The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-03-23
A FATAL FIRE.
A Colored School at Abbeville Destroyet
by Incendiary Fire.
THREE DIE In FLAMES

otihNI
jured-Inccndiary Origin indicate
ed-Mass Meeting of Citizens Con-s
dennis Act.-City Council Offers
acknowledgements to Aid.
Thursday morning early Harbison
College, at Abbeville, was found to be
in flames. ThSsIarm was given ana
the people of The neighborhood as
sem'bled to render what assistance
they could to save the inmates OF
the institution. The walls of the
building were already beginning TO
fall in before the fire was discover
ed, and the flames were bursting out
of all the doors and windows.
Three of the students who were
rooming up stairs lost their lives
their remains being found In the
ashes. The names of those who lost
their lives are as follows: Carl Duck
EFT, of Charlotte, N. c.; Samuel Jen-s
kins, of Carlisle, s. c.; and Edward
M. Dubose, of Lamar, S. G.
The two former were about nine
teen years of age, and the latter was
about twelve or thirteen years old
Several others were injured in jump
ing from windows in an endeavor 70
escape from the fire, some of whom
were. probably fatally injured.
In addition to the burning ofsthe
main building, the house occupied BY
the Rev. G. NJ. Young, who is tine
head of the institution, was also on
fire, but on account of the fact that
it was burning in the rear, insteadsof
the front, as the other building, the
fire was easily extinguished. :
The work shows unmistakap
dences of being the work Of an
cendiary, as kerosene could bszp
ly detected on the woodwork q
presidents residence. No mot8xf
be assigned for the act nor hae
clue been discovered as to Who
the guilty party or parties. TheG
,zens of Abbeville are very stEon8
their condemnation OF such an
Iincendtafism, and no effort VIII
spared to run down &nd .pnntsb
guilty.
A mass meeting of the citizenkf
Abbeville was held Thursday aff
noon in the Court House, at WI
resolution was adopted denounet9
the burning of the college, ashl4
the. city council to offer a FrewH
for the incendiary and raising q f15
to hire detectives. .
The city council have Offered
reward of one hundred dollarB 44
the arrest and conviction of the e!z
ty party OF parties, and a comIdit<
has been appointed to req,est ~
Governor of the State to offer 49,
ward of not less than n thousand
dollars for such apprehension and
conviction.
line pef. 1OuuS, PiCofuShS
college, attended the mass meeting
Of the citizens and asked that he be-
given a suitable guard at night for
a short time, until the student could
make arrangements to leave TOWN.,
as he was afraid of future trouble,
and a guard will be stationed on the
premises as long as it is deemed
necessary.
HARRISON College is a negro in-5
stitution and grew out Of what was
formerly known as Ferguson Acad-a
envy. Mr.. Harbinsou of Pittsburga
donated a large sum Of money, and
other Philadelphia men joined him
in establishing this school. 7. H.
Amos was put at the head Of the
school, but on account of some trou.
Bile, he was forced to leave, and thu
Rev. Young, Of Abbeville, was putt
in charge, and is still at the head OF
the school.
He is a gentlemanly and honorable
negro, and by his quiet and unassum-
ing has made many friends
among the white people Of Abbevllle,
all of whom sympathize with him in
the misfortunes which have just Wis
tied his school. The student body Of
! the school number about three huns
| bred and twenty-five, Harbinson Coli
lege being a co-educational institu-
ton.