Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-07-10
Klu.Klux Klau In Texas.
OFFICIAL REPORT OF LIEUTENANT D. F.
STILES, UNITED STATES ARMY.

luduulDg, 10 investigate anu report In re-
gard TO the alleged oUtrages of the Klu-
Klux Klan in Texas, is as follows: ION
the goth Of May l proceeded to Waco,
McLernan county, and there found Mr..
Benjamin Crouch, Mrs. Crouch, his wife,
and Mrs. Dial, a widow. Mr.. Crouch In
formed me, under oath, that on or about
the night Of April IS, 1868, the mob-or
the lu-Klux, as they are called in Bell
county-came into his house, and forced
his wife to open the door. Three men
VIM. Eritt, VIM. Pruitt, and Joseph Webb
searched the premises. They presented
their pistols in Mr. Crouch's face, and
threatened to shoot him if he ever fed or
harbored any of his friends, many of
whom were lying out in fear of the mob.
After ordering Mr.. Crouch TO leave the
county they left the house, and Joined
band of dozen men who waited outside.
Fearing violence Mr.. Crouch left his house
and moved to McLernan county. He
afterward returned to his place for the
purpose of getting his stock and some cot
ton he had left in his fight, but could find
nothing. He was informed that the prop
erty was taken possession of by the mob.
The Lee Observation-Disclosures to Mr..
CrouCh-were lying out at the time, and
thus escaped. They afterward fled to Ar
kansas Mrs. Dial accompanied the Lieu
tenant as far as Galesville in search of her
younger brother, who had been reported
killed. On the 21st Lieutenant Stiles pro.
ceeded to Perry, and took the statement of
Mrs. Julia +. Eelington, as follows: That
on the night of the 23rd of April, at about
~ o'clock, several men came to her house,
about six miles above Motfittown in Bell
county, ana ordered her husband to get
up and make a light, which he did. He
was then ordered to come out of doors
until they could search the house. Mr.
Eelington refusing to come out, they re-
tired for about thirty minutes, then return
ing, two men went into the house. Mr..
Eelington told his wife to sit on his lap,
which she did. At this moment one of the
men shot Mr.. Eelington through the head
with his gun.
On the night of April 81, 1868, about 1 1
o'clock, number of men came to the
house of Mrs. Mary Shackelford, at Perry,
and insisted on entering. Mrs. Shackel-
tord's son George, a young man of twenty
two, proceeded to open the door, when he
was shot and instantly killed on the
threshold. A younger son, Albert Shack
elford, seized rifle, and firing into the
crowd, caused them to flee. At daylight
in the morning the body of Edward S.
jackson, one of the mob, was found near
the house The body of the man was
taken away shortly after sunrise by John
Bazzel, ex-rebel Captain, and said to be a
leader of the mob.
Mr.. A. Weatherford, under oath, said
disloyal men in the county say they will
not allow a Union man to live there,
neither will they allow loyal man to dis
pose of his stock. After leaving Moffiit-
town l proceeded to Gatesville, Coryell
county, where Mrs. Erzenish Schoonover's s
statement was taken, on the gath of May,
as follows, viz; That at about o'clock p.
M, on the 23d of April, a crowd Of men
came to her fathers house in Bell county,
about three miles south of Perry, and
called Mr.. Benjamin Schoonover and his
two sons, George and Peter out of the
house six men then entered and searched
the place, after which they went out and
fired several shots at the Schoonovers,
killing the old man and his son George.
Peter was fired at, but escaped.
On the 25th of May the statement of
VIM. w. Allen, County Judge of Coryell
county, was taken at Gatesville, and is as
follows: That on the 1st of May, L. H.
Dial came into the town of Gatesville in
II.
Judge Allen says that he acted in a suspi.
cious manner and locked him up No
complaint was entered against Mr.. Dial
nor were the proceedings of the examina-
ton entered upon the docket. His con-
finement was made in an informal and
illegal manner. On the same night the
unfortunate man was taken out of Jail and
hung to tree by mob supposed to be
the Ku-KluX. All the information that
could be obtained in regard to w. II. Lee
was that he was seen about ten miles
south of Gatesville on the day before Dial
was arrested, and on the next day his horse
and saddle were found on the Leon river
He was next seen about eight miles north
of Gatesville in his shirt and drawers with
his revolver in his hand.
Sheriff Hammock had possession Of
Diaps and Lees horses, &c. the Lieuten
ant went to his house for the purpose o
recovering the property for Mrs. Dial
when the Sheriff said he had sold Lees
horse for $15 currency, by order of Judge
Allen, and that Diaps horse had strayeC
off somewhere. 1t appeared from what
the Lieutenant could learn from the freed
man, that Lee was shot and murdered
while on horseback, and that the Sheriff,
son had gone to Kansas with Dial's horse
The following is the exact language of thu
report:
Judge Allen and Sheriff Hammock wert
both very much alarmed at the question
l asked them, and tried every way to clea
themselves 1t is my opinion that tn
Judge is dupe and Hammock (whom
have known over year and always con
| sidered a murderous villian), was a willing
assistant in the murders in Coryell county
| He is riotousrebel, and lied TO me severa
times while giving his statement.
David Sessums was chased from tht
lower part Of Bell county to Coryell coun
| ty, where he was killed and thrown owe
/ q precipice near James Mills, on the LeoI
river. The families of both these men havt
| fled from that part of the State, and NJ
particulars could be had. 1t was also re
| ported to me that man named BullarC
had been killed, but, the family having
left, / could get nothing definite.
All of the men killed by the mob arr
charged with being horse thieves, but
could not find a man who could say a were
against them or charge them with any un
lawful acts.
John Bazzel, said TO be the leader Of til,
mob, was very loud in his denunciation o
the murdered men, and the only thing
that he could say against them was tina
they had killed his dog, which after
wards ascertained was pursuing the par
ties when killed, while on the other hand
jackson, who was killed at Sheckeliord'
house, was leading the horse stolen from
Mr. Dial few days before this horse wa
afterwards branded in Jackson's brand
and while in Bell county found Bazze
riding him and wearing Jackson's reyOlV
er. also saw a revolver in the possession
of one of the Bazzel's sons answering tn
description Of W. III. Lees revolver, a
given to me by his sister u had tn
initials w. ii. l.. cut on tie handle
Bazzel accounted for this, saying he pur
chased it Of man having those initials.
There appears TO be a regularly organ
lied band in Bell county for the oppression
and determination Of the Union element