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


oloodshed and good deal Of 1t could
% we'll answer the purpose OF re-
seem!ng the State from negro and
ca-pe: bag rule Mr.. Robert Butler
sent 20 EdgeSeld Tor Gen. II. {.
Butler 10 defend his son aud prose-
cute Adams a; the trial. Col. ~
p. Butler. the captain Of the Sweet
water Sabre Club. summoned our
company 20 meet at Summer A'!i.
three miles from Hamburg at l.
O'Clock. It was oar purpose to al
tend the trial 10 see that young
Butler had protection and. IL an!
offered. 10 set the pal!
rolling. and If one Gid not oter.
We were 70 make one. We did not
90 in uniform and were expressly
ordered 10 leave Our rifles and car
b;nes so ,ha, when assembled we
were only armed with pistols. Va
r;ors schemes were presented and
discussed but nothing definite was
arranged except that We would so
20 Hamburg IN body at O'Clock.
the time for the trial and see what
would turn up The fact. however.
tina. We had assent ble6 was made
known to Prince Rivers and when
the company reached Hamburg we
were informed that the trial had
been postponed and it appeared
TO. a while tha: all OF our trouble
and pains as we'll as :he schemes
We had formulated would come to
naught. Dock Adams had assembled
his company in the armo.y OF the
Sibiev building. .wo-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 abou, o'clock it was de-
ci6ed that the demand should b
made OF Doc!: Adamms to surrender
his guns. and notice 10 that efec
was sen, him By Gen. II. c. Butler
with the further information tha
he had shown that the guns were
a menace to peace and good ordc
! and that the whites having lost n
patience were resolved to put Al
end 70 his outrageous and insoler
conduct. When the demand wa
made he promptly and peremptorial
II refused. He was then told tha
We would take them. When th'
sun was about half an hour h!gl
the little band Of white men. mum
herring about seventy in ali. Of whom
torty-sve belonged to the Sweet
water Sabre Club. rode down Ma,'
street towards the ac!noly an
wheeling into cross street We ap
n7oached the river ard hated !,
the street which was o. upied b
the trestle OF the c. C. and \ rail
road. now the Southern railway
The Sibley building vas on tn
southwest corner OF the square. u
dismcanted in regular cavalry fash
ion and linked brides. Al! Of th
diseagaged men lined mp. Then th
order came. "Ail men having cas-
bines or rifles step Eve PAGES to tn
srons" Only Ave responded.
was now shown how great mistas
had been made in ordering the rife
left al home. The purpose OF tha
order is easy to understand. "
did not wish il to appear that V
had come to Hamburg with malic
aforethousht. but merely as specta
tors at the Butler trial. Events ha
shared themselves so that the pu1
pose Of compelling the surrender c
the arms by the negroes once forme
there was no time 10 make new pre-
payations. Sixty white men tth
others were detailed to take care Q
the horses} were about to attac
100 negroes who were armed wit
the most approved army rifles. ha
plenty Of ammunition. and were foI
tified so to speak in brick for
while the whites had shot guns an
pistols. But the difference in N
blood and the color Of the skin "a
more than made up the odds in tn
armament. The FIVE men to whor
the duty was assigned OF openia
:he attack were Henry Getsea. Dan
lap Phinaey. McKie Meriwethe.
Thos. Settles an6 Demitrious Myers
I'll always remember with sad
ness an incidcn: which took plac
just at this time Young McNie Mer
!wethe.. belonging TO the sabre v!ut
but his father did not. The olde
man. Joseph Meriwe,her. it viii: b
remembered. was the manager o
| Shaw's Nil! two years before. VIII
had manipulated that box and chang
ed the negro majority in:c q whit;
majority. He had heard OF tn
trial and had brought his Winces.e
rife with h:m. When the eide
Meriwether joined the squad. whicl
was to take position behind tn
abutment Of the railroad bridge
| diagonSl!y in front OF the Sible,
building and some serenty-five yaso
away. his son. very handsom.
young man. about 25 years OF age
came running towards him and IN
hucklins the pistol as he ran. h,
handed the two pistols to his .at:
er and said. '.i.ere. papa. take thes,
and let me have the rifle TIL.
exchange was made and the eide
man took his place in the ranks
while the Younger. along with tht
other four. stepped Of. at a livel.
pace towards the end Of the bridge
They marched in full view OF ,ht
negroes who could see them from
the windows OF the Siblev building
The rest OF the men were depioyec
on the other two sides Of the square
4 HrN NNS