The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1868-04-23
AND KU-KLUx.
"Great Cry and Little Wool'- Beaumont's
ku-Klux Humbug Thoroughly Expos

oiCaI Siy anu AlICic WOOl - beaumont.
Ku-Klux Humbug Thoroughly Expos
ed.
The Memphis Avalanche of the 12tl
inst. publishe the following exposure
of Beaumont's cock. and bull story O
the discovery. of den of Ku Klux:
; AN EXPLANATION
The undersigned were the persons
arrested by order Of S. b. Beaumont
Police Commissioner. while quietly en-
gagged in private room. offending no
body, and in no way disturbing the peac,
and quiet of the neighborhood.
The original organization was mere
ly a Sercnading Club, for our owr
amusement and mutual entertainment
1t was proposed to increase its sphere
by adding Glee Club, looking only t.
amusement, and adopting such forms
as are incidental to all organizations,
for the preservation Of order and regu
lar transaction of business.
We had several meetings, in whicl
nothing transpired that could he tor
tured into political design, or consplr.
acy against individual or government
unless The fact that we were all young
men of Southern birth, with Southern
sympathies. and restricted our associa
tions to those similarly situated, b,
deemed obnoxious to such objection
While we contemplated no injury to
others, it was the understanding that
we would assist each other in any diff
ticulty that might arise, united by the
ties of a common birth place and mn.
tual friendship.
Under these circumstances, Mr. J.
NJ. Campbell, who had held responsi
BILE situation on one of the city news
papers, was introduced hy q member,
and appeared to take an interest in our
organization. Flattered by his specious
conversation, and looking to him as
having greater experience we elected
him President, not knowing or having
the most remote suspicion that he had
other design than that for which The
association had organized. We had
no constitution, no bylaws, anil those
which were published as found on the
person of a member were in his hand
writing, prepared for some purpose to
US unknown, and meeting with general
disapprobation among the few to whom
they were disclosed-the mass of mem.
bers knowing nothing of them what
ever.
At the time this Campbell was made
Chairman, he recommended that we
should constitute ourselves into po-
litical organization, although the mem
bers were not all age and not entitled
to the elective franchise This he pres
sed upon us, but did not meet with en-
couragement. At the last meeting he
repeated his attempt to involve us, as
sured us that several distinguished gen
tlemen would, with our permission,
meet us and initiate us in the mysteries
OF the parent organization to which
they belonged. Knowing the gentle
man referred to, and confident that
they would advise nothing unbecom.
ing citizens and gentlemen, we expires
sed Willingness to receive them, but
we have the best reasons for believing
that he had no authority to use their
names, and it was only part Of the
scheme he was maturing to carry ont
some purpose of his own and to inhu-
ence us that he did use them.
Finding that he had signally failed
in making US instrumental in efiecting
his object, whether out of chagrin, or
through preconcerted arrangement, he
gave such information as led to our ar
rest in detail. Campbell pretending
ignorance or showing no knowledge of
our capture, as we left the hall in pairs,
unsuspicious of what awaited us, and
he remaining in the hall until entered
by the police to see if the whole par
ty had been captured, and there giving
umistakable evidences that he was in
the plot to betray us. through what
motive. unless to secure Judas bought
fee, and establish the reputation of the
police chief for vigilence, we know
not
The.paper so ostentatiously paraded
in the newspapers, was not accepted or
signed by single member ofour asso-
citation, and was simply designed to
prepare and entrap us, 1t was in Camp
bells possession, and had not been
out of it, as tar as we knew or know,
until conveyed to Col. Beaumont. We
believe that Campbell was Beaumonts
stool-pigeon, and acted through his ad-
vice and direction. No doubt has been
left our minds of his duplicity. and his
hypocritical and knavish purpose to
involve US in difficulty to secure a re-
ward for his services as an instrument
of the police.
We assembled without the least sus
picion of harm, and among the whole
society there were found, when arrest
ed, but three revolvers and derrnger,
number of weapons that might be ex
ceeded among any twenty persons ia
taken unawares at Memphis. There
was but one mask. and that Campbell
himself had The skull found wss
one left by the Botanical Medical Col.
lege, a year previously. in the care OF
the physician whose room We occupied
and was simply used by us, for want
OF a better, as q candlestick.
Wepresent this frank and candid ex-
planation to prevent the further spread
of Misrepresentation. We have no
knowledge of any other Ku-Klux be.
sides ourselves, or their mysteries.
The above explanation was adopted
unanimously BY the members arrested.
IN 7 D;el> ~ ;ttla;np 4,