Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-01-12

/, and the mob went wild. A clothing
store nearby was next entered, and
the stock passed out to the constantly
! growing crowd in the street by those
inside. Clerks fled for their lives,
and when the looting was finished the
place was fired.
BY this time the mob WAS in a
frenzy. Men danced and sang and
women Joined them. Liquor was
passed around as freely as water, and
those who had no cups took it up in
the hollow Of their hands, for within
half an hour other saloons had been
looted and the fire was spreading rap
idly.
| The main street parallels tho rail-
road tracks at the foot Of the hill and
streets lead out Of it up the hill to
the residence district. For fully an
hour or more the mob was content
with the small shops and saloons on
the side streets, but later turned its
attention to the more pretentious
| stores.
Saloon After Saloon Looted.
The mob had lost all semblance Of
leadership, and, splitting up into
| bands. the looters went n,adly about
the work Of destruction. Saloon after
saloon was broken into, looted and
fired, the flames spreading to the
other business blocks on the street.
Famed by strong wind the fire
tore its way up the HILL and many
residences, some occupied by the riot
ers, were burned.
Mayor Cunningham and Sheriff Um-
stead conferred, and a call was sent
! for State troops.
Meantime the rioting had been in
progress for several hours. and it was
| seen that the business section could
not be saved. Every minute the
| crowd seemed to grow until there
| were hundreds Of drink-crazedy men
and women roaming the streets.
Scenes Of the widest disorder were
everywhere enacted, and the fires
mounted higher and higher until, to-
ward 10 O'Clock, Wilson avenue,
which runs the entire length of the
village, was in flames. No attempt
was being made to eXtinguish the
flames or save the thousands of dol
airs in property being carried away
or destroyed.
The Post Office Attacked.
Early in the evening the mob had
attacked the post office. 1t was
small building and the dozen or more
men who entered it made short work
of 1t. The strong box was robbed and
the torch put to the building.
One Of the handsomest buildings in
the village was the banking house of
G. V. Hamory. The mob paid no at
tention to it until after 10 o'clock.
Then it was recalled that saloon had
stood in that section and there was
a rush to the place. The saloon was
looted and fred, and the flames.
spreading to the bank, soon doomed
the structure.
A dry goods store near Seventh
street and Wilson avenue, shared a
building with a saloon. The party
which selected it for their prey made
the mistake Of attacking the dry
dry goods store first. AS they ap-
preached the door a man appeared at
a window In the living quarters above
the store and fired one shot from his
revolver. A rioter, who had been
identified this morning, fell dead in
the street, and the others fled. They
withdrew to the other side OF Wilson
avenue and after a conference tossed
brick through one Of the plate glass
windows. No shot came from above,
and, encouraged, they stormed the
place.
Gulped Down Raw Liquor.
At a dozen or more places In Will
son avenue barrels Of whiskey, with
the heads gone, stood in the road
way, and surrounding them we're
many men and women gulping down
the raw liquor or passing it to friends
| in the crowd who could not get close
enough to help themselves. A num-
Der Of clothing stores fell prey to the
rioters, and almost Immediately men
began exchanging their old clothes for
the loot they had seized. This change
Of apparel was made in the street,
lighted almost to MONDAY brightness
! by the flames from half a hundred