Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-07-29
K. K. K.
Return OF the Sub.kuklux Committee.
SOUTH CAROLINA HORRORS.
Terrible Condition Of Affairs in that State.
BfeeE and White Republicans Whipped,
.HstHafed, and Brsfaffy .HsrdsreS-
Shocking "Details of atrocities
6y the Askiar lss-Ths
MIX Pitcher .lssastt at
x6rErfffs.
K. K. K.

The b-Kuklux Committee, consisting Of
| Senator Scott and Representatives Stevenson
| and Van Trump, reached Washington to-da,
at II O'Clock m, returning from a sojourn of foul
weeks IN various parts of South Carolina, wher,
l they have been investigating the kukIux out.
RACES on the spots where they occurred. They
first visited the capital, Columbia. More than 1
l hundred refugees, who had lied from violence In
various counties, were there, but after exam
| lining witnesses for two days the committee de
l termlned TO 90 closer to the scenes of alleged
| violence and went to Spartanburg. They ex-
| pected TO remain there three or four DAYS. bui
stayed eleven. When word got out through
Spartanburg county that they were there the
| whites and negroes, victims of violence, came
| in by scores every day from all directions.
MURDERS AND CRUEL wHIPPINGs
| by the kukiux bands had 80 terri hed them that
| in many neighbOrhOods nearly every negro mar
l and republican white man had slept in the woods
for months every night They showed scarifed
l backs, gun-shot wounds, manned ears and other
| proofs of the violence they had suffered.
In Limestone Springs township liS cases of
whipping were proved. The committee awoke
every morning to find in the yard by the hotel n
new crowd of victims OF kuklux, Some inclu-
ding whites, had suffered
/ oUTRAGEs WHICH CANNOT BE DEsCRrBrp
WIN decency. After being whipped, the VIC
times, if well known persons, were often com
manded, under pain of death, to publish a card
renounclng the republican party In a file of
tne 7" south Carolina Spartan" the democratic
newspaper, forty-two such cards were found
recently published.
AT Unionvile the committee stayed two days.
Not an avowed white republican was found in
the place, though members of the committee
were privately assured by a few that they would
avow themselves IL protected. The terror of the
negroes here is complete. The last election was
carried by republican majority, but the re-
publican county officers received kuklux notices
and all resigned fed. The policy there has
been more towards murder and less towards
whipping.
| THE KILLING OF TEN NEGROES,
taken from the Jail by several hundred kuklux,
acting under military organization. was inyesti-
gated. A prominent lawyer of the place, a
democrat, on cross-examfnation startled the
committee by stating that he believed almost
every respectable unmarried young man in the
community belonged to the kuklux.
SHOCKING MURDER OF CoLoRED PREACHER
Il negro Methodist preacher, named Lewis
Thompson, who had an appointment June 10th
AT Goshen mn Church, in Union county, re-
ce1ved kuklux notice in the usual form not to
l preach. He preached notwithstanding to a very
lew, most OF the congregation fleeing when they
saw the notice. In the evening clan of twenty
mounted kuklux came, tied him and whipped
him, led him off several miles, dragging him
part OF the way, tied to the horses, whipped him
again until near death, mutilated him in a way
that cannot with propristy be described. hung
him, and threw the body into Tiger river, leaye
ing notice forbidding any one to bury him
Be1ore the committee returned, Senator Scott
sent Ihompson's brother, now a refugee from
Columbia, TO Union county with a letter to en-
sure him strong guard OF Z. s. cavalry to 20
ana Dnry sne the body, which was reported to be
Two more days were spent in examining wit
nesses in Columbia on returning from Spartan
burg. One day was occupied in hearing the
statements and general views of Gen. Wade
Hampton and Gen. Butler, democratic candi-
date Tor Governor last fall.
THE ASSAULT ON THE COMMITTEE AT YORK
VILE.
The committee then visited York comfy
where they remained nearly a week. They dis
covered at Norkviile bitter spirit among the
white citizens. AT supper, at the hotel on the
| their
threw pitcher of milk over Hon. A. S. Wallace
the Representative OF the district, and Hon j
Il. stevenson, of the committee. They were just
seating themselves at the table, and not word
had been SPOKEN. Mr. Wallace ierked out a re-
Volver, and raised it to shoot Berry the ladies
screaming, but the landlord threw himself before
Berry, and Dir. Stevenson coolly caught Wal
laces hand ana ordered the landlord TO take that
man out OF the room. Half q dozen friends
gathered around Berry, and he went out. In the
course OF an hour several citizens of prominence
cailedto apologize in the amplest manner ON be-
half OF Berry, who was willing to 60 on his knees
II required, for what he alleged was an uninten-
uonal arront TO MIR. Stevenson. Ii was subs.a-
quently ascertained that the business had been
discussed by Berry and his friends during the
afternoon before it was carried out-that Berry
concluded on milk
The colored band se-enaded the committee
later IN the evening A crowd of young white
the band, frequently
cuRsING THE NEGROES AND THE YANKEES
In an insulting manner. As the band went away
the crowd followed, and nearly filed the side
walk. The band and those with il, negroes
were kept by two village policemen from the
sidewalk. One negro was thrust OF by q police
him. The negro and two men who were close
by say the negro struggled to get away from the
gIlp OF the police man, who seized, cursed and
struck him, but that the negro did not strike
As he pulled away the policeman fired an the
negro, and continued firing until he had inflicted
nve wounds; The man was still living when the
committee left. The testimony taken suhse-
quently showed that both policemen and the
mayor or intendant were members of the kuklux
No one was arrested. (.
The community in York county was foupd IN
be IN almost utter
, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIBERALIZATION
the CIVIL authority being useless farce and a
moekery OF the victims of the kuklux clans
Col. Merrill, in command Of a small force sta
TONED there, an officer of high character and
great energy, laid before the committee the de-
iais OF sixty-eight cases of outrage which he had
IhNesugated-Some OF them most revolving and
Horrible 1t was found impossible for the com
mittee to examine more than a small part OF the
CROWDS OF whipped, manned, or terror-stricken
wretehes who Hooked in upon hearing of their
coming When the committee adjourned the
building in which they had sat was filled-stairs
mans, and porches-with those waiting to be
heard. The usual course pursued on arriving at
place was to 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 prominent law
forth the e
THE DEMOCRATIC VIEW OF AFFAIRS,
giving their opinions on the relations of the two
races, the inefhciency and corruption of the
State government and the feeling Of the Whit
White people towards the general government
They always said they had heard OF the kuklux
but never saw one; generally they seemed 20 re-
gard them as Kind OF vigilance committee or
irregular local police; did not consider them I'M
DER general organization, but simply 70 repress
outbreaks. The majority then called thos,, who
had seen and felt the kuklux. The oaths, forms
al proceeding in clan councils, and modes OF
operation when riding on raids were fully Cieyel-
oped Scores OF men whom the proof showed
10 be kukluN were examined, all of whom er-
eept few whose disclosures were full and i'm
portant, denied any knowledge Whatever. OF
kukluk One who was shown to have been i'm
several crnel outrages, swore that he had never
heard OF the existence If kuklux in his life
Judge Van Trump subjected all the witnesses
called by the majority to the most searching
cross examination
LOVE AND SUIcIDH.-A Sister Of a .Ses Fran
CISCO Theatrical Cele5rity.-Last night a we'll
q. dressed and beautiful young woman walked into
the West Thrtieth street police station, and
placing an empty bottle labelled siaudarfurn''
on the desk, informed seIgt. Wash Mullins
who Qufv a had A.