The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-04-15

OF AN OLD MAN
Judge II. E. Hill Writes of
Things Long Ago in Abbe-
vile County.

Things Long Ago in Abbe-
vile County. .
Editor Press and Banner:
Having lived considerably beyond
the period usually allotted to man as
the maximum of the days Of his So
journ here on earth-viz, three score
years and ten; it has occurred to me
that it might prove interesting read
ing to at least some Of your subscrib-
ers, to have published some of the
recollections of an old man touching
incidents which occurred in and about
this city sixty or seventy years ago.
I have therefore concluded to jot
down a few of these occurrences as
they recur to my mind which, If you
think proper, you may publish in
your paper.
Sixty-fve years ago the writer of
these "reminiscences was a small boy
about ten years of age, living with his
father on the old homestead about
three miles east of Abbeville, where
he was born.
/ A few years later the family re-
moved to town which has been his
home ever since, barring the four
years of the Confederate war.
At that time Abeyille was small
place with not more than one thous-
and Inhabitants, with only about
eight or ten stores or business houses
in it. On the west side Of the Public
Square, where now are to be seen the
splendid brick stores filled with all
the commodities necessary to satisfy
the taste and cravings Of the most
fastidious and exacting, there were
then but two stores, one Of these was
on the corner where now stands the
splendid brick building occupied by
Philson and Henry, dealers in mil
,linery and ladies dress goods, and
was owned and operated by Mr.. Jhon
McIlwain; the other was owned and
operated as general mercantile es-
tablishment by the late Robert H.
Wardlaw. This building stood on the
site now occupied by the National
Bank building" '.a
b, The McIlwaine lot embraced the
space covered by the Philson and
Henry store and that Of the Farmers
Bank. The later space was used as
an alley way to get to the rear of the
McIlwain lot. From this alley down to
the Wardlaw store building was a
long stragling row Of wooden build
ings known as the Posey Range and
was used principally as a hotel or
boarding house-with of course, the
indispensable barroom included.
Just below tho Wardlaw store, and
where now is the office of Mr.. Jesse
Ellis, was another alley used as a
way to get to the rear Of the Posey
Range. From this alley down to the
lower store Of White Bros. was an
other. row of wooden buildings all
owned by Mrs. Jane Allen, who for
many years conducted the principal
boarding house in the place. This
Mrs. Allen had quite large family of
boys and girls, many Of whose des-
cendants are living here at this time.
About the time Of which write,
there was very considerable feeling
existing In the town over the liquor
question. a..
The most prominent prohibitionist
was Mr.. David Leslie who was at the
time Mayor or Intendent Of the town,
while the leader Of the liquor adVo-
Gates was a daredevil, kind fell
lows, by the name of McKinny Thom-
as, who ran a barroom.
In order to crafty his spleen a.
gainst Leslie, Thomas made arrange
ments with rather worthless char
acter, who lived in town, but whose
name I can't recall,-a fellow who
was looked upon as quite a bully
who was ready to fight anybody, es-
pecially when he had few drinks
aboard, to pick a difficulty with Mr..
Leslie and give him good thrashing
This the fellow assayed to do one
public day in front Of the Court
House after Mckinney had supplied
him with the necessary amount OF
liquor, and had notified his friend to
be on hand to see the fun.
Mr.. Leslie was a tall raw-bohed
man with not a pound of surplus
flesh about him-a very quiet but de-
termined man and quick to reesnt an
insult.
When this bully had worked him.
self up to the fighting point and see
ing Leslie standing in front OF the
court house, surrounded by con-
siderable crowd, he approached him
and began cursing and abusing him
in a. most outrageous manner, con-
cluding by saying taht he was there