The Sweetwater forerunner. [volume] (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1867-1869, 1868-08-20
Radical Ku-IKlux.

Democratic Negro hung up 0y Loyal
LeGgusrs in Disguise-Rsmarkabl
Escape from a StOinging Limb
While httle-minded, cowardly hearted
Radicals are inyenting lies and malicious
charges against imaginary Ku-Klux to in
duce the Legislature to call out the mill
tia and inaugurate war on all industrious
people who have well filled smoke houses
and corn cribs, the balance of the party
are trying their hands at the Ku-klux
business. The difference between the
two orders being that the original hu-
Klux are terror to the guilty and pun7
ish unwhipt criminals, while the new order
tortures and frightens Only the industrious
and innocent. We have already mention
ed the fact that Barbour Lewis, the black
est hearted white man in West Tennessee,
had organized Ku-Klux club to scare
weak-kneed Republican negroes and keep
them in the Loyal Leagues. This report
has received additional confirmation, and
it appears that Radical Ku-Klux extend
operations far into the country, where ne
groes are more disposed to be Democratic
Last spring respectable colored man,
named William johnson, blacksmith by
trade, who never took much part in poll
tics, removed from Memphis to Haywood
county. He hired himself out to man
named George Williams, who lives fifteen
miles above Brownsville, and seven miles
from the railroad. johnson was frequent
ly approached by white Radicals in tho
ueighborhood, who made themselves busy
to find out his politics. He kept his own
counsel for long time, but about week
ago told o party of them in the shop that
he did not intend to vote for Grant and
Colfax, unless he knew more about it.
They at once denounced him as q secesh
and Rebel sympathizer. n,
Last Saturday night johnson was called
out of his cabin, where he was making
basket, by three men with black faces
One of them, at least, had the voice of q
negro. lie asked what they wanted; they
said they we're friends and wanted to talk.
He went out and took seat on the fence.
Several others came up, some mounted and
some on foot, until fifteen were assembled
They then asked him if he intended
to vote for Grant and Colfax, and he told
them he would not unless he knew more
in their favor. Whereupon rope was
produced and put around Johnson's neck
and the other end thrown over limb near
by. They then pulled him up about two
feet from the ground, tied the rope to a
sappling and left him swinging in the air
and started off with yell. The victim
had the use of his hands, and happening to
have knife i'll his pocket, succeeded in
cutting himself down. The Loyal Leag-
uers returned and chased him some distance
into the woods, firing their pistols and
yelling bravely. johnson made good time
until he fell across large log and startled
family of hogs from their resting place
The Leaguers chased the hogs some dis
, tance, thinking they were after johnson,
while he recovered from his stunning fall
and slipped off in the opposite direction;
He walked to the railroad that night, aud
reached here the following day. tic tes'
: tilted to these facts yesterday, and also saw
= on the streets one of his known prosecutors
r Memphis .4oalanchs'
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