government il The revenue ser
vice, they would at once dissipate the
existing hostility to the cnforccr mt Of
these laws. They can be enforced better
than they have been heretofore, without
any resistance, If proper men are select
cd. If the government will do its part
in correcting these troubles, there will be
no further murders here like that of Mr..
Brayton, for whose death there is moth
ing but regret in South Carolina