The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-10-09
PRESS OF NEGROES
THREATENS BYRNES
ASSERTS THAT "SoCIETY'S ARM
WILL REACH HIM.
Same Publications Boast That Death
of Late Congressman Was
Due to 'Borgia."

Washington, Oct. Through ne
gro publications, printed in Wash
ington and elsewhere in the United
States, open statements were made
today thae the life of Congressman
James C. Byrnes of the Second South
Carolina district in the house might
be forfeited at an early date for his
remarked antagonism to the negro
race and especially for his recent ut
terances On the floor Of the house on
the negro question. These publica-
tions openly and shamelessly and
without any reason whatever declare
that the life of the late Representa-
tive James Willard Ragsdale 'of the
Sixth South Carolina district, who
died suddenly in this city on July %,
1919, was caused by them and that
''the long arm of the society (the Bor
gia) will soon reach Mr.. Byrnes.''
There were also anonymous COM
munications received by Mr.. Byrnes
today which have been laid before
the United States department of JUS
tice.
lnfeateneulng Letter.
Among those was the following
when you Southern NJ. C. begin to
write and squirm it shows the shaft
has sunk deeply. When you depart
from the straight path of legislature
for cotton and crackers then your
names go on the list of the prescribed.
"Ragsdale became obnoxious and
the long arm, of the society reached
out and clutched him. An !accommo-
dating doctor certified heart failure.
"The shadow of the. society is
lowering over you and if it descends
and envelopes you there will be ano-
ther vacancy in another South Caro-
lima district. One big four alliance
sits at Paris. another sits elsewhere.
You Southerners initiated the terror
and terror it shall be. Your gage has
been picked up"
Mr.. Ragsdale died about the time
Of the recent race riots in Washing
ton. He visited the offices Of his
Washington physician and while seat
ed in chair In tn felatter's office
suddenly expired. The coroner of the
District of Columbia held an autopsy
and rendered a verdict that the de-
ceased came to his death from 'acute
dilation of the heart"
1t was just about the same. time
that Mr.. Byrnes made speech ON the
floor of the house on the negro ques-
ton. Shortly after this speech he be-
gan to receive many insulting letters
from ananymous writer's throughout
the country and although they
threatened to "get even with him."
none of them went quite so far as
to say that he would receive the
same measure Of treatment as that
whichth society had just meted
out to his colleague, the late Con-
gressman Ragsdale.
Secret Service Men Active.
Mr.. Byrnes took the matter before
the government authorities and it is
understood that secret service men
have been on the trail of the anony-
nous writer's and that some of them
may be landed behind the bars as a
result of the investigation.
The allusion to Mr.. Ragsdale,
shows the Dragging methods employ
ed by these negro publications and
writer's to frighten Mr.. Byrnes, who
may think as he does concerning the
negro question.
Just why the postmaster general
should continue to permit these pub
locations to go through the mails
which sooner or later must cause
strife and bloodshed between the
races is not known but the sooner
they are excluded the better it will
be for whites and blacks, is the opin-
ion expressed here.