Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-07-31
WHITES CLASH WITH NEGROES.
After Shooting Three White Men
Negroes SarIicade Themselves.

Plainville, Ca, July 28.-White
men are not sleeping tonight in
Plainville after Sunday mornings
battle between officers and eleven
negroes, in which fifteen were
wounded, some seriously, although
| not negro has appeared on the
streets during the day.
Men left here early this morning
for Rome, where they secured arms
and ammunition and returned early
this evening.
The eleven negroes were desper-
ately wounded In the battle, and who
surrendered only when Sheriff Dune
hoo and his posse rushed the house
after the blacks ammunition was
gone, are in jail at Calhoun, while
the wounded whites are being given
medical attention.
Another outbreak Is not expected
although preparations have been
made to cope with it more effectively
than on Saturday night.
How tho Trouble Started.
The trolble started few days ago
when Minnie Heard, a negress, at
tackled lSey Miller, a little white boy,
with rock while both were working
in peach orchard. Next day the
girls father came to town and was
severely beaten by hot-headed white
youths, who warned him not
TO come back. He needed the warn
Ing, but his brother came to town
Saturday afternoon. He was attack
ed by whites, and there negroes came
to his assistance. The four were
stood in a row against the depot and
lashed with buggy whips. Finally
one broke away and fired as he ran
This brought on an exchange of shots
among the excited people. This oc-
Cured just as the Southern south
bound passenger train from Chatta-
nooga passed through.
Amid wild excitement the blacks
who outnumbered the whites, fled
from the town, and took refuge in
the section houses.
Sheriff Owens. OF Calhoun, arrived
with posse to arrest the negroes.
On the way to the negro quarters a
volley was poured into the posse
from a negro section house, which
was quickly surrounded. The wound
ed sheriff, Ernest Johnson and Dock
Miller were carried to white home
and aid asked from nearby towns
Sheriff w. G. Dunehoee and his
deputies from Rome were rushed to
the scene In an automobile. They
were armed with rifles and riot guns.
Not knowing the location of the
house, they were fired upon as they
passed in an auto, the tires being
punctured and the lights put out
Securing places Of vantage. they
kept up a steady fire on the house
were fast filled with farmers, who
hurried into the town, and several
thousand shots were fired into the
| shanty, tho Notwithstanding Of
which was punctured like a sieve.
After a four hours battle with the
negroes 1T was noticed shortly after
2 o'clock that they were not return
ing the fire. Capt. Dunehoo and his
party made rush to the house in
the face Of heavy fire, which SEEM
ed reserved for the last moment, and
broke down the door. Deputy Sheriff
Gaines was hit by bullets in the head
and side, but not seriously hurt.
A sickening sight was the interior
OF the negro hut. Ten negro men
and two women were lying around
the room, all Of them more or less
seriously wounded. The room re-
sembled slaughter pen with its
gore.
Hundreds began crowdng around
the disarmed and wounded prison
ers and beat them into insesibility
with gunstocks.
A lynching was averted by the off,
GERS, who guarded the negroes with
drawn rifles against the mob.
All Of the prisoners were carried
to jail in Calhoun, and early reports
tonight from that place state that a
lynching Is improbable.