The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1871-08-03
The Ku-klux MISUNDERSTANDING
ny of Generals A. Il Wright
and john R. Hordon.
WASHINGTON, July 3

WASHINGTON, July 20
General a. IT, Wright Vas before me
Ku-Klux Committee to-day. He said ne
was pEacticing awyer, and one OF the
editors of the Chr0n Gle ami !-fIatlnet, Au-
rusta, Ga. He further testified that the
peonle &c that State were peaceful and
iaw.abidinr. aud that the laws are as fully
enforced a. they were before the var.
Witness ssid his law practice extended to
ten couples, and from his personal obser-
walton and knowledge Of. the State he
could say the negroes enjoyed ali the
privileges in the courts accorded 10 whites
In fact. iaries seemed to lean little to-
ward the negroes, from the, apprehension
that they might be suspected OF doing IN
Justice to them. In reply to question
whether he knew Of white men having
committed ofienSes against negroes, he
replied that he prosecuted white man Tor
the murder of negro, and he was CON
yicted of manslaughteT and sentenced for
the full term allowed by the law. In the
same court, in the same county, white
man charged with the murder OF negro,
was found guilty and sentenced TO be
hanged the first Friday in September.
While these two trials were in progress,
twelve white citizens of Washing
ton County were arrested under
the Ku-Klux law, carried 1870 miles,
and tried by United States Commissioners
for assault and battery ON negroes. They
were kept in jail iOT several days, but on
Investigation before General SwayDc and
q caTpet. Dagger named Lee, they were ac
quilted. Witness said he had no reason
u believe there was any organized bandoi
huKlux in Georgia for political purposes,
nor had he ever heard of any. He, how
ever. knew of band of maurauders like
the Morrclls gang, that extended through
a portion of the counties Of the district III
which he lived, and two white men were
convicted in Washington County sus pected
OF belonging to the band. 4 man named
Noes. who killed anegrO, was found guilty
by military commission, but pardoned
by President Johnson. This same man,
not long ago, killed another person, was
tried, found guilty, and sentenced 10 be ex-
ecuted on August t. Governor Bullock
reprieved him, and his friends said in
order to have him pardoned it was nee s.
sarY to make some arrangements. In
answer to question as To the nature Of
the arrangements, witness replied that
they involved the raising OF IA sutfi-
Gent amount of money in fUrtheIauce
OF their designs. Having been asked
what effect disfranchisement under the
Fouteeath Amendment had ON the public
mind, witness replied it was a cause of
complaint among The people against the
Government. The people murmured be-
cause men heretofore accustomed to con-
duct public Offices were Kept out of office,
while those former slaves were now law
makers. If the disabilities of the people
were removed, and they were allowed to
select their best men for public offices,
there would be no cause of complaint
IGt Thp tJnVpTnmAHt The rIlatl1po
OF the white and black races were perfect
ly harmonious. The negroes had been
neither cheated nor swindled, but f.iriy
treated. Difficulties frequently arose. be
cause the negroes could not tell, in cal
cdidtlng shares of crops, whether One-tenth
or One-thlrd was the most Frequently
arbitrators were called IN to determine the
question for them. Witness having been
asked whether he knew of any persons
having been whipped by disguised per
sons, replied that a white man, named
Ferguson, was seized by band of ne
groes, stripped, and nearly whipped to
death by them. \ negro man was pros
ecuted for living in adultery with II
White woman. lie was tried and convicted
but pardOned by Governor Bullock. Ere
quent pardOns produced much mischief
a little while after the above named con-
viCtion, a white man was convicted for
living IN adultry with negro woman, but
through the efforts of Governor Bullock's
prosecuting officer the man was dis
charged on a technical defect in the pro-
ceedings, Citizens whipped a white man
aud woman who had been living in shame
There were no politics IN these occurrences
The people resorted to such punishments
because of mischicfs to society produced
by the indiscrimlnate pardonsof Governor
Bullock.