Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-08-26
lie / the Truth be Known.
10 ths Editor Of The Ballstms
In the Rpablieun Ba,lgsr Nashyillel Of tho 18th
iust, Hnd the following item

10 tic Editor Of ths biatetu'
In the Rpablieas Banner Nashvillel Of the 18th
iust, find the following item
OUTRAGED HoisoR AvENoED.
4 negro was hung by an armed body Of men near
Athens, Alehama last Tuesday night, for having
committed . rape white lady. Some Radical
sensetionalsts who reached this city by the train
which Pied .h5onss nssea ss 81 r.r tb.s The K
klux had searched the train for Gov Brownlow, but
no one gave il credence.
was passenger on the Tuesday evening train,
nth inst. from Decatur Ala, 10 Nashville. The
train on stopping at Athens Ala, at 1890 P. NJ !,
was boarded by an armed band of men, masked and
otherwise uniformed. Five of them were IN the
car in which sqas seated, One remained at the
rear door, where they entered four OF them passed
through and one Of them returned through the car,
leaving IL bv the same door they came IN, thus pass
inc teice through the same car. They asked but
one question, and that Yves, Is Browniow IN TINS
carr This they repeated frequently.
| mentioned the matter ia Nashville 70 few
personai friends, Who with myself deplored the oc-
currence. Instead Of assuming the role Oh sensa-
fionalist kept rather quiet than otherwise, belev-
ing that the excitetnen. Of the people already
too intense upon the subject and would have re-
meined so but for this miserable attempt OF the
Banner 10 hide the truth l have stated that i've
were 10 the car l was in. The conductor, IN reply
to my question, show many were there IN the
partvi' replied about thirty, should think"
ment believed in the actual existence of an organ
lied band Of Kuklux. "Seeing is believing"
was wrong in the past. Now the fact was well
known to all the passengers to the officers OF toe
train and employees of the railroad company. Why
should the Banner try to suppress the truth why
not sdmit and deplore it, IS sll good men must.
For the information OK the curious, will describe
the fantastic dress of these asssssins: They wore
long gowns reaching quite the feet rather loosely
drawn in about the waist by belt Of the same ma
teria as the dress, which was supplied with sleeves
of the style of an ordinary shirt sleeve. From the
neck there was cowl or hood mask, completely
enYeloping The head and face. Small holes were
perforated opposite the eyes and mouth Of the
wearer The material Of this Disgusting uniform
was that of cotton cloth or muslin, in stripes Of
white and very dark blue, las seen by candle light,
possibly by daylight the stripes would be white and
green. These stripes were alternately placed, and
Of about four inches in width, running from head
TO foot The eye and mouth holes in the mark were
covered with red binding. The belt around the
waist was of about three inches width, equally di-
vided by the colors of the suit No other head dress
was worn than the striped cowl above described
This seemed to be q part of the mans dress, and
that it was simply drawn in about the neck. They
carried each a large sized pistol, Colts navy in
size, in their right hands, which were cooked and
capped ready for instant use as they passed through
the car.
This is all very wrong No good man will up
hSsASlHD
of such cowardly disturberS of the peace Demo-
cratic speakers and papers should, even more ear
nestly than others, frown down such lawless mani
festations against the peace and dignity of the State
not to say against humanity itself. Will it be ne
cessary 10 have military guard placed upon all
railroad trains in the South for their protection
Will not public sentiment be strong against such
outrageous proceedings as that at Athens, Ala, as
10 obviAte the necessity of unusual protection for
the traveller be he Gov. Brownlow or any one elsel
Will not your democratic neighbors, the Appeal,
AtGlancte and Ledger, denounce this manifestation
of murderolls INTENT matter Of justice to them
selves and the people-as duty they owe as public
Journalists. know the gentleman conducting the
papers named are law abiding citizens, and certain
ly opposed to such actions. Their denunciation
would do infinitely more good in exactly the right
spot than that of republicans republican papers,
and believe with this knowledge of the facts we
will hear from them.
Yours respectfully,
VIM. A. FlTCH, in.