[Marshall] Texas Republican, August 18, 1860
We publish below all the intelligence we have been able to gather from our exchanges in different parts of the State. The following is from the Austin State Gazette:
Incendiarism in Austin.—The large Steam Mill of Capt Glasscock is believed by many to have been destroyed by an incendiary. Loss between $30,000 and $50,000.
The workshop of Wilhelm and Burns, destroyed on Sunday last, is also believed to be the work of an incendiary.
The destruction of Dr. Renfro’s residence on Monday last, was attempted by an incendiary, but fortunately the fire was discovered and arrested before doing any mischief.
The residence of Mr. Bennett has been twice fired and discovered in time to arrest the flames before doing any injury. In this case the man was seen applying the light, but escaped before he could be apprehended.
A negro with a knife in hand and a bundle was hailed on Monday by the patrol when he refused to make himself known, and started off on a run. The patrol fired upon him twice without effect. He escaped.
On Wednesday last, the Mayor ordered an examination of the quarters and chests of the negroes. It resulted in finding pistols, knives, bullets, muskets and a keg half full of powder, also, a bottle of powder. The powder is the only ominous sign, and it may yet be explained.
The Gazette very properly cautions the community against false alarms and concludes:
There having been no public investigation, all is mystery at present, and many property holders feel unsafe. The patrols have been largely increased, both in the city and country. Nothing can allay the excitement but a public investigation, conducted by responsible citizens having the entire confidence of the community, and under the auspices of the Mayor, whose course in the whole matter has been highly commendable.
The Galveston News of the 4th says:
Mr. G. R. Chessman, from Wharton, informs the Matagorda Gazette that a report had reached that place that a contemplated insurrection had been discovered in Grimes county, in which two Abolition preachers and about eighty negroes were concerned; the report was further, that the preachers made a full confession, corroborating the belief that there was a deep laid scheme to produce a revolt among the negroes of the State. The preachers were then hung and the negroes put in jail.
A patrol has been established at Matagorda.
The citizens of La Grange have appointed a vigilance committee, and it was recommended at the meeting that in every beat in the county, a guard be organized.
A letter from Independence, Washington county, to Rev. R. C. Burleson, of La Grange, says that a white man had been taken up and with him several negro men, suspected of being connected with the present insurrectionary movement.
Ellis.—A young man who had been employed in a store at Waxahatchie was hung a few days since for giving strychnine to slaves to put in wells.
Smith.—The man who was shot in the attempt to set fire to Tyler, has been found dead.
Cherokee Nation.—The Paris Press speaks of a rumor that a bloody fight had taken place in the nation, between Abolitionists and Pro-Slavery men, in which 159 of the former were killed, and 7 of the latter. This story is most probably a fabrication.
Wood.—On the 29th ult., an armed committee escorted the notorious J. E. Lemon out of Wood county. Just before which, he signed a document binding himself under penalty of his life not to return to Wood county, nor publish or circulate Abolition documents in the State.
We copy the following from the Tyler Reporter, of Saturday:
“We have direct news from Athens, in Henderson county, that one well was poisoned in that place, on Sunday night and that upon investigation, over one hundred bottles of strichnine were found in the possession of the negroes. After a severe punishment, the latter related the particulars of the plot—which was to poison all the public and private wells in the town on Sunday night—to poison, as far as possible, the family breakfast, and the knife and pistol (with which they were well supplied,) to complete the fiendish work. All the old women and young children were to be murdered and the young women were to be taken as wives by the hellhounds. So far as we have heard, the negroes being examined separately, tell exactly the same story, the truth of which we cannot for a moment doubt.”
The subjoined items are from the same paper:
Mr. E. T. Broughton has this moment informed us that a stable in Athens belonging to Mr. John T. Carlisle was fired on Monday evening, by an incendiary, and burned to the ground.
A negro belonging to Mr. Barron, at Science Hill, Henderson county, was hung last Friday for having a quantity of strychnine in his possession. He confessed to having a hand in the insurrection.
Rumors.—The report is current here that a preacher and another individual were hung, and two negroes burned and one whipped to death at or in the neighborhood of Dallas, a few days since, as having been concerned in the recent conflagration there. We also hear that two negroes have been apprehended at Daingerfield for complicity in incendiary doings. We do not vouch for these rumors.
The Mt. Pleasant Union says:
A rumor has reached here that an abolitionist, named Morrison, was hung on yesterday, at Pittsburg, in the adjoining county of Upshur.
The rumor of the burning of Daingerfield is untrue. The Mt. Pleasant Union says:
Last week, we understand, there was much excitement in Daingerfield, and some slaves were taken up and closely questioned, but nothing of importance could be ascertained.