Carnival of blood

the long version

"Carnival of Blood is a thoroughly researched and often shocking history of changes in homicidal tendencies in South Carolina over four formative decades on the cusp of our modern era. In his investigation into murder and death in the Palmetto State, John Hammond Moore identifies three specific trends that emerged during the period from 1880 to 1920 - the demise of dueling, the rise and fall of lynching, and the proliferation of murder. Moore details specific incidents, ranging from the notorious to the relatively unknown, and questions why more stringent steps were not taken during those decades to curb the mayhem. His findings suggest the answers are far from simple." "Revisiting one of the nation's last formal duels, Moore recounts details of the Cash-Shannon meeting of July 1880 and the ensuing circle of carnage that left nine dead. He explores the circumstances that prompted duels and the reasons for their eventual disappearance."--BOOK JACKET.