Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-09
A CURIOUS GLIB.
The Ku-Klux on a New Trail.

The following amusing account is
copied from 8 late number Of the Cincin-
natl Gazette:
Not long since an organization was
started near Crab Orchard, Ky, for the
suppression Of laziness and drunkenness.
The Klsn," as it wEs called, was said
to be made up of both Union men and
rebels, the Union men preponderRting,
and their object was to regulate the labor
and manners of their county. II fell
low was found Iosfing at q crossroads
grocery too much, he was notified to
stop it, or be would be f1ogged within an
inch OF bis life; If fellow was drinking
too much, he received notice to clew up,
or take threshing; ii man neglected
his family, or run after other women, q
threat of rope or q rswhide generally
brought him to realizing sense Of his
duty. These men, in the administration
Of their Justice, were perfectly impartial,
threshing rebels and Union men alike,
and falling utterly to discriminate on ae-
count of color. When the dOings Of the
band were reported to the military au-
thOrities at Lexington, they refused to
interfere with them, and an officer ex-
pressed himself so highly pleased with
the operations of the gang that he de-
cIared, If he knew the chief, he would
invite him to Lexington.
This /" KIan,u however, have either
enlarged their sphere Of action, or be-
come incorporated into the famous Ku-
KIux, if the following stories are to be
relied on:
A gentleman who lives near Camp
Dick Robinson, being informed that ;
party of armed hOrsemen were approach
ing his house, took his gun and went up
the road, where he got into q wagOn-bed
sitting by the roadside, when what was
his horror to see six big fellows with shot
guns pull Up within ten feet Of him, sud
begin discussing the best plan Of taking
him out OF his house and hanging him.
Il was finally resolved thst he had too
many dogs, negroes and guns to be at
tackled, and so they went or TO find a
more defeneeless victim-mueh, how
ever, to the relief Of the man in the
WagOn-bed.
A party Of men is reported 10 have
entered NiehOlasville and took out Of a
negrO's house q woman whom they sup
posed to be 3 white woman living with
negroes; hut upon investigation the wO-
man was found to be only q faded Ken
tuckian, her mother being mulatt0, but
she being nearly rs white as any one.
This Khan whipped two negroes the same
night for some offence or other with
which they were charged.
The other night party OF ten men,
armed with shOtguns, entered Niger
town, on the suburbs Of Lexington, but
did no further harm than going through
the town and terribly frightening the
negroes. When the matter was reported
on Saturday, the Bursau made light OF
it, telling the negroes that they were IN
necessarily alarmed, and that he did not
believe there wss Ku-Kiux within fifty
miles Of Lexington. On last night, how
ever, affairs assumed q more threatening
aspect, and the upper part Of the town
was In az uprOar all night long. As Mr..
- was returning from neighbor's, a
short distance from town, to his home in
the city, he was stopped about II o'clock
near the trestle work of the COvingt0n
Railroad by two armed men, who asked
him where he was going, and on telling
them, they inquired If he knew where
the Bureau was, and on receiving reply
in the negative, they inquired il he knew
where Gen. Brisbin and Col. Johnston
lived2 He said he did not, when one Of
them told him he would have to go with
them.
While he was talking with these men,
q large body Of mounted men, armed
with guns and pistols, came down of
the road and gathered in the raVine. It
was proposed by one that they should go
over the guleh, where some negroes
were singing and praying in q church,
and bresk up the meeting. Mr.. -,
seeing no one was noticing him, slipped
away, and running down the road, told
q black man to run to the church and
notify the negroes OF their danger. Tke
man did so, the lights were put out, and
the negroes fed terrOr-strieken to their
homes.
Mr.. r.-ran on into town, and not
knowing where any Of the officers lived,
gave the alarm at the barracks Of Com
pany d, 2d Q. S. Infantry, and the Ser
geant, putting the men under arms, sent
for the officers. Capt. Butler formed his
company in the barracks, and several
citizens and the officers went out to re-
eonuoitar. A body Of negroes who had
hastily armed themselves, marched out
to the guleh where the regulators were
reported to be, but found no one. An
old negro who saw the party, says that
when the negro church broke up so pre-
they mounted their horses and
rode up the hill into the Versailles pike,
going in the direction OF Versailles and
persons who saw the band, say it num-
oered not less than fifty men, and was
we'll mounted and armed.
The men were not masked, but none OF
hem were recognized, all seeming to be
strangers in these parts. Mr.. was
\ soldier in the Union army, and served
n Capt. Milward's company. He seems
70 be reliable man, and is said to have
been good soldier. While talking with
the regulators, they asked him If he had
been in the army, and he told them he
had served in John MOrgan's command,
'earing they would hang him il he said
he had been Union soldier. The mill
.ary authorities are actively tracing the
matter up, and the regulators will have
20 be not only sharp but lucky II they do
lot get caught and severely punished.