Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-04-13

Il
Samson with his escort rode up te
the courthouse door and dismounted
He was for the moment unarmed and
his men walked on each side Of him
while the Unlocking Hollmans stood
back in surly silence to let him pass
In the office of the county judge Sam.
son said briefly:
II want to get my deputies sworr
lin"
We've got plenty Of deputy sher'
fiffs," was the quietly insolent rejoin
Ider.
-, Not now-we haven't any," Sam
sons voice was sharply incisive. "Tl
name my own assistants"
Whats the matter with thest
boys?" The county Judge waved his
had toward the hold-over deputies.
They're fired"
The county judge laughed.
"Well, 1 reckon I can't attend to thai
right now."
Then you refuse?"
"Mebbe you might call 1t that"
Samson leaned on the judges table
and raped sharply with his knuckles
His handful Of men stood close and
! Callomb caught his breath in the
heavy air Of storm-freighted suspense.
The Holman partisans filled the room
and others were crowded to the doors.
I'm high sheriff Of this county now
said Samson, sharply. "You are coun-
| ty judge Do we cooperate fight?'
81 reckon" drawled the other, that's
a matter we'll work out as we goes
along. Depends on how obedient ye
air"
I'm responsible for the peace and
quiet Of this county," continued Sam
son. Were going to have peace and
quiet"
The judge looked about him. The in
dications did not appear to him indica-
tive Of peace and quiet.
Air we?" he inquired.
I'm coming back here in a halt
hour" said the new sheriff. This is
an unlawful and armed assembly.
When I get back I want to find the
courthouse occupied only by unarmed
citizens who have business here"
when ye comes back" suggested
the county Judge, I'D advise that We
resign yore job. A half hour is about
es long es ye ought ter try ter hold
hit"
Samson turned and walked through
the scowling crowd to the courthouse
steps.
Gentlemen" he said, in q clear, far
carrying voice, there Is no need Of an
armed congregation at this court
house. call on you in the name of
the law to lay aside your arms or scat
ter"
There was a murmur which for an In
slant threatened to become roar, but
trailed into a chorus Of derisive laugh
ter.
Samson went to the hotel, accompa-
MED by Callomb. A half hour later the
two were back at the courthouse with
a half dozen companions. The yard
was empty. Samson carried his faith
er's rife. In that half hour telegram,
prepared in advance, had flashed to
Frankfort
Mob holds courthouse-needt troops
And a reply had flashed back:
Use local company-Callomb COM
manding." So that form Of law was
met.
The courthouse doors were closed
and it's windows barricaded. The place
was no longer a judicial building. 1t
was a fortress. AS Samson's party
paused at the gate a warning voice
called:
Don't come no nigher!"
The guard began dropping
back to shelter.
house to make arrests" shouted the
new sheriff. In answer a spattering of
rifle reports came from the Jail win
dows. Two Of the South's fell At a
word from Samson Callomb left on a
run for the hotel. The sheriff himself
took his position in small store
across the street. which he reached un-
hurt under a desultory fire.
Then, again, silence settled on the
town, to remain Tor five minutes un-
broken. The sun glared mercilessly on
clay streets. now as empty as GEM
etery. A single horse incautiously
| y; % ct 40 80
switched it's tail against the assaults
of the flies. Otherwise. there was no
outward sign of life. Then Callombs s
newly organized force of ragamuff1n
soldiers clattered down to the street at
double time. For moment or two
after they came into sight only the
massed uniforms caught the eyes of
the intrenched Hollmans, and an
alarmed murmur broke from the court
house. They had seen no troops de-
train, or pitch camp. These men had
sprung from the earth as startlingly as
Jason's crop Of dragons teeth. But
when the command rounded the shoul-
der Of a protecting wall to await fur
ther orders, the ragged stride Of their
marching and the all-too- obvious bear
ing of the mountaineer proclaimed
them native amateurs. The murmur
turned to a howl Of derision and chal-
lenge. They were nothing more nor
less than Souths. masquerading in the
uniforms of soldiers.
What orders?" Callomb inquired
briefly, joining Samson in the store.
Demand surrender once more-then
take the courthouse and JAIL" was the
short reply.
Callomb himself went forward with
the flag Of truce. He shouted his mes
sage and a bearded man came to the
courthouse door.
Tell EN-" he said without redun-
dancy, that we're all here. Come an
git u.s."
| The officer went back and distribut-
ed his forces under such cover as Of
fered itself about the four walls. Then
a volley was fired over the roof and in
| s,to ho hn ir