Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-09-07
Friday, September {, 1906.

follows: private notice: Let every
colored man who gets this notice and
who Is interested in his rights meet at
Rev. T. ]. Williams house on Sept. 6tn
at s p. m. Not long ago a letter was
published praislng the white people
and abusing our people. They are
the same white. people who not longer
than two years ago called some Of our
best men Before them and also drove
some Of our best boys from home. we
have some of the meanest white people
In the state who inspired that letter.
I'VE desire to collect money to defend
the boys who had the manhood to re-
sent the insult Come out. Commit
tee, A. w. Powell, Walter Williams, >.
B. Gardner. Geo. Mclean, Jr, Q. w.
Cantey, Isaacc English, Z. II. Dibbie,
Evans Collins, Jack McKain. BY or
der of Rev. TT. Williams, Rev. Jen
w. Boykin, Rev. J. B, Taylor" Mayor
Corrison got together several OF the
negroes whose names were signed as
above and asked them for an explana-
tion. All protested that they had no
previous knowledge of the circular and
said that IL must have been the work
of an enemy. They indicated their sus-
picion of a negro named Charles Levy,
who until recently has been editing
negro paper in Baltimore. He returned
10 OdIIlucn SOiIlc tlluc -dBO auu SSCl44D
not to have been hailed as leader
by, the men OF his race at home. A few
months ago heypublished on article. In
the State In which he scored the men
of his race In, Camden, ending up with
an appeal for whipping posts, and since
that time there has been bad feeling
between himself and other colored men
1f the town. Rev. T. j. Williams re-
piled to him In the State and the men
whose names appear on the circular
think that its appearance Is scheme
II Levy's to antagonize the white peo-
ple against them. While there Is no
excitement here now over the occur
renee worth speaking OF, the citizens
feel that Thorough Investigation OF
| the. affair should be instituted. Sentt-
ment Is divided among the white peo-
pie as to the real authorship OF the cir
cular. Some think that the circular Is
genuine and that the men whose names
appear thereon are responsible for IT.
5ut most of the best citizens OF the
town are giving the men the benefit OF
the doubt. They do not believes that
,olored men of their intelligence and
business prominence would be In SYM
1athy with such movement and that
they were they would hardly jeop-
lrdize their standing in the community
| In which they earn their daily bread
by allowing their names to appear on
on incendiary paper
= Pickens, September 8: Saturday
evening while the county officers, sew
eral citizens of the town and county,
Including Congressman Legare and
Solicitor Boggs, were sitting In front
II the court house enjoying the noun
tain breeze talking about the weather
md election, Laurel Fork box came In.
It had rained nearly all day, and the
executive committee had just adjourn
ed after declaring the result Of the
election. All the boxes were In except
Laurel Fork or Horse Pasture, as II Is
sometimes called. Laurel Fork Is sit
uated in the northwest corner OF the
county, the most mountainous part or
| the state. IT Is almost completely
shut off from the outside world. Four
years ago an election precinct was es-
| tablished there. 1t Is about thirty
miles from the court house. The high
est vote that ever they polled was
twenty four. This time only twelve
votes were polled a good many OF them
having moved out Inquiries were
made about the box at Laurel Fork.
Some said they did not believe they
| held an election; others said that they
did, so the election was declared with
/ 1ut the vote Of Laurel Fork. The vote
between william Ellis and Noah Moore
| for county commissioner was only two
votes In favor of William Ellis. About
two hours after the executive commit
tee had adjourned, man was seen
looming In the direction Of the court
house, with an -old-time school satchel
on his back II was seen at once that
:. was full Of something. Some. one In
] .SS crowd called out, "Yonder comes
1 the bcx from Laurel Fork" The man
came up to the crowd and made him.
self known. He was John Holcombe
from Laurel Fork. He was wet all
over He had been In the rain all day.
He said he had walked fully thirty
miles, requiring all day to get to the
court house. He took his satchei on
his hack which was as wet as water
could make IL, and opened It,. and said:
/ Gentlemen, here Is the box from
Laurel Fork" Some one said 1T was
too late" He presented the box to
Hon. j. p. Carey, which was opened In
the presence Of the county chairman.
lit contained all the votes and election
returns nicely fixed up. He at once
gained the sympathy OF the crowd. Mr..
Cary received the vote, and at once
presented the man with q dollar ard
sent cigars for each one OF the voters.
He also sent word back by the man
that each one would be presented with
a nice hat when they came to town.
ITillman received eight, four scratched
him; Ansel eleven; Sloan one; Lyon
eleven; Youmans one; Jones one;
Walker eleven, McCown and Sullivan
received the total vote.