The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-31
ALMOST A RIOT IN CHARLESTON.
Five Hundred Men Wanted to Lynch
Liquor Constable for Asssulting
Woman.
1Special to the State. |

CHARLESTON, January 24.-All the
indications here point to bloodshed,
which will grow out of the enforce
ment Of the new dispensary law.
An Incident occurred to-day which
nearly precipitated riot. The whis-
key constabulary started out in the
morning and raided the grocery store of
w. F. Jordan, well-to-do- and highly
respectable merchant. While they
were looting the place, Mir. Geo. 5.
Legare, who is Jordan's lawyer, came
down and attempted to see his client.
The constabulary arrested him, and by
their directions be was taken to the
police station in the Black Maria.
Later in the day the spies raided the
grocery of A. c: Nolte, 26 Vanderhorst
street.
Mrs. Nolte was the only one in and
she stood at the door and forbade them
to enter. One of the spies named
Elliott, it is said slapped her in the
face, and the posse started to enter.
Instantly, as if by magic, a body OF
over 100, apparently respectable white
men appeared on the scene and for a
few moments it looked like q case OF
lynching. Fortunately the police
station was not far off and the chief of
police with squad of reserves came up
in time and guarded the constabulary
to the police station, the crowd follow
ing. Elliott was subsequently, served
with warrant charging him with
assault and battery.
The crowd which threatened the
constables was clearly not an i'm
prosnptu mob. The quick gathering
seems to give color to rumor that an
organization has been formed to resist
the tyrannical and odious dispensary
! law, and collision is likely to occur
at any time. The constables, when
they start out on raid, are now
guarded by squad of policemen. The
situation is very squally.
MARTIAL LAW THREATENED.
| Especial to News and Courier.]
COLUMBIA, January Ex-Governor
Tlllman had read the accounts of the
trouble IN Charleston between the peo-
pie and his liquor constables before he
arrived here to-day, and he has been
! pretty we'll stirred up over the matter
all the afternoon. He expected to get
an official report of the trouble from
his chief constable, but had not yet
received such report when called
on him this evening and asked hin for
a statement in regard to the matter.
He based what be had to say on the
newspaper accounts and threatened to
| put Charleston under martial law.
"The only thing about it, it seems to
me, is that there is a concerted con-
spiracy there which will have to be put
down, if it goes much further, if 1t
takes all the troops in the State TO 60
down there, and I will say further that
| Charleston will have to pay the bills,
for all the expenses should fall upon
| those who make the trouble. I will
seen that the Legislature makes her
pay the bill. I will declare martial law
100 if necessary tefore will allow such
overriding of the law as seems to be
| contemplated. Every mani IN South
Carolina who knows Elli2tt knows he
| never struck woman, and there is
not man in Charleston who will
stand to bis face and tell him that be
did do so.'
The Governor is fully determined to
take some very decisive steps in the
matter if there is any more trouble OF
the kind.