The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-09-26

than has ever been known in the his
tory OF any people. Every man in it
ablo to ride q horse belonged to some
company, with regularly elected Of
lcers, and many of those companies
had armed themselves with improved
weapons. And such was the state Of
feeling that Gary could at any time
mobilize and concentrate q thousand
red shirts In ten hours. Chamberlain,
cowardly to risk it. The speakers
who ventured into tho lions den, for
Edgeheld was as much in " state OF
revolution us Paris was in 1889, were
two or three Of the minor State oilicors.
including JillsOn, Maggie and tho fat
mulatto Smalls. Gary had sent out
orders for Il large number Of rcd shirts
to be on hand, and upwards Of a. thous-
and were in and about the public
square when the hour for the Radical
speaking to begin had arrived. It'll
was decided that such game was un-
worthy the Eagles talons, but 20 show
that tho presence OF troops had not
cowcd the spirit of liberty in tho
whites, it was determined that ,hc
red shirts in procession should march
by the stand where the negroes wore
assembled and then diSpcrsc to their
homes. While the procession was
forming Gen. Butler took it upon him.
self to ride in advance and pick out
tho line Of march. He had Il con-
terence with scaluwag white man
who was acting us marshal for the
negroes and agreed that the process
sion should take route through tho
Academy Grove upward Of 100 yards
from the stand. When the Bald eagle
at tho head Of his red shirt legion,
making procession over u mile in
length, reached tho edge Of the grove,
he was mot by the Radical marshal
and told Of the agreement which But
Ter had made. In a voice which rang
out so that the negroes and whites
could hear him he exclaimed SCOT
out of my way, you damn white puppy.
This is public property aud | will ride
on it where please" And he headed
the column straight for the Academy,
passing within twenty yards Of the
stand about which the negroes wcrc
massed, forcing some OF them to move
to keep from being run over.
Another incident gives even u NOR
striking illustration Of the claim put
forward in behalf Of my dead friend
that he deserves the honor more than
any other OF rcdccming the State. On
the day Of election thcrc were twelve
companies OF United States infantry
in our county. They had been scnt
there TO overawc the whites and en-
courage the negroes TO vote. Six Of
these companies had been distributed
at various election precincts in the
county whore the heaviest negro vote
was usually cast. The other six wore
at Edgcield Court House under com
mand of Con. ltuger. Tho negroes in
large numbers, probably 1000, masscd
at tho Court House before day on tho
morning OF the election. Gary had
anticipated this and tho evening
before the election about 800 picked
mon, over One-half Of them from
Saluaa, with their baggage wagons,
provisions aud arms, had taken pos
| session Of the Court House and Masonic
| Hall and were in readiness to obey the
orders Of thcir chief. whatever they
might be. There was no sleep. Tho
camp fires glcamcd out brightly, for
it was cold and drizz!ing rain, and
| Oakley Hall, the Generals residence,
was like IL military headquarters,
while tiddling and dancing were going
on in the two buildings | have men
| toned. 1t had been agreed between
ltuger and Gary that the whites should
vote at the box in the court house,
while the negroes should vote at
the school house, another precinct
any was detailed to watch the bal
loting at the latter place and all
day long the voting went on ut both,
very rapidly at the court house,
very slowl y at the school house. Late
in tho evening Cain, the mulatto
county chairman, finding that it would
be Impossible to vote hie men at the
school house, determined to make q
desperate move and try to capture the
other box. At Lne head of his black
phalanx, $500 negroes, armed with
clubs and pistols, he marched towards
the public square. a swift courier
notlhed Gary That thcy wore coming.
He Immediately ordered that tho
court mouse De packed, steps, porticos
and oil, and SO promptly anl thorough
ly was his order carried out that flea
could not have crawlcd between the
men standing on the steps. The upper
windows in the Masonic Hall, in which
the rifles and other arms had been
placed, were manned with sharp
shooters and all the other men who
could be spared were ordered to mount
their horses and mass themselves on
ono side OF the square. When Cain
and his negroes reached the head Of
the street leading into the square,
filling it completely, seeing the pre-
Pttt lHtuO W fCCGlVc LnCnl, GncY
halted and message was sent to
Rugcr. Ruger left his quarters some
two hundred yards on side street and
came towards the court house Gary
advanced to meet him and after the
two had salnted, with military pune
'iousness, Gen. Ruger said "Gcneral,
! nm informed by tho Republican
Cou.tv Chairman that he can't vote
oil his 10" at the othor precinct.
You must make your men give way
and let these negroes got to the ballot
box. My orders arc to see that there
arc no distractions to voting"
The one was dressed in the blue uni
form Of the United States army and
had been sent to I;dgcliod by Grant.
The other had on the grey coat OF the
Confederate brigadier and military
boots. 1t was the crucial test Of nerve.
South CaroIina's destiny hung in the
balance and Gary saved her The
Bald Eug!c' Strengthened mp, his
eyes cleaning, and clear and shrilI,
for his voice always rang like silver
bell, he exclaimed, "By God, sir,
pll not do it. ] will keep the COM
pact | mado with you this morning,
that the whites and negroes should
vote at IN bnvoo ,oI E ,,r,,