Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-18
CONTINUES REIGN OF TERROR.
Heinous Depredalions.

The indignities and losses of property to
which the citizens residing in the vicinity
of the Old Contraband Camp out on the
Franklin and Charlotte and Granny White /
turnpikes, have submitted and sustained at /
the hands of thieving, vicious and depraved |
negroes, are almost insuferable. These |
outrages have been systematically carried |
on and perpetrated ever since the war to a |
greater or less degree, but recently they |
have increased and become more high |
handed and atrocious. Emboldened from
the fact that no sort of protection has been
afforded the citizens, and no steps taken to
stop their nefarious deviltry. they COM
NIT every conceivable outrage with i'm
punity, both in open day and In the night
time. Within the locality of these vista
tons reside some of our best, stanchest
and most reliable citizens, who can of
themselves do nothing to prevent repeh-
tons of the disgraceful scenes. Their
hands are tied. They know that in their
feeble and unprotected condition if they
were to take the matter into their own
hands, or individually make themselves
conspicuous in the premises, their houses
would be burned over their heads, their
families be turned out into the pitless
storms of winter, or perhaps their lives be
taken in a moments warning. They have
suffered and endured until suffering is their
daily portion, and endurance is no longer a
virtue. There are several thousand Of these
depraved negroes, embracing all ages,
sizes, and sexes and conditions, who have
no occupation whatever, and who live en-
tirely upon what they seal and rob of the
white citizens. They are armed and banded
together, as they are making their boasts
through the neighborhood that their time
has come now. They hold meetings o.
nights-shout and yell, sing, dance, whoop
halloo and carouse, and fire their guns anC
pistols, making pandemonium with theil
hellish revelries. Hogs are shot down ant
cut into chunks and packed away for use
without the hair or hide being taken of
, | Fine COWS are butchered and skinned ant
the meat appropriated at will. Horses ar
taken from the stables and ridden of, tn
owners being powerless to prevent it. Dat
are taken from the stack, fodder from tn,
q barns and corn from the crib, to glut thei
hungry maws. Poultry is taken from tn
yards and chickens from the roosts, an
n their necks wrung to satisfy the thievin
q appe6tes of these monsters. All kinds {
vegetables are taken from the cellars an
3 beds where they had been stored for white
use and appropriated in a similar manner
:, Outhouses are torn to pieces for fuel, an
4 fences demolished for the same purpose
These enormities have been carried on S
n long, so persistently, and to such an exteI
; that the vicinity rs rapidly being denude
of stock of all kinds, while there is scarcel
a chicken left to crow for day. Farmln
utensils are absolutely carried off and d.
# strOyed, or otherwise appropriated. W
are assured by the most reliable cit
&c zens living in the locality that unles
! something be done to put a stop to thes
:, damaging depredations it viii be imposs
= BILE for them to remain there and that the
! will have to abandon their homes and see
p abodes elsewhere. These are citizens VII
- have borne with US all the calamities an
- misfortunes that have afflicted our State
- If protection by our laws be afforded {
our people at all, they are certainly entitle
to part of it. Can nothing be done fc
them? Is this state of things to continue
Are whole communities of good and uprigl
% citizens, with their homes, interests prC
al perty, and families to be given up to th
merciless capacities and midnight atrocitit
u of armed and threatening negroes without q
effort in their behalf or a step being take
toward their relief?
During the last few days these negrot
N have committed more excuses in the loca
ID tiles indicated than they have at any tim
le since the holidays, and have shown MOI
/ audacity than perhaps at any time previou
On Sunday night they tore hundreds
PANEL of fence, plank and rail, from Ii
enclosures of various parties, and appr'
d priated the same for fuel and for other pul
at poses Gardens and farm enclosures a.
N thus left unprotected, and everything lool
t discouraging for operations of the ensuir
Of spring. They also on Sunday night wei
E. to the store of Mrs. wainwright, who hi
been doing business in the vicinity f,
some years. They effected an entranC
through the window and carried of ever,
thing, not leaving a ribbon. The stoC
+ consisted of some $500 worth of goods al
81 comprised pretty much the lady's entil
{ property. Is there no remedy against tn
state of things? Is it in the power of Il
= authorities Legislative, conventional or othe
! wise to afford relief to thse citizens If s
Il let it be extended and extended speedily.