New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-31
THE XU-KLUX.
RETURN OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE FROM
SOUTH CAROLINA.

WASHINGTON, July 90.-The mb-Ku-Klux
Committee consisting Of Senator Scott and Representa-
tivts Stevenson and Van Trump, reached Washington
To-day returning from soourn OF four weeks In various
pars of South Caroline, where they have been inVes-
tgsuBg KuHluX ouuages on the spote where they oo-
cured.
They first visited the Capital Columbia. More than
100 refugees who had fed from violence IN various coun-
ties were there but after examining witnesses Tor TWO
days the Committee determined to so closer 70 'no
scenes OF alleged violence and went to spartahours
They expected to remain there three or four days. Du
STAYED eleven when word got out through
Fpartanrrg County that they were .hele'
The whites aud negroes, victims OF Nooneo
Fame IN by scores every day, from al ulreetVn9
Murders and cruel whippings by the ku-kIuh Danus ~
% teuiaod them that in many nelghDoInoous hoa
every negro man and Republican white man hau siep' ~
the woods for months every night. They showed scar
fcd backs ginshOt wounds, manned eaisO anu o'"'i
proofs Of the violence they had suffered
In Limestone Springs township lis cases OF whipping
were proved. The Committee awoke every morning -
find in the yard ny the hotel new crowd OF Vlc'9''
KIN Klux some including whites, who had sunereu QUIZ
,agcs which cannot be described with decency' Aiter
bong whipped the victims, II weknowh persons "oio
often commanded under pain Of DEATH to publish cara
renouucne the Republican Party. In file OF the south
Carolina Spartan the Democratic newspaper, lorty-t"o
such cards were found recently published
A, I1nioniUe the Committee remained two days. Not
an a,owed white Republican was found in the place,
though privately assured by few that they would avow
themselves protected The terror OF the negroes here
Be- ccmpicte The last election was carried by RepuD'
Lean majority but the Republican county officers re-
ccived KuKlux notices. and all resigned OF He'd The
r,y there has been toward murder and less to-
y,arl whipping The killing Of negroes, taken from
the ia by several hundred KuKlux acting under mill
rary organization investigated. prominent law
yor fthe place Mr. ShaId, Democrat, on crossexam-
nation. startled the Committee by stating that
he believed almost every respectable unmar-
rcd man in the community belonged TO the
ku-Klux aud he believed thousand Ku-
Hux we're within days march Of that village negro
Methodist preacher named Louis Thompson who had an
appointment June IL at Goshen Hill Church, IN Union
County received KuKlux notice. IN the form, not
preach He preached Notwithstanding TO very rev.
Of the congregation fleeing when they saw the no.
tce In the evenuga clan Of 20 mounted KuKlux came,
lied hun and whipped him, led him of several miles,
dragging him part the way tied TO the horses, whipped
him again until death, mutilated him in way
that cannot with proprioty he described, hanged
him and threw The body into the Tiger River,
leaving q notice forbidding any one TO bury him.
Before tho Committee returned, Senator Scott sent
Thompson's brother, now refugee from Columbia To
Union County, with letter to insure him strong guard
United states cavalry 10 60 and bury the body which
reported to DO sJn lying, half decomposed, on the
waters edge.
Two more days were spent in examining witnesses In
Columbia. On returning nom sparanburg one day was
occupied in hearing tho statements and general views OF
Gen Wade Hampton and Cen Butler, the Democratic
candidate for Governor last Fall
The Committee then visited York County where they
remained nearly week. They discovered at Yorkvine
bitter spirit among the white citizens. At supper at
the hotel on the evening Of their arrival Major James
Berry threw a pitcher Of milk over the Hon. A t.
Wallace the Representative OF the District ana the Hon.
J. E. Stevenson OF the Committee. They were just
seating themselves at the table, and not word had been
spoken Mr. wallace ierked out revolver and raised 1t
10 shoot Berrythe ladies screamingbut the landlord
threw himself before Berry and Mr., Stevenson cOOly
caught Waaces hand and ordered the landlord TO take
thai man Of the Half dozen friends gathered
around Berry, and he went out. In the course OF an
hour several citizens OF prominence called TO apologize
A. the amplest manner on behalf Of.Berry, VINO was
willing go his knees II required for what he alleged
As an uniuteDtonsl adront 10 Mr.. stevenson Ii was
subsequently asccraued that the business had been
discussed by Berry and his friends during the afternoon
Uwas 10 be carried out and that Berry had proposed to
\ u-e lot coffee. hut had finally decided on milk
The coored band -erenaded the Committee later in the
evening crowd Of Young white filed the porch OF
tn hotel ana were about the band frequently, cursing
fre heroes and tie Yankees in insulting manner AS
IN, band went away the crowd followed and nearly fill
ID The sidewalk The band and those with it negroes
were kept by two village policemen from the sidewalk
one negro was thrust OF by policeman who says the
negro resisted and struck him. The negro and two men
who were close By say tho negro struggled to get away
from the grip Of the policeman who SEIZED cursed ana
struck him. but that the negro did not strike AS he pull
I'd away the policeman fred at the negro, and continued
firing until he had inflicted five wounds. The man was
SIN living when the Committee LEFT. The testimony
taken showed that both policeman andMayor or Inten-
deute were members Of the Ku Klux No was arrest
ed
The community in York County was found to be in
almost utter social and political Generalization the civil
authores being useless farce and mockery Of the
IrTo col inn md az "a
small force stationed there officer of high character
and great energy laid before the Committee the details
of @ cases Of outrages which he had Investigated some
OF them most revolving and horrible IL was FOUND I'M
possible for the Committee TO examine more than small
mart OF the crowd. whipped manned, rterorstrcSen
wretches who 0Ckcd in upon hearing OF their coming
When the Committee adjourned, the building IN "meh
thew had sat was filed stairs halls and porehes with
those waiting 10 re hearl.
Tine usraJ course pursued on arriving at place. was
20 divide the time they expected TO remain between the
majority and the minority Of the Committee. Judge Van
Trump usually called Two or three OF the most prom
ent LAWYERS who each occupied several hours in setting
forth the Democratic view OF affairs, giving their opin-
ions On the relations OF the two races, the ineihclency
and corruption Of the state Government and the feeg
OF the white people toward the General Government
They ALWAYS said they had heard OF KuKlux but never
saw one Generally the Conservatives" seemed TO re-
gard the Ku-Klux as kind of Vigilance Committee, or
irregular local police did net consider them under
general organization, but simply to repress out
breaks The majority then called t9E tDoSs Sho bad
seen and feYt tie RIKdx. The baths, forms Of pro
ceedng in the Khan, councils, and modes Of operation
when riding raids, were fully developed. scores OF
men whom the proof showed to be Ku-KluK were exam
ined all Of whom, except few whose disclosures we're
full and important denied any knowledge whatever OF
Ru-Klux. One who was shown to have been in several
outrages swore he had heard of the existence
Of KuKlux in his life. Judge Van Trump subjected all
the witnesses called by the majority to the most search
ing crosse xaminatiOn.
The Ku-KluI Committee to-day adopted resolution
for the appointment of a subcommittee OF three mem
bers 10 hear the testimony OF few witnesses