After the Civil War, a new newspaper emerged: The Charleston Daily News. In 1867, three gentleman: Bartholomew Riordan, Francis W. Dawson, and Henry Evanson purchased “The News”, and in 1873, the South Carolina Railroad purchased The Charleston Courier, combining the two newspapers.
Francis W. Dawson became the editor of this new newspaper, and had a very colorful past. He was also a staunch defender of states’ rights and local government, and was an outspoken critic against Reconstructionist policies.
August 31, 1886, Charleston fell victim to a devastating earthquake. Associate editor Carlyle McKinley witnessed this extraordinary event, and wrote about it in The News And Courier.
Francis W. Dawson was also a crusader against violence, but unfortunately lost his life by gunfire on March 12, 1889. This plunged Charleston into a period of mourning.
