Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-12
AS TOLD BY TOLBERT.
South Caroiinian Goes to Wash.
ington About That South
Carolina Business.
STORY OF THE PHOENIX TROUBLES

/ Negroes Declared Not to Have Fired First.
If at All, and Etheridge Killed by His
Own Men-OriGin of the Turbulence
| North Carolina End of the Excitement
Continues To BE eInteresting-O Obnoxious
| People Ordered and Sent Out of Viii
mingtOn.
| Washington, Nov. 12.-R. r. ToIbert,
| whose father and brother were shot in
| the recent race war at Phoenix, 5. C,
was at the department of justice yes
| serday TO secure an investigation OF the
riot by the federal authorities. He was
| accompanied by some of the Repubi-
| can politicians of the state. The elder
Toibert is now in the state penitentiary
for safety from popular violence. Toll
bert says that the facts of the riotins
have not been given. The facts are, he
said, as follows: L was nominated for
congress by the Republicans of my dis
trict. Fer the purpose of making a con-
test before the house my brother. T. P.
Tolbert, agreed to be present at the
polling place at Phoenix for the purpose
of witnessing the affidavits of colored
men who were rejected as voters be-
cause of their inability to comply with
the requirements of the constitution.
My brother took no part in the manage
ment of the polling place, which was in
the hands of the Democrats. He simply
sat on the piazza of Mr.. Lakes house
and witnessed the affidavits given him,
depositing these afIidavits in a box pre-
pared for the purpose.
How Etheridgc Was Killed
Mr.. Etheridge. the white man who
was killed, was an election manager at
4 precinct two miles away. He left his
own precinct. and with d party of men
went to Phoenix. He walked up with
his party to where my brother was sit
ting at a table and deliberately kicked
over the table and box in which We're
put the certificates. Then he assaulted
my brother. In a short while the Demo-
cratic voters who were in the same
house rushed out and commenced shoot
ing into the crowd. The negroes fled.
My brother. who is probably dead by
now, told me that Etheridge was killed
by shots from mis- own friends. My
brother did not have a weapon on his
person"
Shooting of the Elder ToIbert.
Tolbert said he was at Abbeville,
twenty-five miles away from the shoot
ing. His father. j. K. Tolbert, was at
Verdry. another precinct When the
elder Tolbert learned of the riot he
companied by a little 10-year-old
nephew. Before he reached the scene
he was met by a mob which riddled the
buggy with bullets and wounded him
and the little boy a number of times.
1t is said that the boy was killed by
the shots. T. p. Tolbert. who was first
shot by the mob. was aided to his home
some distance from the scene and was
pursued by the mob. While lying in bed
fv,o
to make him give the name of the per-
son who had killed Etheridge. He said
he could rot because Etheridge had
been killed by the Democrats them
selves.
Says the Negroes Did Not Fire.
On finding his father so badly wound
ed r. Z. Tolbert procured doctor, who
attended to the wounds of the senior
Tolbert. After placing his family in 4
safe place Tolhert came on to this city
Tolbert states that his brother said that
so far as he could see no shots were
fired by the negroes at Phoenix. They
fed as soon as the shooting commenced,
leaving T. I. TolbeTt as the target for
the mob 10 shoot at.
Will Protect Collector ToIbert.
Washington. Nov. u. - The depart
ment Of justice has taken steps to OBJ
tain official information bearing upon
the trouble in South Carolina. Steps
have. however. been taken to afford
ample protection to the elder Tolbert
who is collector of customs at the port
Of Charleston. 1t is said that as a gov
ernment officer in the exercise of his
individual rights and in the perform
ance of his official duties the federal
government will not permit him to be
interfered with.
ToLBERTS CANNOT GO BACK.