The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-03-08
THE LAKE CITY HORROR.
he Views and Opinions of Post
Nmce Inspector sent to Investigate
the Outrage.

the Outrage.
'pccal to The r. gister.
KINGSTREE, S. c., March 1.-Tbe
HOrc one learns about the Lake City
ssassinhtiOn the mere horrible it be
umeS. That there was no real excuse
or the killing OF the postmaster row is
assured lact, and there is no doubt
nat the real murucrers will suffer for
heir crime. The postOtiice was burned
II the same time that the postmaster
ras Kill d, and this will bring the mat
er to the United States government.
md there gre now detectives represent
og the United States in and around
Lake City. 1T is only q estion of
me when one or more Of the members
) the mob Will be found out and ar
ested, and then the matter Of catching
he others will be CON paratively an
asy matter.
The following interview will show
nat there was no real reason why
Baker should not have been postmaster
I Lake City, except that he was black
u misfortune not suffered by any
tult Of his. Postoflice inspectors Move
nc 3ulla have been in Lake City for
ONE time Investigating the matter.
VI. Moye WAS interviewed by your
correspondent last night in regard to
he matter. He talked freely and, in
ubstancc. told me the following
"Th" claim that Baker was incom-
petent is unfOundcd. A man who
holds a irst-class certificate as u teacher
rom the State of Soutn Carolina can
OF be incompetent. Such certificate
'aker held. HI had taught school in
several graded schools in the State,
md so the claim that he was incom.
petont is exploded. He may have
acked business qualifications, but he
vas not incompetent | have letters
from him and they are written as well
rs those from any business man the
capitaizatiGn, the punctuation and the
grammatical construction Of them is as
good as any business man could do.
The question Of color cid not come up
1t Washington when Baker was ap.
pointed. He was endorsed by good
citizens OF the community. He was en-.
t"r.,cd by Deas and Webster. Deas
worked through Webster and did not
III w. bster that the negro was not q
resident OF Lake City. There was no
protest lied at the department in Wash
'ngton against his appoiutn eat. 1t was
not known there that Baker was ne
no nor that he WAS not u resident OF
Lake City. He had been postmaster
at Eningham for term under Har-
rlsOn, and SO the department was not
1t fault in appointing him. Those who
recomm nded him alone are rcsponsi-
'lr. The department had the protests
from the people of Lake City and from
o.e ouuth Carolina delegation in Con-
gress under advisement when the out
'aSe occurred. A summary dismissal
npon receipt OF protests could not be
made. Baker must have IN opportun-
~ to defend himself against his an
tagOnists. The department could nol
oack down under fire. Had the mob
delayed its action, there might not
nave been any need of such proce, d
ings to rid themselves Of an obnoXio lou,
rOStmaster, for had the charges FLED
against Baker been sustained he would
have been removed
People OF the South MAXI mistak cs
In endorsing negroes for official posi-
tiOns and then trying to have them re-
moved after they have been appointed
Take the case or Judson Lyons, in the
August ta (Ga.) postoilice squabble. The
prominent white Democrats endorsed
Lyons for a certain Federal position
mat they thought he was trying to se-
cure, and when he turned and used
those same recommendations in his at
Lrmpt to secure the Augusta postmas-
tership, he had the drop on them.
Thep had uEqualifiedly endorsed him.
and when he tried 10 get the postC flee
up3n those Recommendations, they
raised howl ard said that he was in
competent and unfit for the OIL sc. The
same thing has occurred in other places
In the South with the same result. No,
sir {; do not blaine the department for
the, appointments that are not satisfac-
tory to the people, but blame the peo-
NJ" th"mselvt S for recommending the
applicants.
" BAKER had been recommended by
res ponsible, prominent citjzens, and he
was competent to discharge the duties
pertaining to the Office of the village
Of Lake City. Don't understand me
TO mean that | am u negro's man >
not by any means, but they are cit-
zens OF this Union and are entitled to
the same privileges that the whites
are.
"Other towns have putup with ne.
gro postmaster, and Lake City could
have done the same thing. regret
exceedingly that the white men OF this
community should have committed so
heinous crime, especially as there was
no need OF it whatever"
Inspector Moye has been detailed to
investigate rs many, or more, cases
In which negroes were implicated than
any man in the service, and he says
thatthe negroes, as q race, have holy
terror OF interfering with the mails,
They fear the United States govern.
ment. White men, said he, commit
several times the number Of crimes in
interfering with the mails that the ne.
groes do.
The outrage at Lake City has been
the chief topic of conversation in VIII
liamsburg County ever since its occur
renee 1t is condemned by all, con.
doned by none.
For some time Kngstree has been
threatened with the appointment OF a
negro postmaster, and it is not known
what effect the Lake City matter will
have upon the appointment. There Is
an applicant for the position in the
person OF one OF the most prominent
white citizens in the county, and one
who is Republican but the appoint
ment has been hanging fire" for some
months. The citizens Of the town
would be pleased to have the white
gentleman appointed II there is any
change at all to be made, but should
the negro receive the appointment we
feel sure that there would be no un-
Lawful! outbreak among our citizens.
D N@
Tho Winston Journal says che
story is told OF two Mormon elders as