Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-05-04
HE'LL AND PEPPER.
DENMARK'S CITIZENS S
JUSTIFY THEIR DEEDS.
GONZALES IS IMpHA4IcALEY DENOUNCED
Accused of Inciting Negroes to
Attack and Rape-A Bi. Mass
Meeting Called for Monday at
Barnwell Court House.

Meeting Called for Monday at
Barnwell Court House.
DENMARK, S. c., April ga
mass meeting Of the citizens of
Denmark was held in the store of
J. E. steadman, at $3.50 p. m.
About 500 were present.
Captain J. E. steadman was
called to the chair and j. D.
Milhouse acted as secretary.
Col. D. Paul Sojouruer explained
that the meeting was called to
denounce the course of certain
newspapers and the iourse OF
Editor Gonzales in particular.
SIS. Lafftte offered the following
resolutions:
Whereas q negro feud assaulted
Miss Mamie Baxter, the 14-year-
old daughter of Mr.. j. D. Baxter,
ON the morning of April IA, while
she was on her way to school, at
tacking her brutally and with
drawn knife threatening her life,
and after choking her Ito in
sensibility, dragged her down an
embakment of the South Caro-
lima Railway,and then attempting
to rape her, and.
Whereas the citizens of Denmark
acting with the citizens os Barn
we'll County and those of the
adjoining counties, hunted
diligently for the rapist, and
having caught one John Peterson,
whom the citizens believed to be
guilty of the crime, and whom the
girl said looked like the man."
"except his eyes and nose" and
of whom she subsequently said,
she is the man," and against whom
we have abundant and sufficient
proof that he was the man who
assaulted Miss Mamie Baxter, and
said John Peterson was hung and
shot to death on the spot where he
made the brutal assault; and.
Whereas the editor of The State
N. G. Gonzales, has by every
means known to himself sought to
besnirch and befoul the people of
this community, and by his edl-
torials sought to arouse the passion
of the negro race against the white
people and in incite the negro
men to attack and rape white
women to avenge tine punishment
of John Peterson; now therefore,
we the citizens of Denmrrk, in
mass meeting -assemhled hled,--,------sss--.---z---
First. Do regret that such an
outrageous attack was made on an
innocent and unsuspecting girl by
the brute. and further tender to the
unhappy and grief-stricken father
our deep aud sincere sympathy.
Second. That we fully commend
the act of those citizens who in
ficted the punishment of death
upon John Peterson, believeing
him te be the guilty wretch, and
we say to the world that we believe
John Peterson guilty and have
proof to support our position.
Third. That we condemn the
editorials of N. G.. Gonzales, who
for political purposes has siezed
upon this occasion and the pun
ishment of Peterson for pretext
to vent his hostility to Governor
Tillman; that we especially
condemn his editorial in which by
covert words he seeks to excite
negro men to attack and rape
white women, when unprotected,
as being unworthy the pen Of a
pure journalist and emanating
only from the heart of one blacker
thai the wretch who assaulted Miss
Baxter and deserving the same
fate ofJohn Peterson.
Fourth. That we condemn the
State as a paper which seeks to
array the negro race against the
white race, and thus return to the
days of Moses and Chamberlain.
Fifth. That we commend the
course os Governor Tillman for
sending John Peterson to Barn
we'll, for he would not have been
harmed unless guilty, and if guilty
he deserved death.
Sixth. We com mend the course
of the colored people of the
county, who realize that John
Peterson was'given a fair hearing
anda just punishment; and we
further declare that We believe
that all people who would protect
the virtue of thei women should
hold aloof from a man so destitute