Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-04-21
A COLLEGE TRUSTEE XuKLuxEp.-

college, gives, in letter to Louisville
paper, the following account of kuklux
assault made upon him: On the 14th of
March | went with my wife and little
daughter to Fitchhurg in Estill county,
the seat of the Red River iron works, on
business. We were acquainted with
about dozen colored people, most of
whom had been students in Berea, and
two whites. On the 10Th, after attending
to my business, / visited my former &C.
quainlances. We took dinner with a
colore6 family, former residents of Berea
and toward night the woman rode out
with my wife, from the hotel where we
were stopping. AT night attended a
prayer-meeting at the colored church
the only church in the place-and as |
was returning, alone, was met by two
men, who, when they had passed me,
called out roughly, Hold on; you are
the man we want to see." | replied, 81
don't want to see you" and passed on.
They rushed up, crying, Surrender !
surrender" i ran, and they fred at me-
At the same time two or three other men
sprang from the roadside and fired. At
ter running about thirty steps in the
darkness | stumbled over pile of cind.
ers and fell. They had fred seven shots
and ceased, probably supposing had
been hit. Along the streets and at the
hotel | met crowds who had heard the
firing and thought it was an effort to rob
me. | retired without informing my wife
of the occurrence. About or 3 o'clock
we were awakened by confusion in front
of the hotel, and | heard voices calling.
"open the door" Hooked cautiously out
and saw by the light of the furnace fire
twenty or thirty men in line, some or all
with guns. Several were soon at our
door shaking it violently, and calling
"open the door; you shan't be hurt"
My wife said, "Oh, what shall we do"
" Pray" said / Jesus will take care
of me-" Knowing that resistance would
be worse than useless, | opened the door.
There stood the landlord with a light,
and half dozen men who seized me,
dragged me down stairs, and rushed me
barefoot over the cinders, the leader
shouting" Fallin, fleleft, doublequick."
Meantime the leader pounded me with
his fist, uttering the most terrible curses
and oaths. In reply to some threats of
theirs, | said: love Jesus and he will
take care of me-" "Yes," said they
" you Methodist hypocrite, you'll seehow
Jesus will take care of you when you are
hanging twenty feet high" said, "You
may hang me, but you cannot harm me"
About quarter of mile from town
they halted at large log. The leader
then seized me by the hair, another by
the feet and stretched me over the log,
and two strong men began to whip me
with large hickory whips. After they
had struck several times Il counted
blows they stopped for par
ley. Their only accusation against me
was that | was a northern man, with
northern principles that / associated
with "niggers," and had come to estab-
lish "nigger" school. l told them that
| was formerly from Michigan and held
northern principles, but had no intention
Of establishing colored school. They
said, =" You must give up your princi-
piles" Ireplied, Il cannot" "Then
we will whip them out Of YOU" "This,
said |, "you cannot do" Then we
will hang you" l said, This will not
kill my principles" They added doz-
en lashes, then took me to spring, and |
1t my request let me drink. They asked !
ne if | had family, and if | wished to |
write to them. said, eff | never hop
cd to see them again | would" The of
icers retired for consultation, and deter
mined to give me ten more lashes and an
lour to leave town. As my business was
lone, and we were expecting to 90 by
daylight, | promised to leave within the
line. Now, boys" they said, "give it
o him." folded my arms, and they
ave me ten lashes about the shoulders.
was very thankful that / could receive
he blows in new place. Having sworn
most awful vengeance if / should ever
eveal their names, they let me go. 1t
vas SO dark could not distinguish any
aces. While / was gone from the hotel
ny wife entreated in vain for some per-
on to follow after me. Though there
Tere twenty or thirty dodgers at the no.
ell, and many of the company's hands
within easy call, no one seemed inclined
o do anything about it.
- In Albany on Sunday night, the
1ev. MIR. Waters while preaching STOP