Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-11-11
RIOTS AND BL0oDsHED.
A Long List Of Assaults, Murders and lynch
iogs In South Carolina.


the Post from Greenwood. S. c.. says:
Five negroes lay dead at Rehoboth all
day along the roadside. another was
killed, today. and likely four others are
dead and lost in the woods. One white
man was killed, three others are at the
point of death and more have been
wounded -Four heads of families have
left the country hunting other victims.
All of this is the outcome of an election
row. Following is a list of the dead
and wounded:
Killed.. l. Eitherridge, white, killed
at polls; Thomas Tolbert. white, NOR
tally wounded at the same time: Wade
Hampton Mckinney, LESSEE Williams.
Drayton Watts, Lem Jackson. all col
ored, killed yesterday. Essex Harri-
son and Ben Collins. colored. killed,
today.
Wounded-Sydney Tolbert, Is years
old, dangerously; John r. Tolbert.
white, collector of the port at Charles
ton and chairman of the Republican
committee. Stuart Miller, white, NOR
tally wounded in head. Crowell Flem-
ing. white, shot in shoulder. II. j.
Younger, shot in foot. Cleave Arm
strong, who tried to protect the ne
groes, shot in the neck.
In addition to these, two. and likely
four negroes are reported to be dead in
the woods near where the five bodies
lay, today. The trouble was precipi-
tated on election day when 200 or 500
negroes opened a fuslade against the
store in which the voting was going on
In this fight, Eitheridge was killed and
Tolberth wounSed.
The second occasion for provocation
was that party hunting the slayers
of Eitheridge was fired into and one
Miller, fatally wounded an another.
Fleming, badly hurt. The arming of
the negroes at the polls. the killing of
Eitheridge. the firing from ambush. all
conspired to kindle flame of passion
and when that will die down it is diff
cult to tell. Jessie Williams and two
others are said to have confessed To
taking part in the ambush.
The incident of the day was the kill
ing of Essex Harrison. Down the road
came a squadron Of mounted cavalry
men with Harrison marching ahead
with guns and rifles drawn on him
Fifteen men lined up on the road side.
The negro was put out in the road and
told to go toward the pile of four dead
negroes. He started. there was a ring
of rifles and Harrison pitched forward
dead. Harrison it is alleged was II
member of the crowd that killed
Eitheridge.
Parties We're out searching all day for
the negroes who we're the ringleaderS in
the rioting. The whites are greatly in
censed against all the Tolberts and hold
them responsible for The trouble. A party
went to kill Tom Tolbert. but some one
prevailed on the hotheads not to kill a
wounded and dying man. John r. Toll
bert and Joe Tolbert left the county and
gone to Greenville. Ezra Tolbert IS
quartered with friends. His son was shot
and tLhis, with the plea that he is non
partisan and has Il wife and nine chin
dren alone has saved him from death
A committee waited on ]. W. Tolbert, as
sistant postmaster at McCormick's. and
ordered him to get out of that town. He
left.
Fully 300 men secured the country. to-
day.. around Phoenix, where the first
trouble occurred. hoping to find the bands
of negroes said to be congregated in the
neighborhood. The Tolberts are of good
family, made fine Southern soldiers and
The atmosphere seemed to have cleared
up considerably. this afternoon. and no
further trouble is expected
Eight negroes have been 1ynched within
two weeks time in neighborng counties.
Ben Collins, colored. was killed to-
night, near Phoenix. He is said to have
nred one pistol shot into the polling
place and reached for another weapon
News has. just been received that the
mob lynched another negro near Phoenix.
this afternoon. His name was Jeff OAR
ling and he was implicated in the cleo
uon riot and killing of Eitheridge.