The record-union., 1894-05-19

Ben Tillman, although at present play
ing the role of Gar in South Carolina,
comes honestly by those traits that marx
him as "a man of blood and IRON" The
reckless, bulldog obstinacy he exhibits
comes to him both by blood and associa-
ton.
A native of Edgefeld, S. c., he has been
brought up in an atmosphere in which
= human life is held cheaply, and word is
followed by blow or a pistol shot. To
give man ''the lie'' there means death.
Family feuds have been carried through
generations. The people are fighters,
and be who shows the white feather
thereafter has no happy abiding place in
that community.
Visiting Charleston, on one occasion,
the present United States Senator, NJ. Z.
Butler, was asked: "Whaps the news
from old Edgefeld?" Dull, horribly
dull, twas the reply; 'only one man killed
week noW." Not so very long ago
shooting scrapes on court day in and
around the public square were more
frequent than picnics and hot politi
cal campaign always claimed It's Dloody
victims.
The stories of personal encounters and
formal duels, if published, would till a
volume; but the number of gallows exc
cutions that have taken place, in which
whites have been concerned, may be
counted on one hand, with the thumb
turned down. Yet, paradoXical as II may
appear, the people are as peaceful and law
abiding as they are impetuous, and man
who keeps civil tongue in his head Is as
safe from molestation as he would be at
his own fireside. They do not lie in wait
10 commit murder, but fight when neces-
sary, breast to breast. Easily aroused,
they resent insult or injury on the spot,
and if wrong has been done. apologize
aiterward. They are brave, headstrong
and peculiar, full of notions OF honor and
duty, and IN their way chivalrous.
Ben Tillman did not differ from the
Edgeheld type, and when he told the
boys in Columbia the other day that she
had no uneasiness as TO his personal
safety" and rather than desert his post
be would have gone out of the Execu-
tive mansion corpse; that the train
was on the track, and as Governor of the
State he had his nand on the throttle and
was s'going in on time, so help me Coo, )"
they knew he meant every word he said.
It's the kind of gritty talk that CaroliuianS
expect, and are pleased with. Mush and
milk is not a part of their diet, especially
i'll Edgetield County.
Some years ago difficulty occurred on
the public square between two citizens.
a weapon was drawn, when one OF them
exclaimed: "G on have me at Il disadvan-
tage. Fire, if you please, but l am un-
armed!' Instantly bystander stepped
forward and rendered his own pistol,
whereupon the shooting began, and was
continued with the usual result.
During duel some years ago, the two
principals being in position, one of them
suddenly observed tuft of grass in the
line Of fire. Are you ready?' said the
second. Mop was the response. Par
don me-" continued the voice as the
speaker cOurteously raised his hat, and,
bowling to his antagonist, advanced and
threw the bit OF grass to one side. Then
he coolly resumed his place and awaited
the word. Whether this act disconnected
the other or not will never be known, for
in less time than it takes TO tell it he gave
leap in the air and fell forward, dead
with bullet through his brain.
Ex-senator Louis L. WigfaIl of Texas,
afterwards a Confederate General. was a
native Of Edgetield, and, in his early
days, as wild as they make them. Ii was
he who, while acting aid TO Gen. Beaure-
gard, during the first bombardment of
Fort Sumter, IN April, 1861, went in
rowboat, under fire, and, without orders,
asked Major Anderson to surrender.
which that officer did few moments
afterwards to the properly deputed au-
thority. subsequently, when jefferson
Davis contemplated the removal of
Beauregard from his command, it was
Wigtall who went to the Confederate
President, and, with bis usual audacity,
said; Davis, DON'T touch him. When a
man becomes so popular that the men
name their race horses and the women
christen their babies after him let him
alone; keep your hands Off" And Mr..
Davis did.
While living in Edgeheld, years before
the war, Nigfall had a serious falling
out with gentleman named Byrd, and
attempted to post him, which, in the
vernacular, means the tacking up in the
most public place OF town of an Of
fensive paper denouncing the opponent
as a coward. scoundrel, liar, etc. Ii one
astempts TO remove this he takes his life
in his own hands, but Byrd was equal to
the occasion. Walking up the postof1ice
steps, he was deliberately tearing down
the paper when Wigfall, drawing his
pistol, shot him dead.
The victim was an uncle of Preston s.
Brooks, then student in college and
afterwards famous. when, in 1856, during
the Kansas debate, as a member of Con-
gresS, he assalled Charles Sumner of
Massachusetts with a cane because of
an attack made by Sumner in his speech
upon Senator a. Z. Butler of South
Carolina. another near relative. Fear
ing that his father would become in
volved in a personal encounter young
Brooks promptly returned home, and.
sending Il challenge to Wigfall, the par
ties met on the field of honor. Both
were wounded. Soon after this WigfaII
went to Texas, where, 1t is understood
he settled numerous controversies with
both bowie-knife and revolver. The war
brought him into still greater promi-
nence.
The late Congressman George Tillman,
an elder brother of the Governor. when
young man had an alteration with
another over game of cards in the viii
lage tavern. The decision of the dispute
was referred to bystander, but further
words followed, and in the melee Till
man shot the bystander. In order to
prevent arrest he fled. but after an alb
sence of a few years he returned, stood his
trial and was sentenced TO a term of i'm
prisonment in the County Jail. Being
pardoned by Governor Pickens he en-
tered public lie, Joined the army, did
gallant work in the war, was sent TO the
Legislature and subsequently to Con-
gress. No one IN South Carolina thinks
the less OF him because of his youthful es-
capade.
The history of Edgefeld abounds in
similar instances. The county is one of
the four which constituted Old Ninety
six, memorable in the Revolution as the
Fighting district of South Carolina.
The courthouse was in the once-pros-
porous town of Cambridge. where now
stands but a single dilapidated resi-
dence to remind one of former glories.
Distinguished statesmen practiced law
there. Calhoun, McDuf1ie, the Hainmonds.
Buffers. Wardlaws, Langdon Cheves. Pet
tigrew, Burt. Bonham and Hagood are
among the many who have made the To-
-I..1
tinguished in the Revolution and since
the name is legion.