Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-05-15
BLACK Ku-KLuX.
Fort PioksFIag the Sosns Of a MldnIehs
HaFfsr.
The VeslrymeH Of the African BailY Church
Pursue Rad Murder a G0lsFsd BrsthsF.
Twelve Dollars 10 Greasy ShlHplasisFs the
C0loFsd Value Of a human LIFE
A Dark Sosae, Showing where the Ku-KlHx
Law Ought to " Gems ia."


For ways that are dark the African race
have long been peculiar. Saturday night,
at twelve O'Clock, as the last OF The pic
nicksrs were coming into town onfhs cars
from James park, full OF merrimsnt and
laughter that o the echoes Of the 81
lent streets, ct that hour an act Of diabOl-
ism was perpetrated down in the south
ern part of the city; while along the line
Of Besle street the merry laugh Of IN
wesried jollity rang out on the listening
air, down on Seventh street, in Fort Pick
ering, the sharp bang Of deadly pistols
was heard, and a human life went sud
denly out in the darkness, into eternity.
TIE MANNER OF IT
was in this wise: The church of African
Bailey, q dilspidated structure that had
been formerly used for . Government
stable, was used as a festival hall,
for the purpos of raising some money,
either for the benefit of the church or for
the benefit OF private speculation. To
ward u O'Clock Saturday night the festi-
val was in full blast. The officers OF the
lone up IN faded odds snd ends of mill
tary apparel. Some had scarfs, others
ssshes, many swords and all had pistols.
They thought themselves to be
THE GENTLE SHEPHERDS OF THE FOLD.
A person Of solemn aspect and reliable
habit sat inside a hole in the side OF the
building with a cigar box IN ron Of him
into which he dropped the dimes and
quarters which be received in exchange
for tickets of admission. The gam of
belted officials at the front entrance looked
after the losfers that prOWlsd around
watching their chance to beat the African
Bailey religious concern out of an Rdmis-
sion fee. About the hour in question, q
muscular, greasy, yellow colOred cook,
who maneuvers the cuisine at the Mag
nolia Gardens, presented himself on the
premises, and "sOrt o. snsaked' around
there awhile" In q short time a squad of
| colOTed individuals rushed up to the door
of the building and attempted to get in
without paying. This at once created 8
row. The gentle shepherds of the fold
drew their swords, talk Waxed loud and
furious; confusion set in. Now was the
greasy cooks opportunity. He stretched
his braWny arm through the hole behind
which the faithful treasurer sat, and
sNATCHED THE CONVERSATIONAL CIGAR
BOX,
the accumulated contents Of the evenings
receipts. He had a scuf1e around the
door, but COOkey managed to get away
after recei wing sundry whacks from rusty
swords. He ran city wards. In his way
there was a Culvsrt about one hundred
/ NdLAE HUN Auc HEnLAALA punt anu AOG LAI
from II was a section Of steamboat unuel
that served as a sewer to a cross street.
COOksy made an attempt to crawl into ths
pipe, but finding be hadn't time, he threw
himself under the cUlYert, whittier he was
pursued by ten or twelve of the gentle
shepherds with drawn swords and ready
pistols. There was another scufde under
the cuIvert. The shepherds secured tht
wolf there, dragged him out and beat hin
I with THAR aUrlwAa aud than Ehnf
him through the head, killing him dead
as q dOor-ngil at once. His brains were
scattered about the inside of his hat, some
of them being spilled on the ground
They then dragged him q few feet back
toward the under part Of the Culvert, snC
lelt him,
THE CORONER.
An hour afterward the Coroner was on
the ground. The place about where the
body was found was diligently inyestI-
gated. Under the cuIvsr5 the marks O
many feet and the evidence Of much scuf
fling were found; also, some little change.
consisting OF niCkels and small denOmina
tiOns of currency. Ths body was carried
up TO the African Baker Institute and
q Jury of cOlOrsd men summoned
by Coroner Motfatt. He picked
nj seven men who could read
and proceeded to inquest the dead man
Over thirty witnesses were summoned.
/ All the gentle shepherds" were sworn.
but not one Of them knew who killed the
greasy thief Of twelve dollarsl There
could be nothing made out Of them
They testified to the fact Of the fuss; Of
the matching Of the box; but knew moth.
ing of the killing. No trace Of the box
| even, could be found. Here was a fix fol-
MOttattl The jury, however, brought il
a verdict that the dead one had been killed
I hu "a nraHnH nhAH EHaA h- -A--Iana~~5
hand. Bef0re MOfstt left the scene be
had conversations with a miscsl-
laneOUs crowd of odds and ends
Of humanity, which threw some
light on the subject OF the actual
firing. He found the pistol from which
three shots had been fired, and he cOnsid-
cred that valuable. A cOlored woman,
who dWells in a little shanty close to the
~culvert, told him that she heard some one
exclsim; Ed, don't shoot him" Yes
terdsy morning he pursued his inquiries
further, and became convinced that Ed,
Diggs, who was the President, the head
/ and front n fsCtotum Of the African
Baily institute, was the hunky boy who
sent the bullet through the thinking APP
arstus Of the greasy cook, that hooked the
twelve dollars which had been collected
for the benefit of the Africsn-Bailey in
stitutiOn. Coroner Modatt seated
himself in his buggy, rode out
three miles to a point on the NOnconnah,
Bottom, near the Mississippi and Tennes-
see railroad, and found Cd stretched
upon the floor Of his paps's shsnty. He
took him to the ststiON-hOuse and deliy-
cred him up to Captain Gray, to be held
for investigation. Yesterday evening, in
company with sensational reporter,
he went to Fort Pickering again and had
] George Warner and ShedraCk Prairie ar
rested. They are also gentle shepherds.
The merits Of the case will be more
fully developed to day or tom brow be-
fore the grand jury. In looking into the
circumstances of this very dark murder,
able energy.