The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1868-05-12

t1e formation Or new bapd. ls that II the pefaun
soieetoa fof intlssien refuse ans n the oaths. 3
faltaf ii their devotion T. io TIE esasc thoy ar
80 le tsael "a ~ gse THE il the reason w.
two brothers are always sbu4 together. and tai,
bat tive fos Initiation az frst. And they arr roaur
"a % be unaruea ehie ihe osths sre proposed
Al no time arr tFo persons Initiated A. thc sam.
place, egen when the band numbers afly or
hararea rherg is ba one fato for ans one VII,
refuses tie oaths. He r. never soou again. tn,
BROTHERS of the sonihom Croas yiail an bin IA,
reward u traitors death
THKK.EK
The order on society commonly known A. ih,
ku klux Khan has no such name among ia mem.
bers, That is au approximation in lettera and
sound 10 The challenge signal of the order Foi
instance when a brother approaches tbc spot
where a baud is assembled the sontlnels always
concealed challenge him by bringing their rifles
to full ccek. That oppcFatian. a. every one
knows, produces two sos-ds or clicks, one vhon
the hammer reaches the half cock, aud the other
when It reaches tho full cock These sounds OF
clicks are represented by ''Ku Kluxv The Khan
is the sound Of the hammer on the nipple af the
piece when The trigger is pulled and the hammer
snapped. Bringing the piece 10 full cock il the
challenge, and the answer is given by the ehal-
lenged party full-coeking his piece and Instant
y pulling the trigger, swapping the hammer,
The secicty really has 40 name II is never
spoken 81 by its members among themselves, as
the Ku Klux Khan, or by any other name. The
three emblems the Cross the Crescent, and the
Lone Star arc used in the oaths u initiation, aud
to bring The companies together; but they do not
either single or together give the order any name
recognized among its members as the proper dis-
tinctive designation Of tho association.
The order has no criltea records. Not line
viii ever be found Of the official records Of the so
eiety, for ii has none, No muster rolls can be
produced, for there are none. No orders or COM
mumcatons are ever written, but on the contrary
everything Of tho kind is strictly prohibited The
brothers work in silence and IN darknessl There
are no witnesses against them but human witness
SOS, who are always liable to their vengeance AZ
traitorsl No tell-tale paper-and-ink witness will
ever appear against them by their own acts
At the meetings Of the largest companies the
brothers always appear with their faces partially
covered II the meeting Is on building Of any
kind, there is nevera light to show the faces Of
those assembled; and If there be fire the broth.
ers keep away from its light as much as possible.
Always, when practicable the meetings are held
in some wilderness, and no meeting is ventured
upon for any general busnes that requires the
presence Of more men than might accidentally
meet, without the utmost precaution In the way
Of sentinels, etc.
The organization includes fully-oficored com.
panies, regiments and brigades. OF course every
brother knows the officer OF his own company,
but that il all he is supposed 10 know The COM
mander Of the company knows where his ordors
come from, and that is all he il expected to know
The matter is never discussed but every one un
derstands that the officers are men Who have
seen service in the late var, and qualified for
their positions When new company II organ.
lied, its officers are appointed by the commander Of
the regiment to which it is to belong, and the or
der Of appointment is transmitted through the
captain Of neighboring company, who details
men 10 organize the new one.
The orders for my company knew came from
Columbus, and that Of course, was the headquar-
tors Of the regiment to which ! belonged. nov
er knew the name Of our colonel, but he was an
old brigade commander in Longstreet's corps.
MODE or REoodsIIIoS.
When brother desires to ascertain whether
stranger belongs regularly to the order, ho must
not pursue the inquiry in the presence Of others.
Engaging the stranger In conversation, the broth
or finally says
81 reckon you're true Southerner 2"
II the stranger answers directly, "Yos," the
brother continues
MAY be, then, you've been tested2"
The word 'tested" refers to the initiation Of the
order. If the stranger Ia also brother, he re-
plies:
II know what Is the work Of Silence and Dark
ness"
The brother then with tho right hand makes
the sign Of recognition, as given in the illustra-
ton, and tho other responds by repeating the
notion and bringing tho forefinger and thumb /
together, the whole representing the hammer Of
gun as it is cooked and snapped
The brothers are cautious against the use Of
hese signs without cause, and no one is allowed
% seek out members by the above means, merely
'or the qualification Of curiosity.
The sign Of the Crescent is used for sumnoning
meetings of tho companies at irregular times, and
ghen business Of importance is to he attended to
It once. In towns and hamlets this sign il made
80 that it is likely to be seen, on
ence, sketched with stick on a walk and some
lines leaves torn IN two, 70 that the halves re-
,omble crude creseents, are dropped about where
hey viii attract the attention Of the brothers,
while no one else viii notice them
II must be understood that the companies ney-
= meet 70 discuss any proposition. That Is done
without general meeting, which i only called
when some initiation Is 10 take place, Or when
one action requiring the whole or part of the
,and has been decided upon.
A general rallying cry is provided for cases 0f
Emergency, a. for instance, II party Of brothers
we're engaged in any expedition, and should en-
ounter such resistance a. 70 make aid necessary
heery is '.The Gross The Cross The Crossl"I
never knew this cry b be used, but when the
i5ae comes for active aud extended operations 10
itlos, It viii be
THu WORK DONE
Ia the code Of the Brothers of the Southern
ross, every loyal southernor Is traitor, and ey-
~ loyal Aaftherncr il bora enemy. The com
iAGd il 70 "sHlite every vulnerable point, aud
nough i pub8sbed every week to show that ''gui-
cradle points are found every day. when the
rotAers pat an enemy out of the vRy. Details
g made from tho companies Shen The death Of
ny person has been decided on The precise
mo fyF the act Il never given with th4 order Z