The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-06-25
THAT OPEN LETTER.
Continued from page ~

to satisfy myself, / would like to
look further into this matter. Then
if they are found to be correct, | will
sign it,"
One of Dewey's shells could not
have exploded any sooner than it
took Mr. Kelley to fly in q rage of
madness and rise from his chair,
make for the door (mistaking me
for Il coward) slam it shut, turn
the bolt, draw the key, put it
in his pocket and say, as he rapidly
moved into the adjoining room, "I1l
see that you'll sign it and that right
now"
| sat like a statue in my same po-
s%ition, arms testing on the table,
chair against the table, knees under
the table, a position, in order to rise,
required u backward movement of at
least twelve inches. MIR Kelley re-
manned in that room not more than
fifteen seconds, when he emerged
with a hickory stick in his hand as
he advanced using these words: 81
suppose you are armed?" l replied;
al am not armed" Mr. Kelley
walked Immediately behind me,
using words that indicated any
thing else but a ~"peaceable and
amicable settlement of that affair"
This caused me to turn my head and
look up. l saw the stick raised its
full height in the air, and saw. too
that my head was the object aimed
at to receive that blow. Mr. ST.
Armand, (who is y man) caught its
force while | at the same time raised
my arm to ward it off. At least four
or five succeeding blows were made
before l could relieve myself of this
sitting position, but not a blow
landed OH the object aimed at.
When l rose from my chair and awk-
ward position in which | was placed,
Mr. Kelley grappled, and | was
pushed against the table. and having
lost my balance fell over Mr. Kel'
ley's chair and landed with my left
side on the floor below. As |
reached the floor MIR Kelley was
astride of me his knee landing on
my right stomach, from which l am
suffering to day. He sat on my
right hip, my left arm being pin
Toned under my left side; he grasped
my left wrist with his left hand and
drove the blows into my face with
his right with all his rapidity OF
motion and power that he could conf
mand. On account of my helpless
condition, all of those blows were
effective except such as / warded off
with my right. Could l have en-,
ded those blows right there? Yes; if
he was not too far gone from the
sphere of reason to have needed
"the grand hailing sign Of Distress
Did l give it? Never! Tho it was
the only surviving friend l had in
that group. Mr. Kelley, in the out
set of the affair, seeing an effort OH
the part of Mr. StAmand to interfere,
said: II command you to let ME
alone" 1t was more than Mr st,
Amund's nature could stand to
stand by and see my head broken
with a hickory stick and that with
out a cause. He caught one or two
more blows when MI Kelley again
said: Il command You, sir, to LET
me alone!" Mr. StAmand obeyed.
MI Leroy Lee, who was not an EN-
ployee, could have stopped the whole
affair, but he offered no assistance.
After my face was beaten into a
pulp, MIR Kelley paused seeming to
relent. Mr. Lee said: THAT will do
now, Captain. Let him up, may be
he will sign it now"
These facts tell Of that "friendly
meeting"
When that famous certificate was
again presented for my signature,