The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-12-15
form meeting at Chester. There was a

form meeting at Chester. There was
big row.
Mr.. Oorbin hero objected to Che ad-
mission OF such testimony, as being
irrelevant.
Judge Bond said: Mr.. Stanberry, 1
don't see the relevancy of any of this
testimony, unless you mean 10 prove
that Ku Klux were at the meeting ard
created no disturbance, and thus reise a
presumption in their favor.
Mr. Stanberry-Msy it please your
Honors. we nre charged with having
formed general conspiracy to interfere
with and prevent the free exercise of the
elective franchise. We are. by this tes
timony, going to show that the parties
here indicted did not interfere or modest
any one in the exercise of that right,
either at the hustings or at the polls;
that, on the other hand. the only at
tempted interference was by the other
party-the negroes. We intend TO show
that the object OF this so-cailed oonspi-
raoy was to guard rights far more sacred
than the elective franchise; that there
were bands of negroes, armed with the
most improved guns, traversing the
country, creating o general feeling of
alarm and anxiety, aud threatening to
kill from the cradle to the grave, so that
the people had no other resource left
but to disarm them; and that the de.
fendant engaged in this so. .oaled conspi-
racy only for that purpose.
The court ruled the question inadmis-
sible.
Mr.. Moroso WAS cross. examined by
Mr.. Corbin. He said: did not see any
militia at Yorkville; / saw crowd OF
negroes around the place where the arms
were kept. There was great state OF
uneasiness pervadiDg the whole country,
on account OF the negro militia march
ing about, armed, through the country.
Judge Il. B. Carpenter was next called.
He snid: wus candidate for Governor
OF the State in tho fall of 1870; I visited
York and the surrounding Counties; I
think was there in the latter part OF
August or 1st Of September: it was after
the negro militia were organized and
armed; there was O general feeling oi
alarm in the country; the cause of it
was that the militia were marching abou,
armed throughout the country, aud that
a bnttle might occur at any time; the
whites did not seem SO much alarmed as
that portion of the blacks who were mol
armed, be. they were all more or lass un.
easy; the militia we're composed of the
party supporting the present State
dynasty-Radicals.
! Mr.. Stanberry-Of what party were
you T. candidate? A. I can't call it 8
party; it had no national Significance
whatever, but aimed solely at local re-.
form.
q. Reform what; the Republicau
party? A. No, not exactly that; for i,
was conceded by the gentlemen associa
ted with me that the reform of those in
power was hopeless task. We aimed
solely at reform of the corrupt admi-
nistration of the State government.
WIN. Lindsay, (colOr.d, was next
called. He said-I live in York, about
three and half miles from where Jim
Rainey lived. I knew him we'll; have
known him four or five years. He had
militia company; he was captain; the
company was formed last year; they had
no muskets at first, but got them
about two months afterwards, and mus
tered with them; they had ammuriticn,
cartridges. Allcn Bratton, lieu.
tenant in tho company. brought the
ammunition and distributed it. He said
Mr.. Rose. at York. gave it to him. Andy
Tins md Jim Williams sent for it.
They got three rounds at first. They
mustered at night twice week, aud
once week before the election. Jim
Williams told me that he was going to
get ammunition from York, and kill
from the cradlo up. He told me- that on
the Friday before he was killed. We
were riding to Yorkvile together. I was
going to pay my taxes. don't think he
got any ammunition that day. Miner
Mcconnell heard of his threats, too; they
were generally known through the
County. There had been no raids be-
fore that time. There was no inter.
ference at the election. I voted at Nc
Connellsville Williams voted there, too.
There had been no fires about there
except the Clubhouse of Mr. Bratton
folks thought that Jack Brooks did that;
he Is colored man. I heard Of fires
above Yorkyille. I was at home the
night Jim Williams was killed. Two
ku klux came up to my house; they
said they were Ku Klux; they were not
disguised; they asked me- if 1 had gun.
l told them did not have any but q
squirrel rifle. | handed it to them; they
gave it back to mo, and said they did
not want that. There was IL big crowd
OF them in the rond, some twenty or
thirty. A militia party came afterwards;
Andy Tins vas at the head of them
they came up to my house and halloed
Come out. d-n you, come out quick
Have any Ku klux been here?" I said
yes; two. They said, ''Get your gun
and come on" said come where?
They said, "After them Ku Klux." I
told them I would not 20. Henry
Haynes cooked his gun in my face and
said, On you. you've got to go, or I'll
kill you" [ told them reckoned I
might as we'll die there as anywhere else.
They took my gun off, and promised to
send it back next day; they did Send it
back. saw the militia company ut tho
election; they did not carry their arms