New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-11-23

Shameful State or Affairs in Georgia and
Florida.
Especial Dispatch to the New York Tines


Especial Dispatch to the New York Tmesl
WASHINGTON, November l9.-The sub-com-
mIttee OF The Ku Klux Investigating Commit
tee, OF which Representative Maynard was
Chairman, which returned to this city last
week, took testimony Of the operations of the
Khan in Georgia and Florida After leaving
here they first met in Atlanta on the 10Th of
October, and held examinations for twenty
days, examining I3S Witnesses. The Com.
mlttee found on reaching Atlanta that about
seventy witnesses had been before the Grand
Jury of the United States Circuit Court They
were examined in cases which were prose
cuted for these outrages. The most of them
were whites or blacks who had been cruelty
scourged. There were some cases Of the
grossest barbarity. White and colored women
had been stripped and beaten, and MANY of
them bore the marks of violence on their per-
sons. good deal of lawlessness was foun
to prevail in several Of the counties. Wit
nesses testified that they were afraid to give
evidence before the local courts for fear
OF being murdered or having their prop
erty burned. One wealthy planter was exam
ined, and on the same day his mill, and cotton,
and other property, to the value of $40. 600.
were burned. There were witnesses summoned
by the minority of the Committee who testified
that ever, thing was peaceable and orderly !;
out on the contrary, great many murders
were proved, and In all cases the guilty parties
were unpunished. In many cases not even at
tempts were made to punish them. The coun-
ties In which the greatest lawlessness prevailed
were jackson, HARRISON, White, Floyd, Gwin
cite, and Burke. Ben. Hill, very prominent
politician In the State, gave it as his opinion
that Toombs, Stephens, and some other ex
treme men were endeavoring to ncite the peo
pie to new attempt at revolt. Witnesses were
brought to Atlanta from nearly every county
IN the State. In one case United States troops
VINO were escorting witnesses back to White
county were attacked by unknown parties
From Atlanta the Committee went to jackson.
vile, Fla, where they examined witnesses four
days. Thirty three were examined The testi-
mony disclosed the fact that the organization
was In existence in every part of the State.
The constitution and by laws of the orgaAi-
cation were produced by one witness who
was O member OF it. Some Of the prin-
cipal officers were examined. The organi
zatlon was known by the name of Democratic
clubs, but the constitution disclosed pro
vision In which secret service bureau, as it
was termed, was formed. One of the leading
members admitted that one of the means of
executing the secret orders was to force OBJ
noxlous citizens to leave the localities in which
they lived. The testimony showed that in Jack.
son county 1913 murders had been committed
since the war, and not one of the guilty parties
had been punished. They boosted that no
carpet Dagger should live in the county. The
blacks were SO intmdated that many of them
testified that not fourth of their number
would vote in the next election unless in some
way protected. In this county last April j.
q. Dickinson, gentleman of the highest cul-
tare, graduate OF Harvard College, peace
able and orderly behaved citizen, was assas-
sinated, and his death was followed by the
boast that in him the cornerstone Of the
Radical party had been removed. Among the
worst counties in Florida were Jackson. Co
lumbia,, Hamilton, La Fayette, and Alachua.
The Committee, besides Mr.. Maynard. the
Chairman, was composed of Representatives
Scofield of Pennsylvania, Lansing of New York,
voorhees, of Indiana, and Senator Bavard Of
Delaware. Vim. b. Lord was stenographer,
A. .. Morgan, Sergeantat-Arms; and A. j.
Kicks, Clerk. Mr.. Voorhees, left the Com
inittee at Atlanta on account of sickness.