The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-09-11


ranks SO that Butler could pass and
in a little while dismissed his COM
pany and went to Gen. Prince RiV-
ers and swore out warrant hcarg-
ing young Butler with interfering
with his company at drill. Butler
went on home and told his father
what had happened, and Mr.. Robert
Butler, whose plantation lay above
Hamburg and who had great deal
of trouble with negro thieves and
was in every way very pugnacious
man, hurried to the trial justice
and swore out warrant for Adams
for obstructing the highway.
The trial was set for the succeed
ing Saturday, July g The incident
was noised about all over the coun-
ties of Edgefeld and Aiken in very
little while. 1t had been the set
tied purpose of the leading white
men of Edgefield to seize the first
opportunity that the negroes might
offer them to provoke a riot and
tach the negroes lesson, as it was
generally believed that nothing but
bloodshed and a good deal of it could
so we'll answer the purpose of re-
deeming the State from negro and
carpet bag rule. Mr.. Robert Butler
sent to Edgefeld for Gen. M. c.
Butler to defend his son and prose-
cute Adams at the trial. Col. A.
P. Butler. the captain Of the Sweet
water Sabre Club, summoned our
company to meet at Summer Hill,
three miles from Hamburg at II
o'clock. It was our purpose to at
tend the trial to see that young
Butler had protection and, If any
opportunity offered, to set the ball
rolling, and if one did not offer.
we were to make one. We did not
&c in uniform and were expressly
ordered to leave our rifles and car
bines so that when assembled we
were only armed with pistols. Va
rious schemes were presented and
discussed but nothing definite was
arranged except that we would go
to Hamburg in body at o'clock.
the time for. the trial and see what
would turn up. The fact, however,
that we had assembled was made
known to Prince Rivers and when
the company reached Hamburg We
we're informed that the trial had
been postponed and it appeared
for a while that all Of our trouble
and pains as we'll as the schemes
we had formulated would come to
naught. Dock Adams had assembled
his company in the armory of the
Sibley building, two-story brick
structure on the corner of Main and
River streets. General Rivers had
disappeared from town.
There was much talking and plan
ming among the leaders, the two But
lers and others of the leading citi-
zens. At about o'clock it was de-
cided that the demand should be
made of Dock Adamms to surrender
his guns, and notice to that effect
was sent him by Gen. M. c. Butler
with the further information that
he had shown that the guns were
menace to peace and good order
and that the whites having lost al!
patience were resolved to put an
end to his outrageous and insolent
conduct. When the demand was
made he promptly and peremptorial-
~ refused. He was then told that
we would take them. When the
sun was about half an hoIr high
the little band of white men, mum
herring about seventy in all, of whom
forty-five belonged to the Sweet
water Sabre Club. rode down Main
street towards the armory and
wheeling into cross street we ap-
preached the river ard hated in
the street which was Occupied by
the trestle Of the C. C. and a rail
road, now the Southern railway.
The Sibley building was on the
southwest corner Of the square. We
dismonnted in regular cavalry fash
ion and linked brides. All of the
disengaged men lined up. Then the
order came, "All men having car
bines or rifles step five PAGES to the
fronD.' Only hve responded. 1t
was now shown how great mistake
had been made in ordering the rifles
left at home. The purpose of that
order is easy to understand. We
did not wish it to appear that we
had come to Hamburg with malice
aforethought. but merely as specta-
tors at the Butler trial. Events had
shaped themselves so that the pur-
pose of compelling the surrender Of
the arms by the negroes once formed
there was no time to make new pre-
parations. Aixty white men (the
others were detailed to take care Of
the horses) were about to attack
100 negroes who were armed with
the most approved army rifles, had
plenty of ammunition. and were for
tilted so to speak in brick fort,
while the whites had shot guns and
pistols. But the difference in the
l