Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-30
A Night with the KukIux.
The following letter was published in the Bos
ton Advertiser Yesterday:


with the affair us it occurred. | vsi ed my ma
tive state in behalf OF "rhe National AssOcia-
tion for the Spread of Temperance and Night
Schools among the Freedmen" and had spoken
to large numbers of them al louisville and other
places, and was on my way to speak at Pleasure
vile, a place half way between Louisville and
Lexington. arrived at Pleasureyille depot at
a little after six in the evening, and was met by
Il culOred man, who informed me that the meet
Ing was to take place five miles in the country.
After waiting some little time for team which
was expected, we started on foot, thinking we
would meet the vehicle. We walked on Gntil
dark overlook us, and, meeting no team, be-
gan to feel apprehensive that all was not right.
The man with me, however assured me that
there was no danger, and went on. But we
shortly after heard the trotting of horses both in
front and in the rear, and before could deter
mine what to do we were surrounded by some
eight or ten men, three of whom dismOunted,
bound my arms behind me with cord, re-
mounted their horses and started on in the di-
rection had been travelling The man who was
with me disappeared while | was being tied.
The men were not disguised, and talked freely
amongst themselves. After going mile or
more they stopped, and consulted a moment or
two, the purport of which could not hear, eX-
cept one Of them saying: Lawrence don't want
nigger hung so near his place" They started
again; was on foot, rope had been attached to
my arms, and the other end TO one Of the
horses. | had to hasten my steps TO keep from
being dragged along by the animal Soon they
turned to the right, and followed up what APP
peared to be cow path.
While on this road my hat fell off, and
called ont to the man behind and said, give
lost my hat" "You'll need no hat in half an
hours time" he replied. As we were passing
a log house on this road a man came ont, and
said, in trembling voice, "Jim's dying" All
the men now dismounted, and with the excep-
tiOn of two, they went into the building. dis
tinctly heard the cries, groans and rawlings of
the sick man, which satisfied me at once that it
was an extreme case of delirium tremens; and
as had treated that malady successfully by the
hypOdermic remedy, and having with me the
little instrument, the thought flashed upon my
mind that l might save my life by the trial.
Consequently, said to one of the men; 81
know what's the matter with that man. and |
can relieve him in ten minutes" One Of the
men went into the house, related what | had
said, and the company came out. The leader,
whom they all addressed as cap" began to
question me with regard TO my skill in such
complaints. He soon became satisfied, united
me, and we entered the sick mans chamber.
My hands were so numb from the tightneSS of the
cord which bound my arms that | walked up
and down the room for some minutes, rubbing
my hands and contemplating the situation.
The man lay upon bed of straw, his arms and
legs bound to the bedStead to keep him from
miuring himself and others. He had, in his
agony, bitten his tongue and lips, and his
mouth was covered with bloody froth while the
glare of his eyes was fearful. His wife, the
only woman in the house. sat near the bed with
an infant upon her lap, her countenance pale
and anxious, while the company of men
seemed to be the most desperate set / had ever
seen.
determined from the first to try to impress
them with the idea that derived my power to
relieve pain from some supernatural source.
i #1,rr1 81. l. ..
Cap was limping up and down the room,
breathing an oath at nearly every step, and final
ly said to me: Come, come, old boy, take hold
lively. want to get home, for this id old hip
of mine is raising hi with me-" said to them
Nov, gentlemen, I'll give this gentleman COM
pete relief in less than ten minutes from the
time lay my hands on him; but must be per-
mitted to retire to a room alone, for confess
that | have dealings with the devil, and must
consult with him. Nothing so charms an ignO-
rant people as something that has about it the
appearance of superstition, and did not want
these men to see the syringe, or to know of its
existence. The woman at one lighted tallow
candle, handed it to Cap" and pointed to a
small room. The man led the way, set the light
down, and left me alone. | now took ont my
case, adjusted the needle to the syringe, filed it
with solution of the acetate of morphia, put
the little instrument into my vest pocket and re-
turned to the room.
Gentlemen, want your aid; give it to me and
I'll perform cure that you'll never forget. All
of you now look upon that man till | say fHOldP
Look him right in the eye" All eyes were i'm
mediately turned upon the invalid. Having al
ready taken my stand at the foot of the bed I
took hold of the right leg near the calf, pinched
up the skin, inserted the needle, withdrew it
after discharging the contents, slipped the sy-
ringe into my pocket, and cried at the TOP of nv
voice, Hold! The men now turned to me,
alternately viewing me and the sick man. From
the moment that the injection took place, the
rawlings began TO cease, and in less than ten
minutes he was in perfect ease. | continued to
wave my hands and to tell the devils to ''depart
and leave this man in peace" "Cap." was the
first TO break the silence, and he did it in an en-
phatic manner, for he gaZed steadily at me, then
at the sick man, and exclaimed: "Bg thingl
big thing boys: id if it aintr Another said
"A coniurer, by h-ll! you heard him say he
deals with the devil" | now thought it time to
try Cap; for, from his limping, groaning and
swearing about his hip, it seemed TO me to be a
clear case Of scatica and thus informed him,
giving him description Of its manner of attack
and progress, detailing to him the different
stages of suffering.
| had early learned from the Difference paid to
the man by his associates that he was their
leader, and was anxious to get my hands on
him, fer had resolved that if ever cot him
under the influence of the drug he should never
have an opportunity of putting rope around
my neck. "Cap" was so captivated with nv di-
agnosiS of his complaint, that he said: "WclI,
I'll give you a trial, id if l don'tp informed
him that must be with him alone The woman
remarked that we could 90 in the adjoining
room. As we left the company, one of them
said: "YOu a'int agoin' to kill Cap. is you~
ooh, mol" | replied. | said "NOw, Can. Phi
cure you, but need your aid" "Sir," returned
he, "Pl do anything you tell me-" | told him
to lay on the bed shut his eyes and count one
hundred He Obeyed at once, and while he was
counting was filling the syringe with the NOR
phia. When he had finished counting, | informed
him that would have TO pinch him on the lame
leg, so as to get the devil out of it, "Oh" re-
piled he you may pinch as much as Won id
please, for Eve seen and felt h-ll with this old
hip!' ] injected the morphia as had done in
the previous case, and began singing a noted
Methodist hymn as soon us | had finished. As
the medicine took effect the man RAPIDLY went
OIL INTO slumber, from which he did not awake
while was there, for had given him il double
dose
| will here remark, that while morphia will
give most instant relief in sciatica itsedom per-
forms perfect cure. But iu both cases knew
1t would serve my purpose As soon rs "Can y
was safe called in his companions. who an
peared still more amazed than at first. They
held their faces TO his TO sec that he breahcd
and would shake their heads and 90 out. told
them that should have to remain with the man
IOf nVe or SIX hours. AT inns announcement one
of the company grew furious, and said: "Tts
all trick TO save his neck from the chatter"
and concluded by crying at the top of his voice.
Come to the tree, to the tree" The men all
left the room, assembled in the yard, and had
consultation. 1t was now after eleven O'clock
and as they had a large flask of brandy with
them they appeared to keep themselves well
filled, from the manner in which the room kept
scented up. AT this juncture one of the com
panY, tall red haired man whose face was
completely covered with beard, entered the room,
took his seat at the table, drew out OF his pocket
revolver, laid il on the table, and began to fill
his mouth with tobacco The men outside
mounted their horses and rode away, one of
whom distinctly shouted Remember 4 O'Clock"
/ continued to visit first one and then other of
the lnyalids, feeling their pulse and otherwise
showing my interest in their recovery.
The brandy appeared to have as salutarv eff.
feet on the man at the table as the morphia had
on the sick, for he was fast asleep in a few min
utes. The only impeachment in the wav of nv
escape now was large dog which il was diff
cult TO keep from me when first came TO the
house, and was now barking, swapping and
growing, as if he had been trained TO it.
Many modes Of escape suggested themselves
TO me while the time was thus passing; the
most favored Of which was to seize the revolver.
rush out Of the house, and run my chance with
the dog. However, before | could put any of
these suggestions into practice, the woman went
out, called "Lion," "Lion," aud returned fol-
lowed by the dog, which she made lay down by
her as She reSeated herself In a low whisper