Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-05-18
SOUTH CAROLINA KCKLUT.

We gave the other day the statement of the
District in relation to the Ku-Klux. The
Tribune has correspondent travelling through
the State, some of whose reports have been
quoted to disprove the existence of the Ku-
Klux, but the following will not probably be
used for any such purpose. He writes from
Spartanburg in the northern part of the State.
'.The acts of violence began on the day of
election, and have continued ever since. / am
told that three men have since been killed in
the county, from 80 to 40 have been wound
ed by ball, and hundreds have been whipped.
No arrests have been made save in one in
stance; then the Grand Jury found no bill,
and the Justice, white man, who caused the
arrests to be made, was driven away from his
home, ten miles from town, and has not VEN
tured to return. Many white men have been
whipped and forced publicly to renounee the
republican party, by cards in the democratic
paper, or declarations made from the Court
House steps. have the names of several OF
these, but have been entreated not to publish
them for fear it would provoke more violence
against them. Their variations are so much
alike that an account of one case will suffice.
About the middle of March an old man of 60
years, q member of church, and in all re-
spects a worthy citizen, was dragged from his
bed by masked men, who broke into his house.
A meaI-sack was pulled over his head and he
was taken into the yard and whipped until he
promised to go up on the Courthouse steps
next Sales Day'and publicly declare that he
would never vote a republican ticket. II he
did not do this they said they would kill him.
He kept the secret until the day approached,
and then, in great agony of mind he came to
town and told the officer commanding the
troops Of the occurrence, who promised to
station guard at his house. The old man
said that sooner or later, the guard must be
removed, and then he would be in greater
danger than before. If it were not for his
family, he said, the Ku-Klux might kill him
before he would abandon his principles, but
duty TO them to them compelled him to seek
SAFETY. 30 when the day came he went up
the steps of the Court House, and in the sight
OF the officers of the civil law, to whom he
knew II would be in vain to appeal for Justice,
even IN her very temple, he declared in a
trembling voice his adherence to the demo-
cratic party and his regret that he had ever
acted with the radicals.
After hearing accounts from the republicans
living in Spaftanburg of the many outrages
like this perpetrated throughout the county
i was anxious to see and talk with some of tn,
victims themselves; and, learning that mum
Der Of negroes who had been recently whippe,
had come into the town for protection, man
aged 70 get word out among the negroes tina
wanted to see these men last night at tn
house of q certain white republican a it'll
way out of town. i think the negroes too
me for some agent of the Government VIII
had come down to investigate their wrong,
for when went to the place of meeting, afte
dark, I found group Of 20 or more Assem-
bled in the backyard. / told them that
wanted to know how the colored people wer
getting along, and wished every man who ma
been disturbed by the Ku-Klux to tell me ju'
what had been done 10 Him. In response I
this invitation, an old negro came upon th
back piazza, where feeble oil-lamp gave
giimmer of light so faint that the group o
black faces below could scarcely be distin
guished from the accompanying darkness o
the night. The man commenced in SLOW
and solemn manner to tell how dozen mel
With masks and white gowns had come to hi