The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-04-18
A Good Mans Testimony.

A Good Mans Testimony.
The Pastor Of the Darlington Bap
tist Church on the s.Insurrectlon.'
Baptist Courier
Dear Courier: There has been al
abundance-a deplorable excess
news from our afflicted community ii
the secular papers Of the last week, bn
the brotherhood may very naturally b.
DESTROYS of hearing something from one
Who occupies my position here.
In your iudicious editorial Of this
week YOU touch the cause of our calam
ity. It was not the law. but the meth.
cd and she men employed in the ad.
ministration Of the law, that excited the
animosity Of our people ; and it seems
clear that the criminal folly and passion
of an officer known to be dangerously
lacking in self.control. struck the spark
that caused the conaagration here.
Our people had recently been stirred to
great indignation by the wanton search
Of an old lady's trunk. This was utter
" without excuse, and done IN a spirit
Of bravado. They suspected when an
Increase Of the constabulary force was
made without any manifest necessity,
that some usual procedures we're
intended, and the mere rumor that 1t
was the intention of the constables to
search private houses was enough to put
the endurance of an excited community
on severe tension. Under prudent coun-
sells u people held back from all inter-
ference.
And these selected officers Of a most
difficult and delicate service, allowed
themselves to be drawn into a personal
quarrel between two youths, just at
their leaving town. The entire truth
of the sad affair will never be Known, but
responsibility for p~recipating the fatal
aHray can not be lifted from the man
Who, With bitter curses and vile epithets,
called out, '.Let 'er ROLL" and fred.
The sequel-a whole community mad
dened over the death Of two citizens
one Of them one Of the most popular
young men in it,-aud pursuing the
fleeing nurderers,-that sequel, might
havesbeen written before the fatal shot.
It was snre.to follow.
One Of the constables left on the
ground was not dead, really he
vas not seriously hurt, but lay
.feigning death when arrived
on the scene. 1t was suspected that he
vas not dead. Men, sobbipg with
grief over the form Of their friend.
Frask Norment. were threatening to
shoot this man vho killed him. Nor
ment's father aud Others restrained
them with difficulty, and the man was
removed from the >view Of the crowd.
Such was the bitter feeling of many
towards this man that at the quest of
the sheriff, ] rode with h,m in the
wagon cha. conveyed him uoder the
protection of a guard of soldiers to the
iail. And after be was safely lodged
in Jail, I e1erted myself personally
along with some others to prevent the
lyncbing that seemed to be imminent,
taking message to men most deter
mined upon the horrible deed from their
murdered friends mother and wife,
begging them to do no violence to bin.
And now / submit. that when after
unusual exertions Of this sort had been
hardly enough to prevent the lyncbing
Of McClendon. the taunt, "why didn't
they lynch the man who they claim
originated the trouble aud whom they
had in their power-sounds passing
strange.
Within twenty-four hours Darling
ton had recovered its self-possession
And. it had ever since continued to be
normally quiet, but it is impossible to
express or adequately suggest the deep.
burning indignation of our people. that
this community has been subjected to
such an experience Of humiliation, mis-
representation, murder aud official
wrath. The coming Of troops, vel
coined BY US, their commanders de-
clarations as to the lack of necessity
here for their presence !; the verdict OF
coroner's jury, and that Of fhe military
council, Supporting our contention that
the catastrophe was caused BY the con-
stables ; the 6aal departure of troops,
are all too we'll known to be reeited
here.
Les me say, that the killing ola negro
mao on the Ord by a stranger here is
regarded by our people with deserved
indigestion. 1t had no connection with
the affair Of March Both.
II the fatal and deplorable occurrence,
of which I have tried to write with
moderation aud with paius.taking
accuracy. and the consequent co%ovulsioo
of society throughout the State shall
cause the changes in the present