The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-08-09

rid State. of Affairs Shocking De-
tails c oaroges. ' -. -
The subcommittee, consisting, of
Senator Scott and Representatives
Stevenson and Van Trump. reached
Washington at noon on Saturday, after
sojoarn Of four weeks in different
sections of South Carolia, where they
have been holding sessions and inyes-
| tigating into the condition. Of affairs
affecting the peace and order Of tine
State aud society, .,..;..l- =
They first visited the capital, Columbia,
More than a hundred refugees who had
Lied from violence in various counties
were there, but after examining uitues
I ses for two days the committee deter.
! mined to go closer to the, scenes of
alleged violence, and went to Spartan
burg. They expected TO remain there
three or four days, but stayed eleven.
When word got through Spartapburg
county that they we're there, the whites
aud negroes, victims Of violence, came iu
by scores every day from all directions.
Murders and cruel ,whippipgs by the
kukIux bands had so terrified them that
in many neighbofhoods nearly every
uegronan and Republican white man
| had siept,iu the woods for mop.lA every
night. They showed, scarri6ed backs,
gun shot wounds, MANNED ears, and
other proofs of violence they had
suffered. ....'.,as
In Limestone Spring township one
hundred and eighteen cases of whip
ping were proved. The committee
awoke every morning to 6ud 10 the yard
by the hotel new crowd Of victims Of
ku klux. Some, including whites, had
suffered outrages which cannot, be
described with deceucy. After being
whipped, the victims, if well known
persons, we're often commanded, ullder
pain Of death, to publish . card
renounciug the Republican party. In
file Of the Son:h Carolina Spartan,
the Democratic Newspaper, .forty-tvo
such cards were found recently pub
lished. ''.@"
At Unionville the committee stayed
; two days. Not an avowed white: Re
publican was found in the place, though
members of the committee were pri-
vatsly assured by few that they would
avow themselves it protected. The
terror Of the negroes here is complete
The los. election. was carried BY q
Republicaf majority, but the R.pub.
licau county officers received kx klux
notices, and all resigned or fed. The
policy there has been more te ward
murder and less toward whipping. The
killing of ten negroes, taken froru the
Jail by several hundred ku kluz,
aving uoder military organisation, was
investigated. A prominent lawyer ei
the place, Democrat, on crosss exami-
nation, startled the committee By
stating that he believed almost every
respectable upw -ried young mas' 10
the community belonged to the ku
klux. 80; ~; :an
A negro Methodist preacher, AIMED
Lewis Thompson, who had an appoint
meut, June l6, at Goshed Hill Chu rch,
Union equity, received ku klux
notice in the usual form not TO preach.
BE preached, notwithstanding. to . very
few, most Of the congregation dfeias
when they saw the notice. In she
evening clan of twenty mounted 10
klux came, tied him and shipped BIN,
led hin. of several times, dragging hin
par, Of the way, tied to the horse, whip,
ped him again until near death,
mu,ills:sd him 10 .. way that cannos
with propric,y be described; hung bin,
and threw the body into Tiger river,
leaving notice forbiddipg;auy one 70
bury him. Before the COMMITTEES re-
turned, Senator Scott seat ThoI psoo's 3
brother. oou o refugee, from Columbia
to Union county, with letter TO- ensure
him a strong guard OF the United
States cavalry to 90 With him aud bury
the body, which VAS repor:sd TO- be ssili
lying half decomposed on the uatsg's
edge. -: ssr
Two more days we're speut Ia exam
iuing witnesses in Columbia on return.
ing from ,spartanburg. One day. was
occupied in hearing the statements and
general views Of General Wade Ham2-
ton and General Battler, Dernocraesic
candidate Tor Governor last fall.
| The committee then visited York