The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-09-30

PASSatC tAc S0u oCCuTchCC Us MUCH Us
anybody, and heartily disapproye OF
their course.-Augusta Chronicle.
Mr.. Chas. Creighton Explains
Mr.. Charles Creighton, Of Edgefeld,
was in the city yesterday snd asks
that the following explanation be made
in reference to the Edgafeeld lyching, in
so far as his name isconnected with the
unfortunate affair. He says the Chron-
sc1e's account Of yesterday does him
grayfinjustice, and creates the impress
ls.SSn1 that he had turned from his door a
dying man whom he knew and had re-
fused him aglass of water. He says
that Mr.. Culbrcath did not come to his
door, nor did he see him at all and gives
the following account Of the affair {:
About nine O'Clock Monday night some
one passed along the road, by my gate,
and called gu in q very hurried way :
"Charlio Creighton, Charlie Creighton !'
In a moment the buggy had passed out
Of hearing md remarked to my wife,
'"That-is some drunken fellow"
In then retired, leaving my wife sit
ting up. In about half an hour some
one called rapidly. "Mr.:Creighton,
Mr-eetgf1tons,~ f,answerea. thinking
it my servant: The party then called up
On me to "come. out" asked "who are
you 2" and he replied: ga friend" |
said to Mrs. Creighton: "That drunken
fellow has come back to annoy US
again. He continued to call me, say
ing, Come out, | won't hurt You. I am
squatting down hero by the fence" 1
did not answer again, and told my wife
to blow out the lamp and he would go
away. When the lamp was blown out he
walked down the lane, opposite my win
dow, and said {: "Come out, l want to
see you my name is Towles Culbreath,
and ] have been lynched !; give me some
water"
l got up then to investigate matters,
and Mrs. Creighton being so very much
alarmed caught hold Of me and entrcat-
ed me not to go out. told her it was
only some drunken fellow who had re-
sorted to this rnse to get me to come
out. l looked through the blinds and
could sec no one. | had not been to
town during the day, and knew nothing
Of the warrant for Culbreath or his ar
rest. knew, however, that he lived
some fifteen or twenty miles away, and
l felt satisfied that it was some drunken
man, SO I did not go out to him. Had
Mr.. Culbreath come to my door, inform
ed me of his condition and asked for wa
ter or lodging, as tho Chronicles &C.
count implies, I would have been less
than human to have turned him away.
Ny house beng on tho road leading
out from town, my family has more
than once been subjected to great an
noyance from drunken men, and not
having the least suspicion hat it was in
reality Mr.. Culbreath. or that he had, in
fact, been shot I declined to go out.
You may easily imagine my feelings
Whom Z harmed asttmernins, that he
hid III fscs.haeal 81 4ssse
N J aesion. ! iH6sk4 OAsa6afs
Gle, would imply 4hsaIwx4stkAes ~.
ty to the lynching OF ii synppfGfnif
it, when. in fact, I regard it as the nsdas
dastardly outrage ever pcrpetrated in
Edgefield county. My friends in Edge
field know. the circumstances which l
have related above, and the explanation
would not be necessary to acquit me in
their sight, but I have acquaintances
and business men in Augusta, and
think the foregoing account isdue to
myself and them, for a man who would
knowingly turn a dying man FROM his
door, and refuse him a drink Of water, ia
worse than the man who shot, him.