The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-06-19
TROUBLE IN MT. CARMEL.
Race Riot Threatened - Military Or
dered Out - Press and Banners
SneciaI RepOrter on the Scene
Everything Again Quiet.


On last Wednesday afternoon Capt. j. l..
Perrin of the Abbeville Rifles was very much
surprised 10 receive the following dispatch
from Governor Evans:
| "Race riot threatened i'm Mt. Carmel. Hold
your company in readiness to preserve the
peace. ~
Capt Perrin Immediately notified the COM
| pauy and wired back 10 the Governor that his
command was under arms and ready TO OBEY
| all orders.
edo, telegram from Mr.. j. w. Morrah, of Mt.
| Carmel, asking him to send the Abbevllie HI
J fleS to Mt. Carmel at once TO prevent race
war The Sheriff then wired Gov. Evans lhe
state of affairs and asked that further orders
| be sent Immediately. In Il short time the
Governor telegraphed TO Sheriff Nance TO Or
| der the Abbeville Rifles TO MI Carmel at once.
BY this time the boys had assent bled at the
armory in their uniforms. ready and willing
| TO 60, If necessary, only waiting Tor the word
of command and when the word did come q
more fearless and determined set ol men was
never seen anywhere.
| Mr.. j. 4. Busbee. the accommodating and
efficient Traipmaster OF the SeaDoard AIT
Line, was consulted and he soon had special
ready TO take the company TO Calhoun Falls,
the nearest point on his line 10 Mt. Carmel
The crowd left Abbevile at $50 p. III. Thurs
| day and arrived at Calhoun Falls at lO.l5 p.
M 4 train could not be gotten on the Saran-
nah Valley Railroad, so another way Of trans
portatiou had TO be found. Some were In fH-
vor of marching 10 Mt Carmel, a distance OF
| nine miles, anu some WaQlGu 10 SSCulc way
ons and ride. Right here allow Us, In behalf
! of the Abbevile Rifles to thank Mr.. Edward
Keiser, OF Calhoun Falls. for the kindness
shown the boys and his aid in securing the
wagons for them.
Alter some delay two wagons were secured
and at midnight the party left Calhoun Fails
| for the supposed seat OF war, Determined 10
do their duty and stand up for law ana orderi
no matter what the consequences. Inc
crowd after alternately riding and walking,
| reached Mt. Carmel at 3.:O a. m.
Capt. Perrin thought best to leave the wag-
| ons outside OF the town aud march In, 80 this
was done. Just rs the company got into the
| town they were mistaken tor band of ne
groes and a shot was fired by one OF the
guards stationed at the upper end OF town,
fortunately, not at the boys but as a signal TO
| the others TO be on the qui Vive. very soon
| though their mistake was made evident and
great was the relief OF the brave men. VINO
were determined TO defend their homes and
| loved ones, even if their own lives were sacri.
feed In the attempt, when they recognized
the familiar uniforms and faces OF the Aboe'
Vile Rifles.
| Before going any further we will give brief
| ly the whole cause of this trouble. On April
18th last Mr.. 7. q. Bakers store in Mt Carmel
was broken into and a & auaatity, ,lny, OF e go|Hs 4s
thief could be obtained at the time OF the
robbery. About two weeks ago some Of the
stolen goods were found in the possession OF a
negro woman, who stated thata negro named
| Dock Sanders, An eX-convict and noted des.
perado, had sold them to her. A thorough In
vestigation was made and IT was proven be-
yond doubt that Sanders was the person
| who robbed Mr.. Bakers store. warrant
| was sworn out for the arrest OF Sanders and
/ Constable Baker and Tarrant went to ma Ike
the arrest. Sanders resisted and opened fire
upon the constables, who returned the fire,
Killing Sanders The constables were not
/ hurt. The negroes became greatly incensed
over this killing, and, in spirit OF revenge,
made threats against the people and properly
of Mt. Carmel, neld meetings at the churches,
/ went to them armed and in many other ways
gave the citizens of Mt Carmel good reasons
Tor expecting a race riot, hence the appeal 10
Governor Evans for the aid OF the militia.
The citizens were SO apprehensiVe of trou-
BILE that about twelve guards were stationed
lin various parts of the village to alarm the in.
Ihabitants in case the negroes made an out
break. AS soon rs the rifle company got Into
/ the town consultation was held with the au-
liberties as TO what course was best TO pursue.
1t was thought best TO arrest the leaders be-
| fore daylight and before 1t became generally
known that the military company had ar
rived. so that they would have no possible
| chance to escape. Immediately warran +
were sworn out before Trial Justice Gown for
the arrest Of the following parties, viz: Paldo
| Dunlap, Bunell johnson, Arthur Tlllman,
Andrew McCoombs, Fred. Jackson, Harry
Vincent. Frank Carwile, and Nelson Station,
and squad OF men, under Lieut.. Taggart,
ISr., two miles from town, TO arrest him and
his two sons, Paldo Bull. Jr., and Israel Bull.
The men reached there just about day break,
and surrounded the house. Lieut.. Taggart
went to the door, knocked and stated what he
| wanted He was told that none Of the men
| were in the house, so thorough search was
made, but no trace OF the men wanted were
found. The soldiers were searching the prern-
ises and outhouseS when two men were seen
lemerging from u clump of trees and coming
towards the house. They were found To be
| two of the men wanted, PaldO Bull, Jr., and
Israel Bull. They were told 10 throw up their
hands and consider themselves under arrest,
which they did, affecting great surprise at
such treatlnent.> They were searched and
loaded revolver was found on the person Of
Paldo Jr. Another search was made for the
| old man, but he could not be found anywhere.
A crowd OF negroes had by this time assem-
bled at the house, but no resistance whatever
was offered. The squad under Lieut.. Taggart
divided, some going to the house OF Simeon
Dunlap and some staying TO keep watch out
| for Paldo Bull, ST., whose wife was soou con-
! vinced that the best thing for him TO do
would be TO deliyer himself up TO the proper
authorities which he did a short time alter
| the soldiers had taken the other prisoners
TO town, the other division having arrested
Simeon Dunlap on their way back. Two 9th
| er SQUADS had been sent out in different direc-
lions, in command OF Captain Perrin and
sergeant Kennedy and by various methods
captured Burrell johnson, Andrew Nc
| wanted, Arthur Tillman, having no suspicion
| OF any impending harm betook himself TO
shady spot, under the tree where the other
| DrlSODeTb were, duu lOOh ulS ScdI. ilt " dS
pointed out by a citizen, and soldier ad.
vanced and tod him to keep his seat and con-
slder himself under arrest, there being no al
tternative, the negro submitted, but bis sur
prise was indescrlbable when he found out
that be no longer breathed the pure air OF
| freedom. Nelson Station, Frank Carwile and
Fred jackson were not apprehended, II being
supposed that they escaped over the Georgia
| line. After this the boys were taken in
charge by the citizens and heartily breakfast
ed and 1t is certain that Justice was done the
good things set before them as they were In
just the right condition to appreciate such
About ten o'clock Friday morning the pre-
| liminary hearing before Judge Gown was
begun. A fair and impartial trial was con-
Quoted. The first witness was Mr.. j. w.
| Morrah, whose testimony in substance was as
| follows: The people in MI. Carmel were ap-
| prehensiye .of a race riot, negroes having
meetings in the churches, going TO them
! armed, which was very unusual occurrence,
also, on several occasions they had fired pis-
tolls and guns on the public etreets and made
other demonstrations, which somew hat
asked as to the cause of this behavior, ne
groeS replied insolently. "none of your busi-
ness Prisoners had been seen TO attend
meetings held in church. Mr.. Morrah stated
further that heretofore all small trials had
| been attended by crowds OF negroes with
sticks, &C.. endsavoring to intimidate the
court, but nothing like that happened this
time; ifit had not been for the prompt re-
| had more trouble and never would have
| made arrests, as the negroes would have re-
sisted the local authorities, aud possibly
there might have been bloodshed. AS IL were,
everything was done without the slightest
| resistance being made. The foregoing testi-
mony was corroborated by the following gem
| tlenen, Rev. ID. b. Ingraham, Messrs. b. 4
Boyd, q. y. Morrah, and b. u. Reese, all
prominent and substantial citizens OF Mt
Carmel. The most startling evidence given
was that Of Mr.. John Tarrant, which was that Il
colored man, a true friend OF his had diSclos-
| ed To him what was done at the last meeting