The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-09-29

for Adams obstructing the highway.
The trial was set for the succeeding Saturday, July s.
The incident was noised about all over the counties OF
Edgeheld and Aiken in a very little while. 1t had been
the settled purpose of the leading white men OF EdSctleId
to seize the first opportunity that the negroes might otlcr
them to provoke a riot and teach the negroes a lesson as
it was generally believed that nothing but bloodshcd and
"a good deal of it could so we'll answer the purpose OF re-
deeming the state from negro and carpet bag rule. MIR.
Robert Butler sent to Edgefeld for Gen. NJ. c. Butler
to defend his son and prosecute Adams at the trial. Co..
A. P. Butler, the captain of the SWectwatcr Sabre CluD'
summoned our company to meet at Summer Hill, three
miles from Hamburg at twelve o'clock. 1t was cur Pur-
pose to attend the trial to see that young Butler had pro-
lection and, if any opportunity offered, to set the ball
rolling, and if one did not offer, we were to make one.
We did not go in uniform and were expressly ordered to
leave our rifles and carbincs so that when assembled we
were only armed with pistols. Varions schemes were pre-
sented and discussed but nothing definite was arranged
except that we woul go to Hamburg in a body at 4 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 Ham,
burg we were 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 COM
pany in the armory Of the Sibley building, a two story
brick structure on the corner of Main and Rivers streets.
General Rivers had disappeared from town.
There was much talking and planning among the
Headers, the two Buffers and others of the leading citizens.
At about $ o'clock it was decided that the demand should
be made of Dock Adams 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 the guns were
a menace to peace and good order and that the whites
having lost all patience were resolved to put an end to his
outrageous and insolent conduct. When the demand was
made he promptly and peremptorially refused. He was
then told that we would take them. When the sun was
about half an hour high the little band of white men,
numbering about seventy in all, OF whom ~torty-hve be-
longed to the Sweetwater Sabre Club, rode down Main
street towards the armory and wheeling into a cross street
we approached the river and halted in the street which
was occupied by the trestle Of the c. c. and A. railroad,
now the Southern railway. The Sibley building was on
the southwest corner of the square. We dlsmounted IN
the regular cavalry fashion and linked brides. All of the
d~isengaged men lined up. Then the order came, "All
men having carbines or rifles step five PAGES to the 'front.'.
Only five responded. 1t was now shown how great a mis-
take 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 spectators at the Butt
Ter trial. Events had shaped themselves so that the Pur-
pose Of compelling the surrender Of the arms by the ne
erocs once formed there was no time to make new prepa-
rations. Sixty white men (the others were detailed to
take care of the horses were about to attac; 100 negroes
who we're armed with the most approved army rifles, had
plenty Of ammunition, and were fortified SO to speak in a
brick fort, while the whites had shot guns and pistols
But the difference in the blood and the color OF the skin
far more than made up the odds in the armament. The
five men to whom the duty was assigned of opening the
attack we're Henry Getsen, Danlap Phlnney, Mckle Merl-
wether, Thomas Settles and Demetrius Mylos.
will always remember with sadness an incident which
took place lust at this time. Young MCKEE Merlwether
BELONGED to the sabre club, but his father did not. The
older man, Joseph Meriwether, it will be remembered was
the manager at Shaw's Mill two years before: who had
manipulated that box and changed the negro majority into
a white majority. He had heard of the trial and had
brought his Winchester rifle with him. When the elder
Meriwether Joined the squad which was to take position
behind the abutmcnt of the railroad bridge dlagonally III
front of the Sibley building and some sevcnty-hve yards
awav his son, a very handsome young man about p years
Of ape, came running towards him and u%nbuckllng the pls-
FOL belt as he run he handed the two pistols to his father
and said, Here, papa, take these and let me have the
rifle ~ The exchange was made and the elder man took
his place in the ranks while the younger along with the
other four stepped off at a lively pace towards the end OF
the bridge. They marched in full view of the negroes who
could see them from the windows Of the Slbley building.
The rest Of the men we're ~deployed on the other two sides
of the square, being on thenorth and east sides OF the olblcy
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