The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-07-03

Strange Action Of Il Peace Officer The
Wife and Daughters of Colonel Darsan
| Abused.
SUMTER, S. c., June S.-The fol
lowing interview, which appeared in
the Item last evening, gives Col. Oar.
gan's side Of the treatment he received
at Edgefeld few daysag
Col. Dargan, we see by the dis
patches in the daily papers of this
morning that you had a pretty rough
time in Edgelield yesterday. Tell us
something more about it. .
L reached Edgefield on Tuesday
night. Early Wednesday morning l
went to the office of clerk of court to
see if could get the use of the court
house. Col. Bacon going with me to
introduce me to the clerk.
The.deputy clerk informed me that
the clerk was not in and would not be
in during the day, and in his absence
/ could not get the court house.
L then went to the Chronicle office
where | had some acquaintances, and
from there endeavored to obtain a
hall. where could speak From the
window saw the people coming in
from various directions After about a
half hour a committee with Sheriff
Outz at the head appeared, the sheriff
doing the talking. After introducing
himself as sheriff, he said:
"' We have been sent as commit
tee from another bod V to inform you
that you cannot speak in Edgeteld
county today or any other time. We
don't like your views and don't intend
that you shall express them in this
county
Il replied, Well, gentlemen l am
sorry thatyou take that position; | had
hoped when saw you coming thatyou
would announcethat you had arranged
for a meeting and debate, as you
know have Invited a reply and will
cheerfully grant two minutes to one to
any opponent.
Another member OF the committee
promptly spoke, and said: No debate
on the negro question in Edgetield
county, that's settled question here.
We have got the negro down and by
Cd we are going to keep him down.
Il said: Well, gentlemen, l am very
sorry, and hope you will reconsider
and have the discussion Every man
on the committee then expressed him
self, in effect, that should not speak.
There are enough of US here to stop
you if you try it. They started down
the steps, but after consultation, turn
ed, the sheriff saying: We demand
to know if you are going to attempt to
speak
Il replied: I certainly will, if as
many as half dozen persons will ex-
press willingness to hear me-
His reply was, We will stop you
no matter what it costs.
II answered: I will speak no matter
what It costs, if / can find few men
willing 70 hear me- The committee
then left.
"a se7v minutes after their departure
three men came up, one at time, and
began to ply me with questions in re-
gard to my views On the 'nigger ques-
ton While they were talking, anoth-
er body of about fifteen persons enter
ed the room and announced that they
had come to look at me and see what
kind of a looking thing was, any
how.
Zone of them said: "You consented
to make an address in Charleston with
all the negroes shut out; we dare you
to let us shut you up with us in the
court house here.
Il replied: I will agree to let you
bring into the court house only white
people, and then lock the door, pro-
vided you will give me one hour of
quiet attention and you may have the
rest of the time.
They accepted this proposition with
demonstrations of delight and began to
retire to get the court house, when one
of them said: I 60 into no such ID
agreement unless you promise not to
say word for the id negro
Il said: I will pledge myself to
speak what think in regard to the
question I am discussing, and will en-
ter into no other agreement.
"Thereupon the committee informed
me that if l would 60 into the court
house I would have to retract the
speeches l had made at Charleston
and other places, or l would never
come out.
Il told them l would go into the
court house or any other place but |
would never retract anything l had
ever said on this subject until was
convinced that what | had said was
untrue.
After much talk and multitude of
vile oaths, one fellow said: We might
as well make short work Of this mat
ter, and began to apply to me per-
sonal epithets, saying, if you have
pistol you can use it. | told them |
was not armed. You make out you
are brave man, resent these insults
if you dare!
Col. Dargan said: Il cannot go into
| the details, for the crowd became SO
boisterous, and ladies being in hear
ing, they were ordered out of the Of
| flee.
They would not leave. 50 l went
out and they followed me down on the
street.
'.As soon as l got on the street |
commenced to speak: thereupon they
rushed around me, saying, He is try
ing to make that ID speech now.
Threats of vilest character were ut
tered. and the crowd grew SO bolster
Gus could not hear my own voice.
Il stopped trying to speak, and beg
ged the crowd to give me room to
breathe. Pushing through them [
walked down the street towards the
hotel, followed by a mob of two hun
dred, bowling, yelling and cursing.
AS | turned the corner, they said,
Hes running, catch him, let's ride him
on rail, let's tar and feather him.
Seeing them pursuing me, stopped,
and they swarmed around me like a
band Of Comanche Indians.
Won't you resent any of these in
a. 7 fNha,,