The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-03-20
AFTER TURNER'S BLOOD.
An Angry Mob Como to IInve tho Pri


An Angry nj oh Como to Inve tho Pris-
The feelings against Turner around
Valley Falls was intense.
On Saturday night rumors Of de-
termination to lynch him reached the
city; ON Sunday uneasiness prevail led
here, but no manifestation was made
until Monday morning.
The people of Valley Falls had re-
ceived notice that a party of 200 lynch
ers, thoroughly organized, would
reach towr on Monday at noon, and
we're instructed to be prepared there
to assist in the lynching. About two
hundred of them assembled near the
| Morgan Monument. When twelve
o'clock arrived, and the North Carolina
| lynchers did not come, the crowd
grew restless and ugly. They wanted
| to lynch the prisoner without further
delay; but, relying on the organized
mob which they expected, they were
without concert or leadership. Sheriff
Nichols and his deputies, Brewton
and Vernon with MIR. AndIew Moore
and Ed: Gentry were in the Jail arm
ed with Winchester rifles, shot guns
and revolvers
soldier, with reputation for courage
all over the country ahd byeond it. He
was standing behind the bars declaring
that no man should reach Turner but
over his dead hody. They knew the
man and ne one was willing to charge
him.
Finally four men went to the cncamp.
q fnr hn hal ho
Spartan Artillery. They raised it up
with a shout and hurrah, and unlimber-
ed it in front of the Jail.
The men who brought the gun were
members OF the artillery company and
knew how to use it. The men in the
Jail were armed with Winchester rifles.
The distance was seventy.fvc yards. A
bloody duel at short range with artillery
and rifles seemed imminent. Men who
had remembered the scene Of blood at
Birmingham, bcgaN to scattcr from the
| streets, but still the narrow Jail alley
WAS packed with excited men. No ons
knew whether the cannon was loaded.
The men in the Jail thought 30 and
| were determined that it should
never be fired into the building. They
were ready with lCveled rifles to shoot
ment. The gun was not loaded. The
men in charge had made their plans to
use iron fish bars from the railroad and
stcclyard peas for cannon shot, but they
had not yet gotten them. The crowd was
| getting momcntGry more excited. Just
| at this moment Mayor IIenneman mot
the editor Of the HERALD anl sal d
CIV nat is to be done noW2"
| - - !
Mr.. Jones.
Mayor Ucnneman's resolution wal
taken at once. There was no timo tC
! orgapiZe force. What was to be done
must be done promptly. He had bu
six policemon at his command, but ht
did net hesitate.
"Follow me-" he continued, and they
moved down Jail street, through thu
mob.
Mr.. Jones ran through Archer
store and rushed up on the oppOsit
side OF the cannon with the shout
"Spike the gun and arrest the men whC
brought it hGre"i
Mayor Henneman placed his foot or
, the cannon and said: 81 will arrCs
the first man who touches the gun"
1t WAS a critical moment. Tho man ir
, charge of the qua, taken by surprise
+ stepped back in the crowd. Mr.. e. II
Carver, who was one OF them, says tha
he saw half drunken men on all sides
/ roacRingfor their pistols, and that he say
one nan draw self-oockiBg revolver
t and the hammer was half raised frOn
G the cartridge, when some one Seizsd i
and stopped him. A singIe shot Rret
{ by drunken coward would have beer
+. the signal for bloody fusilade. Bsfort
n they recovered from their surprise, Mr.
). Jones seized a hatchet, and drove a nal
{ in the touch hole Of the cannon, and il
I less than two minutes six policemen
and two civilians had captured tn
cannon in the face of two hundrec
angry men, and spiked it, and tn
e danger was over, and dozen ncgroe
: were trundIag thc usoIoss cannon int
" :he Jail. Without artillery the Jail
! impregnRble.
Il The condition in the Jail was hardl