The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-05-16

CiSion of which rested with a bystandcr
named Christian. During the quarrel
no one knows just how it happened-Till-
man is said to have killed Christian. He
left the state to avoid the consequences
and remained away two or three years.
Pickens, one Of his ncighbors, meanwhile
having been elected governor Tillman re
turned, stood trial, was convicted and SEN
fenced to a term of imprisonment in the
Edgefeld Jail. a little later he was par
doncd, and the beginning of the war found
him in the ranks, among the most gallant
of fighters. Being talented as well as
brave, he was elected first to the lcgisla
ture and then to congress
Edgefield was also the home of Preston
s. Brooks who is best remembered as the
assailant of Charles Sumner on the floor
OF the senate in 1856. During the debate
on the admission of Kansas Sumner had
delivered speech full of vigor and sar-
casm in reply to the arguments of Senator
A p. Butler Of South Carolina, resenting
which Brooks, who was relative of But
Ter, gave the Massachusetts senator a Sc
we're Gaming Brooks was known among
his own people to be a genial and anything
but quarrelsome man, yet even while n
youth he hurried home from college to
afterward senator from Texas and gener-
al in the Confederate army Both were
wounded in the duel that followed
A quarrel had occurred between Wigfall
and an EdgeilCld citizen named Bird, an
uncle of Brooks and father of Capcrs Bird
marshal of Florida, who died two or three
years ago mt Monticello Bird attempting
to post him in the usual way on the
door of the postoilice, his antagonist shot
him dead Wigfall aftcrward went to Tex
as, where the bowie knife and pistol play
cd conspicuous part in his career.
Edgeflcld has always been a place of
feuds, and until of late years it would be
n rare month that did not witness one or
more shooting scrapes on the public or
courthouse square. Occasionally they oC-
Cured in the court itself, and more than
one lawyers office today bear the bullet
marks of a fight to the death. How are
things up in Edgefleld today" inquired a
citizen on meeting the present Senator NJ
c. Butler in Charleston. Dull, sir, mex
pressibly dull. They only kill Il man a
week now, " was the reply.
Edgctield was the home of General NJ.
| w. Gary, one of the idols of the state, who
near the close of the war took three oaths
never to surrender, never to be taken a
prisoner and never to take the oath of al
| legiancc He broke his sword at Apo
mattox and made his escape through the
lines. He died about 10 years ago.
In his beautiful home on the outskirts
of the town resides his sister, the widow
of General n. q. Evans, Familiarity remem-
bered by old officers of the army as Shanks.
With their mother reside several sons,
who are the brothers of John Gary Evans,
bA Of Ina Il
sary law and candidate for next governor
| All of them are in active political life and
are exercising great influence in the affairs
| of the Palmetto State at the present time
| John Gary Evans moved to Aiken, where
he is prominent at the bar. In fact the
county is full of bright, brainy, brave men
who have always proved worthy of theil
ancestors, and there is little doubt thai
/ when Tillman found his own home com
pany among the first to respond to his cal
for troops in the recent emergency he fell
a sense of relief.
Edgefleld, it should be remembered, is
part of Old Ninety-si1, one of the foul
great districts into which the state wa!
divided anterior to the Revolution, tn
name being derived from the fact that i
was within SO miles of the frontier fort
Prince George, which was on the Keowe,
river in the present Pickens district. Sub
soquently it was subdividod into what il
now known as Edgefeld, Abboville, New
berry and Laurens counties During tn,
Revolution, by reason of the stirring event
that occurred there, it was memorable a
the fighting district" of South Carolina
Calhoun, McDuffie Pettigrew, Langdon
Cheves, Pickens, the Buffers, Hagoods
Hammonds and others are among its som
who have since acquired national fame.
+. G.. DE FoNTAINE.