Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-07-30
Report of the Subcommittee Of the Con-
gresslenal Ka-KlEx Committee
A List Of Outrases Detailed Upon the
Authority Of Doubtful Radical
Testimony.

4
out throughout Spartansburg county
that they were there, the whites and
negroes from the scenes of violence
came in by scores every day
from all directions. Murders and
cruel whippings by the bands
of Ku. .Klux had 50 terrified them that
in many neighboThOods nearly every
negro and Republican white man had
slept in the woods for months, every
night. They showed scaritied backs,
gunshot wounds, msimed ears and
other proofs Of the violence they had
suffered. In Limestone Spring town
ship one hundred and eighteen cases
Of whipping were proved. The Com
mittee awoke every morning to
find in the yard by the hotel new
crowd Of victims Of the Ku Klux;
some, including whites, who had suf-
feTed Ouirages which cannot be de-
seribed with decency. After being
whipped, the victims, if well known
persons, were often commanded, I'M
der pain of death, to publish a card
renOuncing the Republican party. In
file of the South Carolina Spartan, a
Democratic newspaper, ,fOrty-twO such
cards were found, recently published.
At UniOnville the committee re-
mained two days. Not an avOWed
white Republican was found in the
place, though a member of the COM
mittee was privately assured by few
that they would avow themselves If
protected. The terror of the negroes
here is complete. The last election
was carried bya Republican majority,
but the Republican county officers re-
| ceiyed ku-KluX notices, and all of
| them had either resigned or fled.
The policy there had been more
toward murder and less toward
whipping. The killing of ten negroes
taken from the jail, by several hun
dred of the Ku-KlUX, acting under
the military organization, was inves-
| tigated by a prominent lawyer Of the
place.
Mr.. Shard, a Democrat, on cross
examination, startled the COMMITTEES
by stating he believed that almost
every respectable unmarried man in
the community belonged to the Ku-
KluX, and that he believed Thousand
Ku-Klux were within a days march
of the village. A negro Methodist
preacher, named Louis Thompson,
who had appointed June l1th to preach
at Goshen Hill church, Union county,
received a ku-KluX nOtice, in usual
form, not to preach. He preached
Notwithstanding, to a very few, the
most Of the congregation heeIng when
they saw the notice. In the evening
khan of twenty mounted Ku-Klux
came, tied and whipped him, and
then led him of several miles, drag
ging him half way tied to horses and
whipped him again until death en-
sued, and mutilated him in way that
cannot with propriety be described
and hung him, and threw the body
into the Tiger river, leaving u notice
fOrbidding any one to bury him.
Before the Committee returned Sena-
tor Scott sent Thompson's brother,
now refugee from Columbia, to
Union county, with letter to insure
him q strong guard of United States
cavalry, to 90 and bury the body,
which was reported to be still lying
half decOmpCsed on the waters edge.
Two more days were spent in exam
lining witnesses in Columbia. On re-
turning from Spartansburg, one day
was occupied in hearing the state
ments and general views of General
Wade Hampton and General Butler,
who was the Democratic candidate for
Governor last fall. The Committee
then visited York county, where they
remained nearly week. They
soon discovered at YorkYille a
s s)meWhat bitter spirit among
the white citizens. At supper, at the
hotel, on the evening of their arrival,
Major James Berry threw pitcher of
milk over the Hon. A. S. Wallace,
representative, and Hon. J. E. Ste
vensOn, of the Committee. They
were Just seating themselves at the
table, and not word had been spO-
ken. Mr.. Wallace jerked out revol-
yer, and raised it to shoot Berry. The
ladies screamed, but the landlord
threw himself before Berry, and Mr..
Stevenson cOolly caught Wallace's
hand aud ordered the landlord to take
that man out Of the room. Halt
dozen friends gathered around Berry,
and he went out. In the course OF
half an hour several citizens Of promi-
nence called TO apologize in the amp
lest manner in behalf of Berry, who |
was willing TO 60 on his knees for |
what he alleged was an un-
intentional afront to Mr.. Ste
vensOn. 1t was subsequently as
certained that this business had been |
discussed by Berry and his friends !
during the afternOon-it was to. be !
carried out-and that Berry had pro-
posed to use hot coffee, but finally con- |
cluded on milk. A cOlored band ser
enaded the Committee later in the |
evening. A crowd of young white |
men filed the porch of the hotel and |
were about the band, frequently ours |
ing the negroes and Yankees in an in
sulting manner. AS the band went |
away, the crowd followed and nearly |
filed the sidewalk. The band and |
those with it, negroes, were kept by |
two village policemen from the side |
walk. One negro was thrust OF by |
policeman, who says the negro resist d |
and be struck him. A negro and two |
men close by say the negro struggled /
70 get away from the grip of the pO-
liceman, who seized, cursed and struck /
him. The policeman fired stthe negro,
and continued firing until he had in /
hicted five wounds on him. The man /
was still living when the Committee
left.
Fhe testimony taken showed that /
both policemen and the Mayor were
members of the Ku-Klux, and no one
was arrested in the community. York |
county was found in almost utter
social and political decentralization,
the civil authorities being useless
farce and mOckery.
Col. Merrill, in command Of a small
force stationed there, an officer of
good character and great energy, laid
before the committee the details of
cases, Outrages which he
had investigated, some OF them of the
most revolving and horrible nature,
cut It was found impossible for the
TO examine more than a
small part of them. Great crowds Of
whipped, maimed and terror-stricken
wretches fiOcked in upon hearing Of
the arrival of the committee. When
the committee adjOurned, the building
Ia which they had sat was filed, and
the stairs, halls and porches crowded
with those waiting to be heard. The
usual course was pursued on arriving
1t the place, which was TO divide the
time they expected to remain between
he majority and minority COM
II
Judge Van Trump usually called
TWO or three Of the most prominent
aWyers, who each orcupied several I
lours setting forth a Democratic view |
If affairs, giving their opinions on the
OF the two races, the inefi- |
.iency and corruption of the State |
government, and the feeling of the
white people toward the general gov |
srnment. They always said they Il
had heard Of the KU-Klux, but they |
aeyer saw one Generally they 4