The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-07-25


know am biting you in sore places
but you must take it.
Butler jumped on Ti!lman harder
than he has Tor days and accused him
Of being stiDgy and penurious. lie
charged Tillman with not paying his
subscription to Reform paper.
The yelIS and applause for Tiljman
partially drowned Buffers voice aud
the noise was terrific.
When it was over BHtleC said that
every time he hit TilIm&n the Cover
nor's supporters vince and try to drown
ont his voice by cheering.
Butler said that be had been riding
only one horse since 1876 and that horse
was the deliyeranCe Of the people. lie
told what he had done in 1876 and OF
his participation in the Hamburg riot
While speaking Of the Hamburg not
II. Townes asked Bulter if his QSut-
ler's) house had not been burned by
negroes because he took part in the
riot
"Nes," arsWed Butler.
j. O. Atkinson, a Tillmanite, who
was standing on the stand to the right
Of Butler, said:
Yes, but you denied it in Washing,
ton"
Butler turned like a panthe. and quck
as Tightening said: That is lie; an
| Internal lie" If he had stopped at this
there might not have been any trouble
| at that time, but he repeated what he
said two or three times.
Men began to surge toward the stand
while Butler continued his denuncia-
ton. In az instant Charles Hammond
iumped upon the stand, followed by Il
! Fl. ToWnes, each with his hand resting
on the butt Of pistol in his hip pocket
It was then that the desperate men of
both sides Jumped upon the stand and
those Ct less courage moved OFT.
Hammond and TOWnes got bGhind
Butler, and Tillman's friends crowded
around him. The antagonists began to
glare at each other and to talk in strong
language to each other. Pistols were
changed from one pocket another to be
! convenient for quick use.
1t was squally time. The excite
ment is beyond description.
Atkinson did not move one inch
from where he had been standing. lie
was surrounded by excited men.
General Butler quickly removed his
wits and worked masterfully to check
the riot which seemed imminant. Till
man cid likewise. Each appeared to
| men of both sides to stop lowering.
| They begged those trying to get Oh the
stand to stay off and those who were al
ready on to get off.
Among some Of the men toying With
their pistols were several known to
have been in thrilling affrays and noted
| for GOODNESS.
The uproar continued for what ap-
peared to be tin minutes. During this
time the hundreds Of men who had re-
manned on the stand had gotten ready
for action.
know il to a feet that almost every
man had singled out target for his
| pisto and merely awaited the signal
to turn loose.
The excitement gradually subsided,
but was really opposed.
Butler resumed his speech to try to
get the Audience back in its former dis
position. He gradually greG salty again
and there was another outbreak OF
cheering for Tillman. Butler got mad
again and said there was an attempt tp
drown his voice with their hraying
amy common jackass," he said Vehe.
mently, may bray, butt do not pro.
pose to be stopped in free speech by a
lot af blatant jackasses. can not bet
frightened. | have seen too much o
real danger to be iutimidated.
"GoVernor Tillman says am not in
this race. lie says he will beat me. !
say if he will leave out his rings and
give me separate box l will beat him
three TO one in Meriwether township
where both Of us live
Butler charged Tillman with being a
ring and caucus man and said it was
charged that there is a ring controlling
the Gubernatorial race. Tillman, ne
said, has not danied this charge.
Turning to Tilman Butler exclaimed
81 dare you'll dare you, sir, to give me
a primary. You will never do it be.
cause you are afraid. Even ring
won't save you.
Butler attacked Tillman for his de.
nunciatiGn Of Cleveland
Butler took from his pocket the GER
tiicate relating to Jillman at Ham
burg. He said that he had not cOnsid-
cred It q matter of much importance
and had not intended to refer to it
again, but as Tulmau had demanded 1t
he would give it. The certificate is as
follows
THAT CERTIFICATE.
"This is to certify that at Uamberg
July, 1876, We, the undersigned. were
present and that Mr.. B. II. Tillman was
not seen by any one of us when the
firing began. That we were in the
thickest of it from start to finish, and
if ne had been there we should have
seen him, and certainly did not after
the firing began.
(Signed) w. II. Hammond. I. p
Hammond, L. V. Storm, II. d. Storm
John NJ. Hightower, &. w. Walker
Jos. b. MckIe, John \. Butler"
The reading Of the certificate finished
| Butler sat down.
The Governor waited few seconds
and walked to the front. His eyes
were flashing. lie read the following
certificate refuting the charges of the
others:
south Carolina-Aiken County.
"ro all concerned: This is to certify
that on the night OF the Hamburg riot
in 1876, we, the undersigned, were IL
the town of Hamburg from the begin
ming to the ending Cf said riot, and
that we know of our own knowledge
that 3. r.. TilIman stayed IL said town
and did his whole duty until the ending
| of the said riot.
(Signed) Henry Citizen, L. W
Reese, J. .. Holder, W. II. II. Butler
J. G. Hammond, p. o. Thurmon, l.. D
Reese, e. w. Medlock J. +. Atkins, 5
3. Mays, T. A. Hays, J. a. Thinner
man, S. w. Miller, w. T. Roper, J. c.
Lanham, J. 4. White, T. n. Thinner.
man, w. +. Dobey.'
| (Some Of these men are Butlerltes.)
| AS the Governor read each name he
asked the signers if they were not with
him and they answered IN the allirma
tive. Another row was expected at
any minute during the residing Of the
certificate, but it did not materializo.
A large number of men who had
not signed the certificate shouted to
Tillm8n: Yes, you were there. We
were with you and saw you"
The Hamburg riot incident was