The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1916-11-24

rested and thrown in jail in Union
county should have been my husbands
father, f. l.. Linder. his elder brother,
Linear Linder, and their father-m-law
Sum Sumner. During the time these
men were incarcerated in the Jail, my
informants thinks in February, 1866.
the jail was without fire or methods
of heating, and no beds or cots were
supplied them. They were given some
old dirty blankets and the bare floors
constituted their beds. 1t was bitter
cold, and Sum Sumner being an old
man past 60. Col. |. G.. McKissick, a
warm personal friend, hearing of their
arrest, brought to them in broad day.
light, through the main street of Un-
ion, his only feather bed and some
quilts. These were placed in front of
him and he was riding his old gray
horse. This act of kindness was never
forgotten by them nor their descend
ants, and they remained his lifelong
friends and in the words of the poet,
Though lost to sight, to memory
dear" His wife, Mrs. Sallie McKis-
sick (nee Sallie Foster) and Mrs. Cor
Limestone college mates.
About this time two negroes. Dan
and Sam Thompson, were lynched over
Near the Thompson gold mine in Bo-
gansville township, as they had made
violent threats and abused old man
Berry Jones, who was an old bachelor,
with no near relatives to protect him.
This old bachelor was supposed to be
possessed of considerable means, and
had money hid, they thought, and the
negroes had threatened him boldly if
he did not give them the money or
something to compensate them, they
would take his life.
There were numerous warrants
sworn out against the white citizens
about this time for participating in
these administrations of corporal pun
ishment, but they eluded arrest among
them being Frank and Anthony Shand,
who escaped to Arkansas and never
returned.
During the time that Sum Sumner,
Linear Linder and Eliphas Linder and
Frank Weston were confined in the Jail
numerous kindnesses were shown
them by friends and we'll wishers. One
was tive-gallon jug of homemade
peach brandy sent them by Col JOS
cph Gist and many other dainties. Af-
ter several weeks confinement these
men were given preliminary hear
ing. Lieut.. Shorey told them if they'd
pay him 500 apiece nothing would
come of the case, but they did not ac-
cept his proposition and were dis
charged and owed their acquttal
largely to Mrs. Stoud and her sister,
then IA and l6-year-old girls, as wit
nesseS and Steadman and Arthur as
attorneys.
When the Slickers were returning
from the killing Of Andy McCravcy
they stopped at Jno. w. McCravey's
house and failing to get him to the
door, fired several shots from their
WinchcSters into the door. The place
is now owned by Will Brown. who is
Il second cousin of DR.. Lnder and |
have had the pleasure Of putting my
fingers in the bullet holes. 1t is quite
pretty country home and is only a
short distance over the line in Spar
tanburg county.
There was hardly a family in those
days in Union county that did not have
a representative connected with the
| Siickers, now merged into the ku-
kluX Kan in some form or other.
Mr.. Jim Fernandez and his son,
Harry Fernandez, Asa Smith. his son.
Billy Smith. Eliphas Smith. Sum Sum
ner, DolphuS Gregory, ID. c. Gist and
numerous others were constituted as
a portion of the Slickers, and they