Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-09-23
NEGRO KU-KLUX,

Horrible Murders in South Carolina
Two Men AssasSinated by ku'
KIux.
On yesterday afternoon gentleman
from Barnwell county, South Carolina,
arrived in this city, bringing intelligence
of two horrible murders which had been
committed in that county during the night
previous. From this gentiemau's story 1t
appears that on last Monday night, about
half past seven o'clock, two colored des-
peradoes, named Lewis McCreery, and
Juba johnson, and armed TO the teeth,
visited the house of negro man living
near Windsor, station on the South Car
DINA Railroad, in Barnwell county, and
distant about twenty five miles from this
city. Stopping short distance from the
cabin they called the inmate by name and
asked him to come out as they wished to
see him on business. Either from fear
4 that foul play was intended, or from ha
INbitual caution, the negro when he came
from his house brought his gun along with
him. As soon as he came TO where Nc
Creery and johnson were standing they
engaged him in conversation, and one of
them asked permission to examine the
fire-arm. Without waiting for reply,
he snatched the gun away, and the two
assassins commenced firing upon the vic
tim with their revOlvers. He must have
been MORALLY wounded or killed by the
first two OF three shots, but the ruffians
continued firing until no less than four
teen shots had pierced his body.
Leaving the body of the murdered
man where it fell, the colored Thugs re-
sumed their march, and about ten o'clock
at night they arrived near the house of a
white man living few miles from the
house of the negro whom they had
killed. Here their murderOus tactics were
repeated, but with less success than in the
first instance. Hailing as before, they
called the man out and asked him to give
them chew of tobacco. Almost imme-
diately they fired upon him, but fortunate
ly their aim was defective, and the man
was only wounded, not killed. He mau-
aged 10 retreat into his house, and, barri-
cading it, armed himself and set the ruff
fans at defiance. DeemIng it unwise to
2 continue the attack, the Thugs retreated
and sought blOOdshed in another quarter.
AT about half-past eleven or twelve
o'clock, the ass6ssins halted In front of
the cabin of another negro some mil es
distant, and woke him up and called him
out of his house. As soon as he came
fairly into view they fired upon and killed
him, shooting him in several places. At
this house the ruffians seemed to have
become surfeited with blood, and deter
mined TO suspend their murderOus opera
tons Thy retreated in the direction of
the EdistO river, and nothing more, We
believe, has been seen of them.
In tie meantime, information OF the
first murder was circulated among the
people of the settlement in which il had
been committed, and strong and well
armed party of white men and negroes
organized and started in pursuit of the
Ku-KluX, thugs or assaSsins. Guided by
torch-lights, they succeeded in tracking
The villains from the house where the ne
gro was killed, until they came to the
residence of the white man whom they
had wounded. They found the white man
still entrenched in his house with his arms
by his side, ready for use, if another at
tack upon him should be threatened.
When he saw the posse approaching his
house, he thought his former assailants
had returned, and came near firing upon
one of the rarty-a Mr.. Burnett
before he could he convinced
tnat he was mistaken. From
this place the murderers were traced to
the house of the second negro who had
been killed, and from there the trail was
followed until the EdistO river was
reached. AT this point it was discovered
that the assassins had gone up the river
= l;-oo+inn of the Charlotte. CQlgm-
bia and Augusta railroad. While the
main body of the pursuers followed up
the trail through the country, one OF thelI
number-Mr. John a. Burnett-got on
the cars at the nearest station and came
to this city, that he might post our police
and have the negroes arrested If they
came 10 Augusta by railroad.
Lewis McCreery is described as large
heavy built and very black negro; Jubi
johnson is rather short and stout.
The negroes killed are said to have beer
quiet and harmless, and no cause for theI
death can be assigned, unless it was thu
result of private feud between them
selves and their murderers. AugtStc
CGdO Chronicle and Sentinel, Sep. q