Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-29
ARAnrcAL WITNESS.

witnesses DY Wnlcn the RADICALS h0pcd 10
prove the existence of state of affairs
in the South which would justify mill
tary Interference in the local affairs OF
the southern States, is very aptly Illus
trated 10 that of witness from Missis-
sppi, who testified before the Ku Klux
Committee at Washington few days ago.
On the 18th of July the following dis
patch was furnished the Associated Press
as an extract from the proceedings OF the
Ku Klux Committee, and was published
all over the country the mkt morning:
''Capt. Taliaferro, native OF Virginia,
CAPTAIN in the Confederate service, and
now a planter near Macon, Miss, testified
before the Ku Klux Committee on Satur-
day tina. within the past year in that
county fifteen colored men were killed
and a number whipped. Thsre is an
organized band of Ku,Klux in that
county. He had attended three or four
meetings of it, although he had never
taken the required oath, the supposition
of those present being that he was q
member of the Khan, and that he had
been initiated by the Captain Of the
bsnd, who can swear IN members,
His friends and neighbors all belonged
to the band. The witness gave the COM
mittee the details of the organization, the
signs, grips, etc. On one occasion he
went on a raid with the band, and was
present at the whipping of several colored
men, but after that he did not go with
them any more. Their object was to OBJ
tain entire control of the negroes, aud
make them vote as their leaders required.
No prosecution has been or could be IN
sti,uted in that county. Nobody dare
prose cute. He was witness before the
grand Jury at Oxford, and on his testimo-
nv several members of the Ku-Klux were
indicted"
Now, it SO happens, fortunately for this
50 called captain" Taliaferrro, that he
resided in Baltimore before, and for tome
time after the war, and that his character
lie well known to many citizens of that
city, and quite number of them know
him to their hurt. The Baltimore Gazette
says: Gas the testimony Of this man is
regarded of more than ordinary conse-
quence, by reason of bis connection with
the Confederate cause, and for the fur
Their reason that he bears the name of
well known Virginia family, it becomes
a duty we owe to truth and to the South
to unmssk him. The parties from whom
our information is derived are all repu-
table citizens, some of them among cur
most prominent merchants, and are
prepared to substantiate their statements
on oath. In the first place, Captain
Tallaferro was simply private in
Colonel Herbert's regiment during the
first year of the war. As soldier, he
was dissipated and worthless. What he
was then, in these respects, so he has
been sirce-and worse. Ealisting for
one year, he left Colonel Herbert's
Command at the end of his term of ser
vice, losfed about Richmond for time,
and afterwards drifted South. Whether
he ever joined Forests command we do
not know; but shall probably be able to
ascertain before long. One of his doiDgs
at the South-Thiie Sherman was on his
match to the sea-we now proceed to
state. Since the war closed, he has
boosted here in Baltimore, of having,
with others, taken three Union prisoners
from the jail al Madison, Georgia, car
ried Them into the woods, lied
them TO trees and shot them 10
death. II this outrage rested npon
his Own testimony there might be reason
to believe that it was untrue; but citizens
of Madison are also cognizsnt of it, AID
of his implication in it, and vehemently
denounced the act at the time of its &C.
cuIrence. We now propose to give
plain narrative of the doirgs of this man
Tallsferro in this city. After the war,
be returned 20 Baltimore and was engaged
as salesman in one of the largest business
houses in that city. Whilst so employed,
he obtained valuable goods in the name
of the firm, and appropriated them TO
his own use. Being found out,
he was obliged to leave. A part of the
goods was subsequently recovered from s
house Of i'll fame. While at the South,
on business for the same house, it has
iuce been discovered that he collected
debts due TO the firm, pocketed the money,
ard never accounted for it. He was also,
for a time, in the employ of another large
mercantile firm in Baltimore, and whilst
the firm will not positively assert that he
was discharged for stealing, they say that
would take money and use it for his own
purposes; and then charge it to 'expensas.'
1t was for this, and such like equivocal
doings, he was dismissed, and, also, for
another infrmity, of which the Ku Klux
Committee do not seem to have been
aware-he was SO utterly untruthful that
one Of the firm does not hesitate to de-
clare his willingness to testify that he
would not believe him on his oath. There
are other respectable citizens of Bslti-
more who are also willing 10 testify TO
the same effect
AS specimen of the communications
the Gazette has received concerning this
man Taliaferro, it gives the following
from merchant of Baltimore:
f'Taliaferro bears most disreputable
character. There is nothing You can say