Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-04-05
SOUTH CAROLINA.
The Governor Massing the State
Troops in Darlington
THE TELEGRAPH LINES ARE SEIZED.
Local Militis Resign by Letter-Quiet in
Florence, bat n Strong Feeling OF
Resentmsnt Feit-The Cause
OF the Trouble.

DARLINGTON, s c., April "A spe-
cial train from Columbia with 500
troops to keep peace and force the dis
pensary law will declare the town
under martial law and will take charge
of the Western Union telegraph Office
and the railways Gov. Tillman has
assured me citizens that the soldiers
are coming here with no malicious in
tent cut simply to protect the public
peace Nevertheless trouble is antici-
pated.
Mayor Dargen made short address
to an assemblage on the street and
asked that the citizens maintain
peaceful bearing toward the soldiers
and offer them no provOcation-
The seat of war is now changed to
Columbia The adjutant and inspector
general of the state troops arrived here
on special train The inspector gen.
eral, under the orders of the governor.
has travelled over the state endeavoring
to raise force of volunteers to uphold
the dispensary law, but the indications
are he has met complete failure on all
sides. as all classes of citizens are re-
fusing to bear arms against South Car
olinans
The local military have thrown up
their commissions and resigned by let
ter to the acknowledgement 1t is said
here Gov. Tillman is in possession of
the railroad and telegraph lines at
Columbia and that his officers inspect
every message received and none go
out without his authority or sanction.
QUIET IN FLORENCE.
FLORENCE. S. c., April 3 -Although
there was no actual disturbance here
yesterday, the undercurrent of feeling
is still very bitter, and it would only
require an outbreak in the vicinity, or
some obnoxious act on the part of the
governor to again stir the citizens to
arms. During the morning hours the
town apparently recovered most of
its usual quiet. and there was
nothing on the surface which would
indicate to a stranger that the
neighborhood was on the verge of an
uprising. The churches were all well
| attended; there was no disorderly as
semblages on the streets, and the cooler
Judgment of a nights rest seems to
have had its effect. But strong feel
| ing of resentment was working behind
cloud of apparent submission. The
| belief is general that even should the
officers of the governor, who are as
| serted to be responsible for the first
| outbreak, be convicted by the courts,
| they would be pardoned by the gov
ernor, as Elliott, one of the spies, who
slapped the face of a woman in Charles
| ton some time ago. was pardoned by
| telegraph by Gov. Tillman.
The guns of the Florence rifles are
still in the possession of the citizens,
| and no attempt has thus far been
made to recover them. Even should
such an effort be made by state troops,
no arms will be found, as they have
been secreted The citizens are not
disposed to surrender the advance they
made, but propose that being out
lawed, they will proceed to restore law
and order themselves.
CAUSE OF PRESENT TROUBLE.
CHARLESTON, S. c., April 2-The
| News and Courier says:
Let it be distinctly borne in mind in the
present disturbed condition of things that there
| is no disorder in the state now except what is
! of Gov. Tiilmans making. Every thing" was
| reported perfectly quiet in Darlington on Fri
| day night One of the wounded constables
| was guarded by a local militia company Three
| others-Gaillard, Swan and Meeking-have not
been molested Three others who went TO
| Sumter on Saturday were guarded by the mill
itary of that place, and were sent by the local
authorities special train to Columbia,
| under the protection of the same troops and
| the sheriff and his deputies.
| The assembling of troops in Columbia and
| Darlington is to purpose whatever There
| is need for them-nothing for them to do al
| either place There is open secret re-
| bellion against the laws of the state or in any
| part OF the state There are no 'tassembiages
| OF insurgents to ''disperse' in any place. All
| the present excitement is caused by the mus
| tering of troops by the governors orders, the
| issuing of proclamationS, the seizure of rail
! roads and telegraph offices. The cons tables
| who are in hiding are in danger of being
| lynched, no doubt, but they certainly canno
| be protected in any degree bv gathering troops
| in Darlington and Columbia or elsewhere.
Gov Tillman and his admirers appear to have
| lost their heads. They acting withou
reason or discretion or definite purpose; the
| are making disorder and trouble and excite
| ment instead of pursuing the peace and restor-
| ing order. But for the extraordinary utter
| ances and actions of the state authorities the
| whole trouble would have been nearly confined
| to the place where it originally began and the
excitement in the state generally would have
subsidized before last Saturday night It is a:
| well to keep this fact in view. There is nC
| trouble or disorder in the state except tina
| which is Gov. Tillmans making. If his friend:
| and advisers will only quiet him the whole
| state will resume normal condition at once