Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-03-10

was little dubious of them-they GER
tainly wero skeery looking things. They
treated me very respectful-just like gen
Clemen.
DR.. John A. Moore a witness on behalf
of respondent, testified:
| reside at the Company Shops, in Ala.
nance county. am physician. Was
Conservative member of the last Genera,
Assembly. I knew Cnrliss. Re was
teacher Of colored school at the Shops.
got home one Saturday night during the
session of the Legislature. Had not been
in bed longjbefore heard noise. I look
ed out, and saw a white object going by
my gate. 1 got up, dressed and walked
out, but saw or heard nothing more. The
next morning was called to dress Corliss'
wounds. He was whipped very badly
He left there about two weeks afterwards.
L was member of the White Brotherhood.
did not know, until tie revelations last
summer, that there were twenty FIVE mem
bers in the county. joined in a small
shop, near my house. John Dixon initia-
ted me.
[ was in Graham on one occasion to at
tend a sick child of Col. VIM. Albright
It was the 9Th of January, 1870. had Just
stepped into Mr.. James Hunters store.
when Mr.. James e. Boyd called me from
scross the street; L went over. He asked
me if had heard the news. asked what
news. He said the ku Klux were going to
suspend Shoffuer's writ Of 'habeQs corpus
that highs. I said it would never do it
must be stopped. He asked me if I would
undertake to stop it. l said / would. and
he told me they (the X. X. wonld assem-
bic at Gilbreth's bridge Ha said he was
going to Greensboro, to be ont OF the
county. Boyd told me to so to Mr.. James
Bradshaw's and get him to go with me.
then went 10 the Shops, and towards dusl
I started to the bridge. II was a very
cold night. ] went to Bradshaw's, saw
him, and told him what I wanted, and he
said he would assist me. and have il
stopped. l went Oh then Some five
miles from the bridge, and there
met some five or six men-coming from
the direction of Newland's factory. [ ask
ed them if they were going to the bridge.
They said zee. said it won't worth while,
that Shoffner womb at home. One said
that they mad ridden thirty or forty miles
to take part in the matter and did not like
being disappointed. Said if deceived
them they W, uld get after me- None Of
them disguised. All strangers TO NE. L did
not know any of them. / did not wantto
know them, because / was afraid might
be called upon to testify against them,
and I did not want 10 know them.
1 don't rccollect, the obligation. 1t was
the Order to keep the colored people from
enjoying all their rights under the Jaws
[ understood that, when violations of the
law took place, stealing, &C., and the
courts failed to punish them, the Order
was to take all such in hand. L under
stood it to be nothing more than vigi
lance committee.
The witLess was here asked about Bis
! testimony last Summer, in which he said
| hat b
Hedspeth, in the crowd who were on then
way to kill Shoffner.
| He said: I wanted to make an eZplana
ton upon that point last summer before
the Supreme Court, aud was refused. |
will do SO now. When I arrived at MIR.
Bradshaw's that evening. | asked HIM out
10 the gate. He told me he had some
friends in the house who had just come on
a fox hunt. [ walked III, and there found
Mr.. Strudwick and Mr.. Hedspeth. That is
what L intended to have said last summer.
] did not know one of the party met on
the road. When left Mr.. B g., he &C
companied me 10 the gate, and then it
was told him my business, aud he eaid
it must and should be stopped. Snoffuer
was Senator. He lett as soon as The legis-
ture adorned, for Indiana. John Fro!-
liuger was chief Of my camp. jacob Long
chief OF the county. The witness then
mentioned the names OF several who Wero
members of the Order.
1t was not pant OF the Order to over
throw the State or Federal governments,
or in any way t. disturb inc colored PEG
pie in the enjoyment OF their political aud
civil rights under the laws. Nor WIS it q
part for members to get on juries and give
false verdictS, or swear falsely, IN favor Of
members I am generally acquainted with
the people of the county. and the feelings
between both races were friendly. I never
knew of any colOred people being dis
charged, or refused employ ment on &C
count of politics. L know of some white
people. A number of men were turned of
from employment on the N. q. Il. r., be
cause they were Conservatives.
Jacob Whitesell, witness for respond
ent, testified to having been a member OF
? the White Brotherhood, attended several
: meetings, and Was in the crowd who
, whipped Bill Long and Carter CoTsey. col
ored. The object of the order was to pun
ish offenders against the laws, where the
Courts did not. Long and CorSey were
whipped for stealing.
Daniel Whitesell, q witness for the res
! pondent, testified to having been men-
Der of the White Brotherhood, attended
| several meetings, and was on the raid'
, when Daniel Jordan rnd Bill Long, bot
colored, were whipped. Tie object was t.
; put down stealing. and barn-burHing. -
i Both whipped for stealing.