The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-09-05
UPRISING OF NEGROES.
How a Few Determined, Nervy White
Msn Prevented q Riot.

An embryo race riot started on Mon
day of last week near Vances in the
Eastern part of Orangeburg County,
and for time things looked squally,
but an open riot was happily averted
by the GOODNESS and nerve of the white
men in that section. Two or three tel
eqrams were sent to Governor Tillman
about the matter. The first, from
Trial Justice O. b. Whetsell, read as
follows:
Harlin City, Aug. 80.
"Governor b. Il Tillman:
"Order out the Santee Rifemen to
my aid, as a race riot is .:Iminent.
Eleven prisoners on hand and can't
commit them because of trouble by ne
groes. 0. 3. WHETSELL,
Trial Justice"
The second telegram was from Mr..
NJ. r. Evans, First Lieutenant and
Commander of the Santee Rilemen,
and was as follows:
81 have been notified by Trial JUS
tice O. B. Whetsell that he has asked
for the Santee Rltlemen. | am ready
to respond upon your ORDERS
Governor Tillman sent the following
telegram to the trial justice:
Columbia, Aug. q.
O. B. Whetsell, Trial Justice. Harlin
City, S. G.
What is the cause of trouble? Don't
attempt to move prisoners to Jail till
tomorrow.
B. r. TILLMAN. Governor.
The Governor also sent the following
to Lieutenant Evans:
Columbia, Aug q.
Nj. r. Fans, Lieutenant Commanding,
Harlin City.
Hold your company subject to orders
of Trial Justice in maintaining the
peace and enforcing legal process.
3. r. TILLMAN, Governor.
A dispatch from Parlers to the Co.
lumbia Register says the negroes are
holding meetings all about in that sec
ton of Orangeburg County for the
purpose of making strike on cotton
picking. They are pledging themselves
not to pick for white man for less
than fifty cents per hundred. and forty
cents for negroes. Some of the best
element among the negroes are opposed
to the strike, as many of them have
nothing to eat, and great many have
got money and goods from the whites
with the promise to pick IL out in cot
ton at fixed price. They threaten to
whip any one who disobeyed this de-
termination. AS a result Of the agita
tion one old negro, Peter Pelzar, was
taken out of his house last night about
l O'Clock and severely whipped by
about twenty-five negroes for picking
cotton for Mr.. A. r. Rhame for forty
cents. Most Of them were recognized
and Trial Justice o. B. Whetsell will
issue warrants for the parties today.
which it Is hoped viii break up the
strike in this section.
The following Is Trial Justice Whet-
sells statement concerning the Difficult.
ty. He says:
when the cotton season first opened
the negroes in our section organized
into body, about $50 strong and re-
solved not to pick cotton for less than
so cents per 100 pounds. If any one
violated this rule in picking for
white man for less, he was tc be taken
out and whipped. These rules were to
be enforced against all negroes, wheth-
er the offender be member Of the or
ganiZ alton or not. Last Monday, Peter
PelZ9r, a non-member, picked some
cotton for a white man near NanceS
for less than so cents. He was prompt
ly taken out and given about 100 lash
es by a mob. PelZ3r, as soon as he got
able, sWore out warrants before me
against seventeen negroes, all Of whom
he recognized in the mob. ldeputiZ I'd
seven men to arrest the seventeen in
dicted. They were brought before me
evidence adduced WIS strong enough
to send the cases up to the Court OF
General Sessions. About 23O negroes
had gathered around the office and in
the house, who sWOre the men should
not be taken to Jail. Some were armed
with pistols, guns, axes and billets OF
wood. They were cursing and defiant.
Those who were unarmed went home,
got guns and returned, leaving a sutli
cient number of the men to guard the
Office until they returned. About one
dozen white men were there and they
drew their pistols"
a riot was imminent, ani things
looked squally indeed. He told the
white men to stick to him and gave
them authority to shoot the first man
who interfered with the prisoners. He
telegraphed the Governor for the San
tee Rifles as above stated. The negroes
were raging, swearing and tossing
their glittering weapons about their
heads saying, "d.n the Riff 49," The
white men and constsbles were all
armed; they stood together with pis
tolls In hand and marched upoa the Ne
groes, who at this time looked like
blood was all they wanted. With that
characteristic nerve of Carollnians, the
whites held solid front and marched
the prisoners out of the off :e into a
vacant place. Thence they were
brought without lnUle5tation to
Branchville and turner over to Sheriff
Dukes, who had been teiegraphed for.
The Sheriff lodged them in Ill, where
they will remain until court meets or
released on bail.
Fortunately not shot was fired. If
the negroes had fired one time there
would have been bloody riot. The
negroes saw the nerve and determina
ton of the whites and it caused them
to tl1nk, although they had twenty
five to one. Justice Wbetsel says he
is going to arrest the whole MOB, bat
will get the ringleaders first. He says
he fears that a general race riot will
occur when he attempts to arrest the
others. He maze an oflicia call upon
the sheriff to assist him with plenty of
deputies. The Santee RiQ IS hold them
selves in readiness to obey the orders of
Justice Whetsell, but it is hoped that
their services will not be needed. Two
of the prisoners have turned States
evidence and have been discharged.