The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-07-03
Armed Invasion of the State.

For a long time some OF our newspapers
have been seeking 10 bring the whiskey laws
OF the State into public contempt, and armed
resistance TO these laws has followed. In each
case it has been sought TO defend the law
break er and 10 bring odium on the officers OF
the state.
Last week acts OF violence occurred In Spar
tanburg, where other similar acts had pre-
viously occurred. How far the newspapers
are responsible for the lawlessness that exists
in that county is not for US 10 say.
We are now dealing with facts.
Last Friday night Liquor Coustabes Petti-
grew and Toland went out on one OF the roads
leading from Spartauburg toward the noun
tains Of North Carolina in search OF persons
who were reported to be clandestinely trans
porting from North Carolina whiskey In wa
gons contrary TO the laws Of the State Of South
Carolina.
About two or three o'clock on Friday
morning while the constables were watching
the road, a wagon was heard in the distance.
On its approach, the constables seized the an
imals and ordered halt. In little while
firing commenced. After all was over Bill
Durham and Jack Fisher lay dead in their
wagon, with their heads and bodies resting
against their unstamped barrel OF whiskey.
Constable Pettgrew and Constable Toland
had received mortal wounds.
These we believe TO be the admitted facts.
The friends OF the Illicit liquor dealers and
the enemies of law and order in South Caro-
lima are raising The question as 10 who fired
the first shot, or as 10 whether the Illicit IL
quor dealers fired at all.
But there is no dispute We believe as 10
these facts:
1st. That Bill Durham and Jack Fisher are
North Carolinians.
ed That they were engaged in an unlawful
act, and that they had armed themselves with
guns and pistols, and entered the State OF
South Carolina in defiance of her laws, and
presumably with the intention Of shooting
the officers Of the State. should they modest
them in their unlawful conduct.
With this state Of facts existing we do not
care whether the intruders or Illicit liquor
dealers fired at all. The presumption
is that they intended to protect themselves,
and the constabies would have been natural
born fools to wait until they were fired upon.
II a man finds an armed Intruder on his
premises in the night, does he wait for the
intruder to shoot before protecting his prem.
iseS:
If there is not already law on the statute
books against armed entry of the State for
the purpose OF doing an unlawful act, then
such law should be put there, and North
Carolina should be notified 10 prevent her
citizens from further armed incursious for
unlawful purposes.
1t is bad enough for a citizen TO violate the
laws Of the State In which he resides, but 1t Is
worse to resist the legally constituted author
tiles Of the State. 1t is worse still for two or
more citizens Of an adjoining State to con-
spire together for armed entrance into anoth-
er State for unlaw full purposes.
President Cleveland is trying TO prevent
American citizens from interfering with the
disturbed affairs OF Cuba. What is the Gov
eruor of North Carolina doing to prevent his
subjects from arming themselves and enter
ing South Carolina for the purpose of bidding
defiance 10 our laws? II he doesn't keep his
moonshners at home some of them may get
hurt.
Morality, law and order is imperiled in
South Carolina. The war is on, and we will
see whether lawless liquor sellers, or the reg
ularly constituted authorities shall govern.