The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-05-03
BUTLER AT DARLINGTON.
THE SENATOR'S STATEMENT OF THE
= LATE DISTURBANCE

Ro Critioises aovernor Ti'lman's Actions
His R.viow OF tho circumstances and
Conditions.
Consider able attention has been
drawn to the statement made by Sena-
tor Butler about the late troubles in
Darlington. 1t ls as follows:
FLORENCE, April 3.-Senator Butler
passed through Florence tonioht on his
way from Darlington to Washington and
I asked him to give me his estimate Of
tue situation Ia this 'lnsurrectionary"
district.
~ have como down from Darlington"
he said, "where have been the past
twenty.four hours. AS far as could
learn everything is perfectly quiet and
the civil authorities prepared t. dis
charge their duty. It seems that G
number Of the State constables or spies,
Rs they are called, had been to Darling
top for the purpose of ascertaining if
there was any contraband Whiskey. 10
tho search they mado, they were sup
ported by tho mayor and civil authori-
ties OF Darlington, as there was not tho
slightest resistance to this enforcement
OF tho disrensary law: m the contrary
the people Of Darlington co.operated
with tho enforcement. This was prior
to Thursday, March 90. Itappears the
terce of constables or spies was ipcreas
cd on that day, by a reinforcement of
about eighteen men, armed with Win
chester rifles and pistols. Why this re.
inforcement of armed men should be
sent lato peaceable, law abiding com.
EKyI,A hoI
ance to law, l cannot understand, aud
think tho authorities will have difficulty
In explaining 1t. It also appears that
this armed band were about to re.
tire from that community where they
had not been molested or disturbed,
wien personal difficulty arose between
two young men at tho railroad station
where these spies were. This difficulty,
from what l can learn, was an entirely
personal matter between tho parties en-.
gagged and In no way connected with
tho execution of or resistance to the dis
pensary law.
"One Of these armed constables, Nc.
London bV name, lntertered In thls pri-
vate difficulty. A citizen, Mr.. Norment
at the depot on businePs, made some re.
mark, and there was an interchange oil
eplthets between him and this constable,
whereupon the constable opened fire
upon Mr.. Norment with the remark.
Cd d-n 1t, boys, let her roll.' The
firing then became general between the
armed constables and the few persona
who appear to have been at the station
by accident or on business. The result
of this firing was that two unoffending
cltlesns were slain, one constable killed
and this man McLendon badly wounded
and several other citizens, among them
the chief of nolice, who was trying to
preserve order, were several times
wounded.
"The people OF Darlington, naturally
indignant at the extraordinary and VIC.
lent measures adopted dy the authorities
Of the State were outraged. md upon
the Information Of this emeute at the sta
tiOn they set out and pursued the mon
who they rightly thought had committed
o wanton and unpro voked murder upon
two of their best citizens. They pur-
sued these men. take It, as long ae
there was prospect Of arresting them,
and, we must assume, bringing them to
Justice for what they considered an un.
provoked homicide: AS proof of their
conservatism, tho wounded man, Nc
Lsndon, who had shot Mr.. Norment,
was taken to the Jail and there protect:
cd from further injury, although the peo.
of that town were greatly lniuriated at
his conduct.
~ think 1t may be safely asserted
that there Is not more law abiding, in
telligent community anywhere In the
United States tean the two counties of
"a
seem to mo That If had been Governor
of tho State of South Carolina I would
baYe felt it to bs my duty, upon being
informed Of the occurrences at Darling
ton, to have gone promptly TO tho scene
ofthe disturbance and aasured the peo-
ple of Chat hitherto law abiding commu-
nifty that they should have fair play. 1
thirk If Governor. Tilimah had done this
matters could have been composed in "a
hours, and whoever should have been
proven to be in fault would have been
made amenable to the law. Instead OF
that he issued o proclamation denounc.
ing the good people Of these two coun
ties a8 insurgents and insurrectioniste
and ordered the military of tho State to
) camp upon them.
During my stay at Darlington wae
deeply Impressed with the anxiety o.
both the citizens and the military tc
keep within the limits Of the law. / ad
vised as tar as had the right TO adyise,
that under our form of government The
military bo subordinate to the civil pow.
or, and use of tho military arm was only
justiflable when the civil authority was
proved to be powerless and paralyzed
and, think, If Governor Tillman had o,
could recognise this Constitutional re-
latlon OF the two powers of our govern
mont, he would avoid many of the
blunders which he has made. There arc
two ways 10 execute any law. The ono
by wisdom and conservatism and fairness
and the other by harshnees. violence
and an overbearing disregard o. the cltl-
zens.
need not now express any opinion
In regard to tho dispensary law, but ]
may say that, In my Judgment, the
Governor is attempting to enforce IL in
hnrsh, violent and i'll advised manner
Ho ought to know that the Anglo Saxon
race, particularly in our day and gene
ration, will not submit, beyond certain
DOinE. to ba harrleH o,,J r>,>,oas.1 -. 4