Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-05-09

leave. They say that the old slave holders
cannot bear that they "should be getting up
and doing we'll" Their intelligence and pros
perity exiles them. On April 10 eight United
States soldiers, all southern men, deserted at
Meridian.
Mayor Sturgis was forced to leave Meridian
because he insisted on justice to all. He was
not bad man, as represented by the press
The father of Wesley Lee, an intelligent
teacher at Meridian. was an unoffending old
man. He was pursued, twice shot, and final
ly most savagely murdered not far from Me-
ridian.
On April q, a teacher was warned off by
kuklux outlaws from the colored school in
charge of missionary. Near Rouse's Mills
Monroe Co., also, missionary was ordered
not to come there on Sunday. They threat
ened in another place to give him 800 lashes,
and force him to close his school, Monroe,
Lowndes, and Moxubee Counties are the
worst in the State.
On April 81, news was received from
Aberdeen, Miss, that several more teachers
were driven off, and that all the schools, 80
in number, were closed east of Tombigbee
River, both white and colored. The Ku
Klux informed the last teacher displaced that
in two weeks there would not be free school
II the coun y.
About clock on Sunday morning, April
80, the Ku-Klux shot and killed colored
man named Durham, six miles east of
Okolona.
April "a. news was received from Okolona
that the ku- kluX had broken out with increas
ed fury in the eastern part of Monroe Coun-
ty. They took Tom Hornbroker Cor Horn
BURGER, a freedman. on the Saturday night
previous, from his house, and literally shot
him to pieces. The same night they burned
a Sphnnl-hnllsP a rnlnra1 as
teaching. Another freedman was reported
killed, name not given.
On April %, the Postmaster at Aberdeen
was warned to change politics. He is a
Southern man and Republican. They
threatened to outrage every Republican.
On March %, a colored man named Alex.
Page, living near Athens, Miss. was taken
out of his house, hanged, and burned with the
rope around his neck. Levi Sykes, freed
man. well. off. and President of the Republic
can Club near Praire Station, on Mobile and
Ohio Railroad, was whipped on the same day.
On April %, another freedman was shot
and killed near Hoods Church. abont -
miles from US. troops.
In corroborating the testimony that all the
schools have been broken up, and the TIN eat
enings repeated that no free schools shall ex
| ist, an old resident writes: 'Unless there is
some means adopted to check lawlessness
which bids defiance to every restraint or civ
il law, the State (Mississippi) will soon cease
to afford shelter to any but those fond of
strife and bloodshed."
The following is a quotation from Ku-
Klux letter not yet published; 'We can in
form you that we are the law itself, and that
an order from these headquarters is supreme
above all others
April 81, six miles east of Okolona, where
Durham was shot, the Ku-klux ruffians whip
ped q white woman, suspecting that she knew
something of the murder of Durham the day
before.
The statements that have given are men
whom | deem thoroughly trustworthy.
therefore report them to enable you or the
President to act officially, hoping that you
may be able thoroughly to cleanse at least the
three counties, Monroe. Lawndes and Moxu-
bee, and that part of Lauderable especially
infected by the outlaws, in the way that your
extensive war experience has taught you.
o. o. Howard
Brig, u. S. A, Commissioner, &c.