The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-04-07

by the next mornings sunrise there
were hundreds of citizens at the ap-
pointed rendezvous, Joyce Branch.
Many veterans of the Civil War were
there, men who had learned to obey
and whose examples Influenced the
younger men to preserve perfect Or
der and discipline. AS Gen. Hagood
planned and expected the presence of
so long a mounted calvacade, riding
leisurely to the scene of the trouble
had a most soothing effect and good
order was quickly restored, to be fol-
lowed by a long and yet continuing
period of peace. The only member of
the posse injured was Sheriff James
Patterson. who, riding in his buggy
after nightfall near the residence OF
Mr.. Joseph Ashley, was shot from the
darkness, receiving several painful
flesh wounds in the side and breast
from the slugs fired by his would be
assassin. The late Arthur NJ. Owens,
Esq, who was with Sheriff Pattc--
son, had the bow of his necktie crt
by one of the slugs. The sheriff Was
unable to continue with the posse
and deputized the writer to act In
his stead. On the afternoon of the
following day the posse clubs re-
turned to their homes. Nobody may
ever know, but the impression was
entertained that reckless Republican
emissaries had planned the Runs riot
for political effect-with the purpose
and expectation of causing 80 much
bloodshed that the Northern heart
would be fired that the coming elec-
ton would be held under military
control or so managed as to defeat
the Hampton revolution.
The circumstantial evidence sup
porting such a belief was strong, to
many minds conclusive. Under the
administration of the three .Republi-
can Governors, R. K. Scott, carpet
Dagger, of Ohio, F. J. Moses, Jr.,
renegade, of South Carolina, D. H.
Chamberlain, of New England, the
grand old party" had gone from
bad to worse and it's corruption
caused it to be discredited abroad,
detested and despised at home. The
eyes of many colored Republicans
were opening to the true situation,
over six hundred voters of that race
in this county alone having turned
their backs upon the scalawag and
carpet bag missionaries that had
plundered the PROSTATE State to the
very verge of bankruptcy. The
kindly feeling and confidence that
had 80 long existed between the two
races was rapidly returning and the
adventures saw that the hand writ
ing of their overflow was on the wall
Of the future and that only a des-
perate remedy could save them fur
ther fattening.
In the yellow journals OF that
time up North there were exaggerat-
ed reports of losses Of life and de-
struction of property. AS deputy
sheriff it fell to us to arrest numbers
charged with participating in the
rioting and to inquire into the facts
of each case. In every instance these
charges were found to be groundless,
each charged person furnishing writ
ten or oral evidence from employers
that he had never left his home dur
ing the trouble but had remained
loyal to his contracts with his en-
ployers.
The influence of this brief cam
paign for peace and good order had
wide spread influence for Democratic
success. The perfect organization
that had within twenty hours after
the issuing Of Judge Wiggin's order
gathered seven hundred men, with
out the aid of telegraphic facilities,
before the telephone was dreamed OF,
showed a touching Of elbows from
the hills to the tide line that made
success surety. The good conduct
of that peace making posse made
friends forCarolina in every Northern
State, and the training to Obedience
in the camps and campaigns of the
four years war won the victory OF
peace in the redemption of the State.
After all was gained Governor Hamp-
ton spoke to us of Gen. Hagood as
"the great organizer Of victory" and
no nobler and higher encominm was
ever more worthily bestowed.
One more incident and we stop.
At the ASSEMBLING of the posse at
Joyce Branch only one man was the
least under the influence Of the ar
dent. He had been a gallant soldier
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