Near old Spring Hill, one of the polling places for the November 3, 1874 local, state, and national elections, Elias M. Keils, a scalawag and judge of the Circuit Court of Eufaula, served as United States Supervisor at the ballot box, accompanied by his 16 year old son, William. After the polls closed, a mob broke into the building, extinguished the lights, destroyed the poll box, and began shooting. During the riot, Willie Keils was mortally wounded. The resulting congressional investigation received national attention, and this bloody episode marked the end of Republican domination in Barbour County.