The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-06-03

NEGROES EACl1'ED.
The Fear Of Realization Of alleged
Prophecy Tevifes Them.
ONE ERIGETENED 70 DEATH.
Many Servants and i.oboress Haa
Away and Are Still in the
Moods WatC hing for
.RGRNEs EXCITED.
ONE ERIeETENED 70 DEATH.
Fires.

The negroes n li2tieStou axe 80 9
terribly excited condition over t"e
prophecy Of a crazy negro woman 1ha'
The city would be DESTROYED by d Sse' !
tire and that every one ilvlnS u II
would be burned up. The woman Sa:o
the CITY would be DESTROYED TUESDAY
night OF last week. bat the passing OF
the set time without the catastrophe
6i6 not help matters as the negroes
are still excited. The Charleston Post
saws negroes spent last night again in
the streets, parks and along the water
front, fearing that the Senseiess
prophecy of the woman may yet he
realized. Many OF the negroes who
crossed the river by the Ashley bridge,
and in small boats. when they saw
the reflection Of the fire IN the
suburbs. have not returned to the city.
Many households were again THURSDAY
morning without cooks and other ser
wants. \ large number OF iabotelS
also skipped out OF the city, and they,
have not yet returned, TO their posi-
tiops. The reassuring words OF tne
employers have had some effect upon
the frightened negroes, but this was
not sufficient to keep many from re-
naming up half the night, 1or lear
that the expected catastrophe misut
catch them in their beds or rooms,
which seemed thing to be aVolceo.
1t is remarkable that such conol-
tion Of affairs should prevail Tor SO
long a time among the negroes, but II
is all owing to the general ignorance
of the the people. Some OF the
negroes have taken even their children
from school, fearing that accident
might befall them there. There is no
estimating the loss OF life and the ex-
tent Of the exodus which would have
ensued on Tuesday night, if an alarm
Of fire had been turned in While the
negroes were SO terror-stricken- a
panic would have taken place, which
would certainly have had very serious
consequences, considerably reducing
the colored population OF Charleston.
The coroners and police would have
beeh busy and the city hospita! would
have been taxed to its utmost ca
pacity. There would nave been
enough crazy negroes to I'LL the entire
asylum at Columbia As it has hap
pened. the situation was bad enough,
but it would have been worse, II the
fire bells had rung, for it would have
carried the conviction Of the destruc-
tion of Charleston deeper into the
hearts and minds OF the negroes.
Adele Gathers, co!ored, aged -
wears. died suddenly Wednesday after
noon on premises No. - Churcs:
street. Coroner O'Donnel] was noti'
tieI and upon Investigation it was
tound that She died from heart
disease. .t'he friends OF the dead wo
nan declare that her death was caus
ed from fright. When the red glare
was noticed ia the northern heavens
Tuesday night, caused by the burning
OF negro cuurctl and four cabins
three miles outside the city limits
the wonen was terrified and she re-
NAMED awake ail Tuesday night.
singing and praying. The terrible
nervous strain uuGer which she labor,
ed all that night and Wednesday was
more than she cou!d staud. Wednes'
day she was seized with a sudden
nervous attack and she died before
medical aid could reach her. Inc
Gathers woman was thrown into
terrible state Of excitement over the
alleged prophecy that the city woulc
be destroyed by fire on May 26. she
believed that the prophecy would bs
fulfilled and on Tuesday she watched
for the fire and prayed for deliverance
When night came on and the whole
heavens in the northern part OF tes
city were lit up by the tire outside Of
the city limits, the old woman became
wild. The excitement was more thar
her nervous system could stand, re
sulting in her death.