He said, "He stood on the courthouse steps that day." I said, "Well, [the sheriff]
told him to stand there to keep back the crowd from crowding up." Major
Wadlington said, "Yes, but he kept back the white people, too." I said, "No, he
let them in in their turn. All went in, and all were treated alike." He said, "Well,
he should not have done that way; he ought to have let the white people in."
State of South Carolina, Evidence taken by the Committee of Investigation of the Third
Congressional District, 1870.
According to this passage, why did some white Southerners want to kill Johnson Stuart?
They thought he had stolen money and supplies
from the sheriff's office in the courthouse.
They thought he was violating the Constitution by
not allowing African Americans to vote.
They thought he disrespected white people by
treating all the voters the same.
They thought he was cheating by paying people to
vote for him for sheriff.