The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-05-09
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THE X UkLUX KHAN.
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THE kUkLUX KHAN.
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tian Dizriesrd.
For several months past We have had iniorma.
lion u the exlslenee of clan ofassassins, bound
together BY fearful oaths 10 drive from the Stair
all Union men and snftanchlsed colored men who
dare exercise their right 10 vote the Union ticket.
We have heretofore been Inclined 70 the opinion
that such an organization existed principally In
The imaginaiions Of our eolored population.
samor was rife that den Of this "klsn" had
been set up In our city, and The Conservative
journals 10 our midst have been daily Publishing
mystical aud botnbasiic notices purporting 10 be
orders from their "Grand Cyclops."
Several prominent citissns have had notices
iha, IL they consulted their safety they mus, leave
the State Immediately. Still we irratsd the whole
Thing ~ "myth"-a sort OF "rnlg-hsad and
bto'~y toHs'," gotten up 10 frighten iimid people
Some time sinCe, however, Colonel Beaumont
fefreiei out den Of real, live Kukluxers and ar
rested the whole party, nineteen In number, seE-
ri the records containing their constitution and
oath, furm Of initiation, &c. A human skull was
also found In the den. This high-handed and
outrageous condue; on the part Of Col. Beau
moni-this most dangerous infringement upon
the 'csasiiisfi0Hsi rghts' Of eitixens-drew forth
a characteristic howl from the Conservative press
Of our city. The local editor Of The Appeal drew
thf 'FoustttuNOu anu laws upon tut Oot0uei, Wutio
the iridHehs asserted Colonel Beaumont ought
10 he mSrfyedg' II was claimed that this was
- hise TALL ;lub-thrn q glee club-and lastly,
to arrunni for the skull captured by the c0loncl,
that II ass n chronological class, composed Of
icsls' table young gentlemen.
l'n' thee nice yOung men, justly ferling that
they ~Ofc under cloud, issued card explain
ing their original purpose, and accusing Jack
Campbell, late local editor OF the Araisachs, as
having Joined their association Tor the purpose
OF heirR!i Ing them into the hands Of the police.
This. OF course. called forth an explanation
from the aforesaid Grand Cyclops," which, by
his request, We publish Ia another column.
The Developments made In this communication
are indeed startling. its statements are 90 direct
and cirrutns,nniinl that We cannot dscrcdit them.
And now this inurderous, diaboical organization
stands before the couniry unmasked In all iis
hellish dsformiIy.
cAMraELLs CARD.
The following is the card above referred 10
EiuoTs BaiioiiH-I.ying 10 my sick bed on
Sunday morning last, was not little astonish.
Ell 10 see In the columns Of the iraianehs an art-
Gle eniiicd "Ah Explanation signed by mum.
Der OF young tneu who had been arrested on the
previous Monday as members Of the ku Kiux
klan by the metropolitan police, under the lea
drrsi.ip Of Colonel Beaumont. In self defenee,
Mr.. Editor, have TO lay before the public the
facts of my connection with this organization,
and shall do so as briefly as possible. The char.
ges made against me personally In the article are
all singularly and collectively lies, and ! now
pruposr, through the medium Of your columns,
." give to the public the whole history Of my
connection With the affair. Some three or four
weeks ago ], along with party Of friends, hap
rened into saloon, and while waiting for the
''refreshmenis," one Of oar number observed
Ilaearded 10 the oar-rOOm the word '.rhx."'
Some one said that II was q X. X. X. sign. I
remarked wished knew Il to be 80, as "Want-
ed some ofit."-There the conversation dropped.
few minutes after We went out Of the saloon,
MI. A. G. Ferguson stepped up TO me and said
Jack, do you want 10 find the kuklux p !
immediately answered yes. lie then said "iieel
me at eight o'clock on Thursday night, and
ton occurred on Tuesday night. met him on
Thursday according to appointment, and be e.
coricd me 10 the corner Of fernando and Beal
streets, when and where Mr. 7. L. Risk sWore
me into what then believed, and what its men,
bers gave II out TO be, q kuklux den. A fact !
do know, that the oath administered by Mr.. Risk,
although not 40 much Of an iron-clAd e the last
one adopted was, 10 all inienss and purposes, as
and - binding. when these gen
uemen say that made any effort 70 turn their
"Glre Club into political society they lie, for
from my 6rst Introduction into 4 it was one.
They say they had no constitution and by-lAws
Admitted but they had rules OF governance, the
oath, and list Of members safely locked In safe
not hundred miles from Madison street. could
give the name, aud would, aid think he had
anything TO do with the ''sxplanAtion." Al The
meeting at which was sworn 10, . acommi,tse OF
two was appointed 10 draft constitution, oath.
manner Of initiation, &c. That commitiee con.
sisted OF G. Ferguson and myself and the
document seized BY Col. Beaumont, although en-.
tiFely In my handwriting was our joint produc-
ticn, was adopted without dissenting voice and
each and every member swore 10 Il, except per.
haps one or two who were absent from the city.
Amer the adoption Of this document ! was nom
mated for "Cyclops," and twice declined alledg-
ing as a reason that was not the man for The
place-that was too impulsive aud rssh--and
recommending that the old Organization should
be eon,inued until We could ge, in'e our ranks
some cool, clear.headed man whom We all could
trust. told them they might feel satisfied iu
trusting me, but could not trust my own dis
creiion. They elected me, and wassworn 10.
The next move made was motion that com.
mittee Of 1--WE on "dssassinafion'' should be ap-
pointed. lopposed this ct the time, as did all
the older members OF the association, considering
aud the committee actually appointed, reduced
however, to three, Of which was the chairman
] placed myself on the committee, as told them,
for the purpose Of controlling and directing them,
rs finally succceded In doing, and TO my pres
ence on that committee may be ascribcd the fact
that a somewhat notorious county official 10 now
sleeping with his fathers. DO the members OF
this assassination" committee wish their names
published DO they wish the number and names
OF the candidates voted for 10 be assassinated
published II they do, all they have 10 do 70 10
say so. In fact, as they have violated their oalhs
aud undertook 10 brand me No o traitor, I am
prepared, u necessary, In seldefence, 10 lay bare
10 the public gaze facts and figures, names and
dates, which would send thrill through the
length and breadth Of this land. have The re-
cords in full Of the transactions Of the concern
since became identified With Il. The charge
that Colonel Beaumont and myself were In collu-
sion Is simply preposterous, for the blows have
struck him through the columns Of the Asalsnsls
were too honest aud came too straight from the
shoulder for hin 10 forget them 80 soon. might
as well DC accused o' collusion with Judge Hun
ter 10 send Colonel Galloway to JAIL In this cen
ucclion. however, as a matter Of justice, ! would
publicly call upon Colonel beaumont 10 tsil how
he succeeded IN fcrreiing US out. ! know Il u
asking good deal hut the charge Of c-s rsion
has been made against me, aud bis evidence IL
not undesirable. That this was Ku Klux den
do no, know--ii claimed 10 be one. itwAs, at
all events, an association Of men banded together
for the purpose Of carrying out the obligailonsof
the oath-(whieh has alrrndy been published),
aud that was, u necessary assassinati ation-befofe
| joined II. One Circumstance had almost for.
got 10 mention, aud that was that Just before the
last meeting, about eight or ten OF us agreed 20
withdraw from the concern, not iesiing safe Ia
trusting the material which composed q. When
these men charge the With acting a. the stool
pigeon" Of Colonel Beaumont, or any other he In
Msy iie-individually and collec-
lively. Had they been ~ true 10 themselves as !
was TO them they would not now stand before
the community As Pe.jHr0s. ! use this language
understanding lis full meaning andf tell them
herr that, dssdssiRats me they may, but laiimi-
aEawa
scapegoat 10 beAr lhIer sins into the desert. I
stood up for them before Beaumont, and dsuounc.
Cd TO bis face his act ~ that Of tyrant, unwar.
ranted by law or right, and protested against
them giving their addresses, when not one O
them bad the manhood 10 call their souls their
own and he threatened to Sud me 10 q cell icr
u. have done with them. This explanation
is made more In sorrow than In anger for the
real, genuine Kuklux Khan, ~ ] understand iis
nhiecia hna no halter fIianh In the cnlanlrN than