The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-09-15

ed as there was little or no signs
OF where the bullets went. The
marks OF the bullets on the sand
stone window silis are Still! 20 be seen
though filed up level with cement
The noise Of the battle. II 1t may
be termed one. was OF course heard
in Augusta and soon considerable
body OF men gathered on the Geo7-
Sia bank. but as some stray bullets
from the negroes rifles at the win
dows gave them notice that they
were in danger. they very soon re-
tired out of sight However. 1t was
no; long after dark before men be-
longing 10 the military organizations
in Augusta and others began to pour
across the bridge with arms to take |
part in the fray The square on
which the Sibley building stood had
two or three other stories on the
Main street side. The Old bank |
building was on she southeastern !
corner and there were secera! srral'
| wooden Shaaties on other parts or
The square. AS soon as daVEness
fell the whites began to search al!
0: these buildings and very shortly
| negro c,an was discovered in aid
| ing. He was dragged out while
squalliag at the top OF his voice
through fright He was shot by
some one who in the excitement
and anger forgot himself and
though not seriously wounded his
screams and cries cesopnded so as
to be heard for half mile around.
Just about this time We were all
shocked and enrased by the ne"s
from the bridge aoutment that Nc
kie Mesiwether. the brave young
man whose exchange OF arms w::a
his ta,her. I have mentioned. had
been killed. There has Always been
some mystery about his death Il"
along with the other four rineE-
had been firing at the windows when
his brain was pierced By bail which
entered at the top Of his head. It
was never known whether hs was
shot from above by some one who
crossed the bridge OF was strnck oy
ball from the arnory which hit
some piece Of iron Of iron and glanc-
ed downward II the white men
were determined when they began
that bloody business. this sad and
; unexpected death added tea-fold fury
. to their feelings The men who
. were holding the horses had hitched
then, ali by this time IN vacant
| lot and without orders from anyone
and apparently without plan they
: Joined In AS soon as Il was en-
, tirely dark the negroes In the arno7y
took advantage OF the opportunity
TO make their escape down the steps
!. OF which ! have spoken and to fee
!. up the river. Some Of theme were
too nuch frightened to make this
attempt and sought conceasment IN
, | the cellar and other hiding places in
. the stores. Some Of them ripped
up the floors and hid Under them.
2 The whites from Augusta brought
q over at Gen. Buffers request a
: small piece OF artillery which was
. loaded with pieces OF from (no regu-
, lar balls were avai!able) and fred
a of in the front OF the S!bley build
8 ing. After two discharges there was
I 40 further firing from the negroes
Q a. all who could had fed and the
Q town was deserted. The square
o which was entirely surrounded By
this time was searched thoroughly.
, Every nook and corner Of every
building vas examined by the whites
2 who broke in the doors with axes.
, Prisoners to the number OF some
thirty or forty men we're captured
a and as soon as taken were placed
2 under guard on River street some
, IS yards above the wagon bridge.
|, About $50 O'Clock after period
! Of intense darkness the moon rose
ana began to cast It's !urfd light over
the strange and u0accustoned scene.
! The number OF whites had inc-eas-
a ed immensely by this time and the
: searching parties worked northward
from the Sib!ey building. which had
, been the first one taken and thor
, ough!y searched. Two negroes who
had reasons to know that thei. lives
would not be spared II captured.
tried to make .heir escape by jump
ing over the fence On the north side
Of the square and running down the
street towards the tTestle. The f-st
TO do ts,:s was Jim Cook. the town
!. marshall. who had in the years of
negro rule. cluhbed a great number
, OF white men and IN every way II.
;, Illustrated his brut2! and Gendish hate
OF ,ae whites as well as The delieh:
he took II degrading them. AS he
sp.ang over the fence the squad
ito which belonged was the frst
to FIRE. We all fred once at him.
He ran down the center Of the street
towards the railroad t.estie towards
the moon so that it was easy to see
the whole performance White men
were standing or sitting on both
sides OF the street and as he ran
between these they Aired >. him. the
wonder being that as tfe street was
narrow the bullets iid not wound
or kill the white men opposite. It
seemed as though Cook was bound
to escape as he had nearly reached
the t5est!e and none Of the pistol
bullets appeared to have taken ef-
feet. Fear lent speed to his fight
and the crack OF the pistols. some
forty Or fifty OF which must have
been fred at him. sounded like so
many pop-guas. Suddenly the loud
reprot Of shotgun rang out and
Cook tumbled in heap almost turn
ing somecsault. Pierce Butler and
H. hearing that Il was Cook that had