Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1893-05-04
wA1HAllA, SOUTH CAROLINA, MAY 4, 1898.
ife of Gov. Tillman's Defence of the Lynch
ing of John Peterson.
columbia Register.

Columbia Register
Gov. Tillman while feeling per-
fectly confident that everything he
did in connection with the Peterson
case was right, yet he evinces every
desire to let the public know why he
acted as he did, as he has been SC
severely criticised.
Much interest has been taken In
what Peterson had to say to the
Governor, and with a view of max
ing it all public the Governor yester-
day addressed the following letter
COLUMBIA, April Goth, 1893.
"Mcssrs. w. A. Neal and A. w
Clayton:
"GExrLEMES Please give ME a
statement of what you know in re-
gard to my conversation with John
Peterson at the Executive Mansion
on Saturday afternoon last.
81 ask it for publication, to give
the public the whole truth and leave
people at home and abroad to judge
the case fairly. Respectfully,
"B. r. TnLMAN, Governor"
In response to the above Mr.. Clay
ton, who is reporter for the Jour-
nal, makes the following statement
john Peterson, accompanied by
another negro, Wade Wylie, ap-
preached me on last Saturday after
noon to know where Mr.. Tlllman
(meaning the Governor) was. A
few questions elected the fact that |
was being addressed by John Peter
son, whom | knew to be wanted at
Denmark as a suspect of the outrage
upon Miss Mamie Baxter. | accom-
panied him to the Executive Man
sion and told the Governor who he
was and what he wanted.
Gov. Tillman, addressing Peter
son, asked him if he was John Peter
son, and he replied that he was, and
that he wanted to surrender himself
to him for protection, as be bad
heard that they were hunting him
for the crime committed upon Miss
Baxter, and he feared that if he was
caught he would be lynched.
The Governor: care you guilty.
Peterson: "No, sir"
The Governor: "Where were you
on Friday week ago."
Peterson Il was at North's."
The Governor sCan you prove
that and by white people,"
Peterson: eyes, sir"
The Governor: care you willing
to 90 back there and let. the young
lady see your"
Peterson: aY es, sir.
The Governor then turned to me
and said that he had no right to hold
a man who was simply suspected OF
a crime, but that if Peterson wanted
protection l had better take him to
the Chief of Police and get him to
investiga.e the case. This | did.
After having him locked up by his
own request, l started out to find
Mr.. L. B. Jenkins and Constable
Lambert, the latter of whom, | knew,
was then looking for Peterson with a
warrant for his arrest, to see if they
would identity him, as he did not
appear to suit the description given
me of him.
They were found and Mr.. jenkins
began the questioning of Peterson,
which has already been mentioned,
believing at the start that Peterson
was guilty of the crime, but at the
finish that he was innocent. Peter
son was then locked up, and after
being returned to his cell, Mr.. Jenk-
ins asked him if he would be willing
to return to Denmark and let the
Young lady look at him. He replied
promptly that he would. He said
that he was innocent and did net
fear any recognition by her.
Upon leaving the guard house Mr.
jenkins and | determined that there
was at least grave doubt of his guilt
and that if he was taken back there
by Mr.. Lambert on Sunday morning,
believing as we did that he would be
lvnched, we determined to go to
Gov. Tillman and ask him to have
him held here until he could get his
witnesses together to prove. bis abb,
which he confidently claimed that he
could do. We went, and after hear
ing us Gov. Tillman agreed to hold
him under condition that l would 60
and try to get his witnesses together
for him, which l did. He then
wrote an order to Sheriff Cathcart,
which l delivered to him, ordering
him to take Peterson from the guard
house and lodge him in jail until fur
ther orders.
l went to North's the next day and
worked all day hunting up his wit.
nesses for him. That evening
wired the Governor that they would
all be on hand on Monday, and that
they corroborated his statement.
A. w. CLAYTON.