Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-02-24

III the WOODS. i only aLLonOe0 three meet
ings. Never wore DISCUSSES, nor never saw
any. Don't know OF any other meetings
being held in Alamance. After attending
the meetings three times disapproved of
the order, and never attended any more.
I was not afraid to break from it. / don't
recollect what was said particularly at
either the first, second or tn I'd meeting
Don't know that we were called together
for any particular purpose. The only OBJ
iect of the organization that ever heard
was to protect ourselves against barn-burn-
ers and thieves. We were to try and as
sist each other in finding out who did
these things. and to report them to jus
tice of the Peace. I never reported any
one. don't know that it was part OF the
object to whip. don't know of any per-
son being chastised in Alamance. [ live
six miles from Graham. / had no know
ledge that any camp decreed Outlaw S
| death. [ was at home the night he was
killed. Sunday morning after l was at
church, and there heard he was hung
Did not go to Graham that day. / live
one mile from where Puryear's body was
! found. Found in DIR. Wilson's mill pond.
| DIR. Wilson's residence is one milo from
his pond. I was one of the jury of inquest
summond when his body was found We
went down to the pond and took it out OF
the water. It was in a very bad condition.
Had O very large rock tied to the feet.
Puryear had been dead almost two months.
Lived about half mile from the pond.
Re:examined by Mr.. Merrimon.
Col. Clark wrote the paper [ signed.
He was not my counsel, nor would he have
been, had / exercised my choice. Douglas
asked me to say 1 was not hung up. He
asked me to sign a paper stating that l
was not drawn up, but [ declined. The
paper { did sign, was told, said / was
hung up.
George 8. Rogers called and testified. -
Questioned by Mr.. Merrimon:
am twenty years of age f; live three
miles from Graham, in Aiamnnce county.
] saw troops in Graham on the Goth OF
July. That day l went to Graham. While
| sitting in store | saw squad OF armed
men eight in number, two of whom were
colored--all armed with muskes and
pistols. All but one of the negroes We're
uniformed. Alex. Ruffin, coloreti, came
to the store door and asked if [ was there.
l answered that I was. He then went
back to the squad and told them. They
returned. and Hunneycutt told me to con
slider myself under arrest, and to go with
them in the country apiece. l asked his
authority for arreSting me. He said 1T was
by the orders of Bergen and the Governor.
L rode about thirty miles that day, and
then went to the camp, at Company Shops.
The next day Bergen called me to his
tent and asked me about hanging Outlaw.
I told him did not know anything about
it. He said / was a id lie. He then
said that I knew 'Dolph Moore put the
rope around his neck. denied it, and he
again said I was a id lie. Told me to
go tony tent, and he would give me until
10 o'clock at night to make a full confes-
sion. At that hour 1 was again called to
his tent, and asked to confess all about
Outlaws death. said l knew nothing
aboat it. He said I know that yOu are
one of the party who hung him, Moore
and Hunter are others. Patton conld not
tell anything until he was hung. He then
called for a rope and pistol Put the rope
around my neck and carried me about 1OC
yards into the woods; guard, armed, went
with US. Threw the rope over limb, and
pulled it up tight, though did not lift me
off the ground, and held it so for minute
or a minute and half. Let me down and
told rue to confess. I said knew moth
ing. He then threatened to shoot me-
Pulled me up again and let me down.
Then took the rope off my neck, remark
| ing that he believed / was telling the truth,
and he would do all he could to release
me. 1 remained in camp until Sd day OF
| August. when was carried to Yanceyvillc
| with other prisoners. Remained in Yam
ceyville until all were brought back to
| Shops. / was then carried TO Salisbury,
before Judge Brooks, who released me,
there being no evidence offered against
me. Bergen said he hung Patton three
times, the last time until he was dead.
| The organization was for the purpose OF
protecting ourselves-the members to as
sist each other in putting down such out
RACES as barn burning, rape, &c.
Jerry H. Albright called and testified
| Questioned by Mr.. Merrimon.
! am % years of age, and live 81 miles
west of Graham. / was at Barbara BasOn's s.
threshing wheat. Some thirty men came
after me, and surrounded Mrs. Bason's
house and called for me. Came about II
o'clock at night Called for that &C
id Albright, and said if I did not come
down at once they would put the house il
ashes told them l would come as soon
as put or my clothes. D-n clothes
come down." one Of the negroes said.
came down and made myself known. Two
negroes pointed guns at me, another drew
a pistol on me. all cureing me violently
Another negro said, "weve got him, d-1
him, give me rope. There not being {
rope he took gun strap and tied me, ant
said he was going to hang me. Mrs. Ba
son then put her head out of her window
and asked them please not to hang me il
the yard, but take me off somewhere else
| They cursed her and said she Ought to bt
hung for having such a ID rascal in hel
house. These were negroes talking and act
ing so. They said they were ordered to tak'
me, dead or alive. They asked me for my
pistol. told tram I did not have ONE
They said they we're ordered by the Gov
ernor to put me and nay pistol in DO,
and send to him. They marched me, tied
three or four miles, and said if [ made one
step out of the way they would shoot me
down. They had other prisoners. Saic
that the other prisoners had acted like
gentlemen and they would treat them a.
such, but would treat me as id rascal
Alfred Barnhill had shot gun, showed
it to me. saying. ''we have got the King Q
the Ku-Klux, here is his gun. 1t is load
ed, and if you O do not behave. you q
will get the load" / was carried from the
Shop to Ianceyyille and back to Graham
| While in the Court House at Graham
saw soldiers go to the Jail with Mr.. Tur-
ner, Weeden, &c. I was discharged OF
the oath of August. At Graham, while VI
were there in the Court House, the sol
diers threw rocks in tho windows at pris-
oners, and one threatened 10 shoot A. q