The Russellville Democrat., 1889-01-24
THE sMokYToWN FEuD.


 l 4 Terrible State of Affairs in ? south Car.
 oiIna Community In Which Good Citi. | zens Dare Not Interfere for Fear They, Too, May he Made to Feel the Ven.
 E~ance of the Lawless Eioment-The
 Story of tho Banks Outrage.
 CHARLESTON, $. C., Jan. t0--News has 1 just been received here of the breaking out of savage feud in the Smokytown l part of Newberry County. Lawlessness has for ten years prevailed in the region. Good citizens are afraid to do any thing
 as more than one prosecutor has had his barn burned, his horses maimed or has 1 suffered bodily injury. The men go armed 1 and always prepared for row. Under 1 these conditions, when, not long ago, Butler Banks was wounded in little dis pute with James c. Banks, all Smokytown waited with deep interest to see what l would happen when Butler recovered. l Last Saturday he was up and ready fo1 l business. How he got to business is told | in a dispatch received yesterday from l Prosperity. James c. Banks is an agent l for pictures and books. He started on a l canvassing tour early Saturday morning. | The first place he stopped at was neigh bor's house in sight of Buffers house. It is supposed that here Butler fret saw James and hurriedly getting a double- barreled shotgun he started for the public road at Oneall Academy. He calculated l that James would be compeled to come into the ''big road'' at or near that point Butler took his oldest son, lad of thir. teen, with him, telling his wife that he was going to sell an OK, but that if he came across Jim" Banks he would kil 1 him.
 1 Butler arrived at Oneall, had short conversation with Miss Dorothy Holer- man, who lives there, and then seated l himself by the side of a large pine tree on the roadside. He did not have to remain long before James Banks arrived, and en- tered the house of Miss Holerman with out perceiving Butler, who was just about forty yards distant. Butler remained 1 quietly under the pine until James came out of the house. Then he quickly arose, took deliberate aim, and fired at James. The gun was loaded with buckshot, four of which took effect, one in the right hand, one in each arm near the shoulder, aud one penetrated the forehead just above the left eye. James did not fall, but called to Butler not to shoot any more, as he was hurt. Butler did not heed him, but raised his gun again. James ran around the corner of the house just in time to escape the second charge. James knew that the gun was then empty, and ventured from his place of refuge. But Butler drew pistol and fired twice, neither shot taking effect By this time James was bleeding profusely. He man. aged to got away by the rear of Miss Hol- erman's house, and then Butler, either satisfied or out of ammunition, left in an opposite direction.
 When James reached home he was dy- ing. He made an ante -mortem statement and urged his friends to avenge him. The shooting took place Saturday morn ing. The retaliating blow was struck that night, when party of friends of James Banks went to the house of Butler Banks and deliberately set fire to it, although the only persons in it were Mrs. Banks and her six children, the oldest of whom is only thirteen. The cracking of the flames awoke the mother. After hard struggle, with the aid of her little ones, she suc- ceeded in extinguishing the flames. Then the men ordered her, under pain of death, and with many oaths, to go back into the. house. They next saturated hsggs sSz!I rags with kerosene oil, stuck them i3tn, the crevices Git was log house) and again set fire to the dwelling. They kept Mrs. Banks inside until the fire was we'll under way. Then she was permitted to get out with what she could carry with her. The incendiaries next set fire to the corn-crib and feed-house, the only other buildings on the premises, and departed, leaving her and her six little ones without shelter, clothes and food.
 In the morning the officers of the law who had gone to arrest Butler Banks could find only the place where his house once stood. Amid the smoking embers were the six little children, barefooted, bare headed and hungry. The mother had left them early in the morning and gone to relatives in Edgefeld County for assist ance. Smokytown Is far distant from the railroad and beyond the reach of the tele- graph. There is likely to be more blood- shed soon.
 The Newberry News and Herald, yes- terday, said ''Some of the parties to this dark deed were recognized by Mrs. Banks and her children, and the names of all can be aseertained, but unless the solicitor or grand jury, or some other powerful arm of the State Government acts in the premises, we fear nothing will be done. There are just as good and true men in that section of the country as ever breathed, but the moment they act they endanger both life and property. There is righteous indignation expressed by the good people of the community over Satur- day nights foul work, but that is the end. They dare not act"