Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-12-10
CRIME ANDLAwLEssNEssINTExAs
Major General Reynolds Report.

The following is the report of Major
General Reynolds, Commander of the
Fifth Military District:
.HDoRs. FIFTH MILITARY DIST,
STATE OF TEXAS,
AUSTIN, November 4, 1868. }
Adjutdnt General United States Arn,y,
Washington, ID. c.:
GENERAL-I have the honor to for
ward herewith tabular statement OF
| the expeditions, scouts and report OF
movements of the various regiments
serving in this district for the year end
ing September 80, 1868.
Armed organizations, generally known
as the "Ku-Klux Klan," exist, inde-
pendently or in concert with other
armed bands, in many parts OF Texas,
but are most numerous, bold and aggress-
i've east of the Trinity river.
The precise objects OF the organlza-
tions cannot be readily explained, but
seems in this State to be TO dis
arm, rob and in many cases murder
Union men and negroes, and, as occa-
sion may offer, murder United States
officers and soldiers; also, to intimidate
every one who knows anything of the
organization but who will not join it.
The civil law east of the Trinity river
is almost dead letter. In some coun-
ties the civil officers are all, or portion
of them, members of the Klan. In other
counties, where the civil officers will not
ioin the Khan, or some other armed band,
they have been compelled to leave their
counties; examples are Van Zandt,
Smith and Marion counties. The county
seat of the latter is Jefferson.
In many counties where the county
officers have been driven off, their intiu-
ence is scarcely felt. What political
end, if any, is arrived at by these bands.
1 cannot positively say. but they attend
in large bodies the political meetings
harbecues-which have been and are be-
ing held in various parts of the State,
under the auspices of the Democratic
clubs of the different counties.
Thespeakers encourage the attendance,
and in several counties men have been
indicated by name, from the speakers
stand, as those selected for murder.
The men thus pointed out have no
course left them but to leave their homes
or be murdered on the first convenient
opportunity.
The murder OF negroes is so common
as to render it impossible to keep an ac-
count OF them. -.. d.
Many of the murderers Of these bands
of outlaws are transient persons in the
State, the absence of railroads and tele-
graphs and the great length of time re-
quired to communicate between remote
points facilitating their devilish purposes.
These organizations are evidently coun-
tenanced,. or at least not discouraged, by
the majority of the white people, of the
counties where the bands are most num-
erous. They could not otherwise exist.
( | have given this matter close atten-
ton, and am satisfied that remedy to
be effective must be gradually applied
and combined with the firm supportOfthe
army until these outlaws are punished or
dispersed. They cannot be punished by
civil courts until some examples of mill
tary commissions show that men can be
punished in Texas for murder and kind
red crimes. Perpetrators of such crimes
have not heretofore, except in rare inst
ances, been punished in the State at all,
Free speech and free press. as the
terms are generally understood in other
States, have necer existed in the State of
Texas. In TACT, the citizens cannot ap-
preciate the state Of affairs in Texas
without actually experiencing it. The
official reports of lawlessness and crime.
so far from being exaggerated, do not tell
the whole truth.
Jefferson is the center from which
most of the trade, travel and lawlessness
of Eastern Texas r;tdiates, ana at this.
point or its vicinity there should be sta
toned regiment of troops. The receut
murderat Jefferson of Hon. G. w. Smith,
delegate to the Constitutional Conven-
ton, has made it Necessary to order more
troops to that point.
This movement weakenS the frontier
posts to such an extent as to impair their
for protection against the
Indians, but the bold, wholesale MUIR
,lering in the interior of the State, seems
at present to present a more urgent de-
mand for troops than India;. depreda-
tions. HI it-t ltt iitl
The frontier troops should. however,
lac reinforcedif possible, as it is improba
iiIe that the Indians from the Northwest,
after having suffered defeat there, will
make heavy incursions into Texas j
70 restore measurable peace and quiet
to Texas, will require long time, that
troops be stationed at many county seats
until by their presence, and aid if neces-
sary, the civil law can be placed in the
hands of reliable officers and erecuted.-
This will be the work of years, and will
be fully accomplished only by an in
creased population.
am, General, very respectfully
Your obedient servant,
J. J. REYNOLDS,
Brevet Major General United States
rmy Commanding