The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1915-01-01
Editor Intelligencer:

been said about the Fair Play race
riot" both in a news way and editor
tally tho public schpuld know what is
really back of all this trouble, espec-
tally the editor OF The Inteligencer,
who editorially calls for light. The
white gentlemen connected with the
affair naturally do not want to discuss
publicly the trouble. tor they do not
know what Is In store for them. For
this reason, l will, with your permis-
sion. call attention to a few facts that
l have not yet seen in print.
In the stormy days Of 1876. tho white
people OF this section of the State es-
pecially. had much trouble with ne
sro leaders. backed by coon-loving
white (?) men from the North. Among
these leaders" was one Bill Parker,
Ankytaheaded. tliick-Npped odorifer-
GUS African. In that memorable cam
paign of '76. the white men were forc-
ed to divide time" at political gath
erfngs with negro speakers, among
them being Bill Parker. At several OF
the meetings clashes were narrowly
averted by the cooler white men. but
at the Pendleton meeting, which is
not q great distance from Fair Play,
Bill Parker became so insulting that
the late Edward B. Murray could
| stand 1t no longer and he promptly
| kicked Parker from the platform
This information we found in the old
| files of the Anderson Intelligencer and
have often heard discussed by. white
men who participated In that cam
paign and will be confirmed by such
gallant old veterans as Col. J. c..
Stribbling, of Pendleton, Judge D. H.
of ha a,-S<.
| court and other honorable men. This
same Bill Parker, who Il will not be
amiss to state, is a very shrewd ne
gro. has since made the Fair Play
| SECTION his h0Iie and IS said 70 cwn
considerable property. During all
these years Parker has devoted much
time to stirring up trouble between the
races and ill-advising his race. He. Ia
| still living and we are informed by
honorable white men of that section
that the recent trouble was the result
OF Parker's teachings. One Of Park
er's lieutenants, Green Gibson. who
together with two of' his sons, was
among those put out of the way I'm
the recent trouble. Gibson has long
been n terror In tfie Fair Play section
is the report of white men of that SEC
tton. At different times he, Is, said to
have run out Of that = section. three
white families. It, WAS Green Gibson,
with the assistance ;,of his two SONS,
who interfered with, the, whipping, OF
| Tom Spight and wh1t later: from ann
bush fired on. the white men, result
ing In the injury OF four Of them, and
later resulting ;in thelp! own deaths.
Tim. SpightB. thei neEgo, they were ,atr
tempting: to, rescue, !. was Il a. dangerous
negro. He had frequently beenein sScu.
BILE and only a few months: ago att
tempted to shoot ths' deputy. sheriff Of
Anderson county and would have done
SO but for that officers .qpicEasss IA
drawing his own pistol. Before going
to Fair Play some months ago. Spight
lived at Bolton, and we are told by Bel.
toms mayor and oth0r honorable cftf-
zens OF that town. that Spight was
considered dangerous negro. It was
for some crime he had committed at
Bolton that he was paid out by Mr..
Woodrow Campbell and carried to Fair
Play and 1t was for. attempting to set
fire to Mr.. Campbell's barn that he was
whipped. This is the kind of. negro
that Lieut." Green Gibson would rss-
cue and for wh!chshs and Sis sons
forfeited their liver for their trouble.
So much for; thef main facts In the
recent race war",I Will GO back to
the cause: Now that Green Gibson
and two Of his scholars (his sonsl
have been put Souts Of the way. the
white people of. that xseEtion should
see to It thatsthe other .,lsadhrs' dis
continue their pracsicaof giving bad
advice TO their own#race. and II there
are any whites. .whossw otlld "c6mmnne'