The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-02-27
JAMES W. TOLBERT SHOT.
Result of an Aggressive Career-The
Peoples Patience Exhausted.

For more than thirty years Abbevllle cOuu'
ty has been agItated and irritated by the
ceaseIess efforts OF white men who sought po
! litical DONORS and emoluments at the nhhds
! of the Republican administration aI WASH
ingtou, because Of their Influence Win lhe he'
groes.
For years these white meu were so success'
ful that they endured the unpleasant conse,
queuces that SO often followed these poiillcai
contests. Incidents connected win lhal un
pIeasantneSs may have had weight In their
iavor at Washington and against the whlte
people. Al each recurring e'ectlon the same
old scuffle was gone over, ana the same tri'
umphS were recorded by the leaders ol Inc ne
groes.
and excused the aggression AS beSt tney couIu'
out when younger and more aggressive or
more ipdiscreet agitators appeared on the
scene they excited the hostility or 4 younger
and less foI beariog set OF pollllclans. i.
seems that n crisis heS at last come, anu tnai
violence will result lo any man VINO, ln iu'
ture altem pts To lead the negroes against Inc
" whites aud who may. because or such resuits,
SEEK Federal patronage.
The question M 10 the character OF MT.
James w. T"'bert need not enter into con-
siderAtion. Neither Is the character OF lnose
who are determined TO be rid OF MIN anu nls
methods 10 be regarded. Tne fact Il, that MT.
Toibert has made himse If exceed ingly odions
TO his neighbors. Another fact il. that they
seem TO have determined that his methocR
must cease. and that they will have no more
of his presence among them. Their patience
move him, peacesoly, If they can, forcibiy, II
they must.
Whatever he may have had TO do With the
Phoenix rioi-if anything at ALIVE are not
able to SPEAK with a knowledge OF The facts-
yet some may believe that he was partly
responsible for the homicide on election day.
which precpitated the attempted assasslna
tion of white men by negroes, and which re-
suIled in the lynching of several negroes.
People of an incensed neighborhood ordered
him TO leave, and prudence dictated tnat he
regard their feelings and seek anoCher COIN
munity. Afterward he brought suit 10 Inc
United States Court against people OF McCor'
mick. The suit failed of It's purpose. Mr.
Tolbert was again notified that he coula not
live In Mccormick. AS we understand, Mr.
Tolbert disregarded the warnings which he
mad received, and returned to his home about
two weeks ago. Last Friday, while he was nj
work on one of his houses, a number OF men
rode up TO him. After the exchange "f 10"
words fusllade commenced, and the combat
ants began to put distance between each DIN
err One of the attacking party was slightly
wounded. Mr.. Tolbert received b slight nesh
wound in an arm, ana serious wound IN lne
back-the ball lodging In one OF his lungs
Ais brother, Mr.. r Il. Toloert, OF Greenwood,
went to Mccormick The next day ana ornngn'
him to the home Of bis brother.ln-law, Mr.. w.
H. Napier, In Greenwood.
These, we believe, are as near the lacts AS we
have been able TO learn. The INCIDENTS Whlch
occurred at tie shooting are largely Inmate
rial. The citizens of Mccormick meaut 10 gei
and 1t would seem that If be recovers from
his wound, he would find the air of another
locality more safe for him. Without appor'
tioning blame, and without censuring or ex.
cusing any body, we have little doubt that th.
white people Of this county will In future ex
ercise very little patience with any man who
stirs up race strife, or who attempts TO gain
pnbic Office by any effort TO lead the negro.
Whether such men are right or wrong, thu
white people OF this county are exasperated.
and We believe that they will have no more
of IT.
Speaking for this newspaper, we are very
sorry that Mr.. Tolbert so grievously Offended
bis neighbors. Even after he had excited
their ili:win we are quite sure IL he had tried
to bring about bitter understanding h.
could have done SO. But he was more denant
than conciliatory, hence this trouble. The
people would have been more than willing 10
accept any evidence Of disposition on the
part of Mr.. Tolbert to cease his Irritating
course.
Lawless acts as these are to be deprecated.
They bripg reproach upon the country, and II
Is hoped that there may be no other occasion
for violence or bloodshed.