The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-03-21

about the kerosene and the details
of the visit to set the fire. How
ever, he stated that Richmond Dub
lin set the fire, Alfred handing the
kerosene, splinters, and matches
through a little wire fence which
was right by the house where the
fire was set. Alfred said he and
Peter Rivers did not get over the
fence, and that when Mr.. Cooke
came out they had just set the fire,
and he and Peter Rivers ran off, but
that Richmond Dublin stepped be-
hind the chimney and was so close to
Mr.. Cooke that he could have touch
ed him when he first came out.
Then, when Mr.. Cooke ran back for
water to extinguish the flames, Rich
mond Dublin went off alongside the
fence out of the way. That he, Al
fred, watched from distance and
saw that the fire was out, when he
went home. Next day the other two
negroes were arrested, and Rich
mond Dublin told the same tale AS
Alfred, only he stated that Alfred set
the fire and he stayed outside the
fence. Rivers also confessed, and all
told the same tale. When Alfred was
arrested he was put in the guard
house at Olar and a guard placed
around lit, and he was not allowed to
communicate with the other negroes,
they being kept in the waiting room
at the depot until they started for
Bamberg.
Mr.. Cooke stated that he talked to
the negroes at length and asked them
why they had attempted to burn him
out, alluding to the kindnesses he
had extended them. They placed
the blame on Rivers, saying that he
had persuaded them into it. AS
mayor of Olar, some time ago Mr..
Cooke had fined Rivers 500 for SELL
ing liquor, which was paid, and had
also fined Alfred Dublin $40 for
beating his wife, and he had served
thirty days on the chan gang, being
unable to pay the fine. Mr.. Cooke
mentioned these things, and also
alluded to the fact that he had been
forced to discharge them while
working for him, while he was in
charge of loading seed for Mr.. G. F.
Rizer, asking them if these things
had brought about enmity to him
sufficient to cause them to burn him
out. Dublin replied that he was a
little unified" about sending him to
the gang and he was not hard to per-
suade by Rivers. Mr.. Cooke also
questioned Rivers and he expressed
regret for the crime, saying that if
he had had any idea that he would
have been caught up with he would
never have attempted it. He said that
this was only the beginning of this
kind of work and Mr.. Cooke just
happened to be the first one.
MIR. Cooke testified as to meeting
| ing the mob. Mr.. Lain was in front
with Alfred and Richmond in his
buggy, and he close behind in a
buggy with Peter Rivers, all the ne
groes being tied. On rounding the
curve at the church, just before
reaching Odom's bridge where two
roads come together, he saw crowd
of men come running to meet them,
all of them having pistols, and some
two pistols, one in each hand. These
men called Halt! pull your hats
down over your faces and beat it
from here just as quick as you can,
at the same time running to the bug
gies and jerking the negroes out
The whole affair was over very quick
ly. There was woods on the left OF
the road and into this the men hur-
ried with their victims, and Messrs
Cooke and Lain turned their horses
around after the crowd left and start
ed for home, hearing three separate
volleys of shots when about three
hundred yards away. They had met
no one on the road and were com
pletely surprised when the mob came
upon them, the number of which he
put at about seventy-fve. Mr.. Cooke
was asked several questions by Sollc'
itor Gunter, who was present to rep
resent the State. Mr.. Cooke said the
men had handkerchiefs tied over
their faces, others with their coats
turned wrong side out and their hats
pulled down over their faces, and
that he did not recognize any o1
them.
Mr.. Cooke said that when the
crowd of men came rushing up XIV