The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-04-18
STATEMENT.

On the 14th of March went, with my
wife and little daughter, 10 Fitchburg, in
Estill county, the seat OF the Red River
Iron Works, on business. We were &C.
quainted with about dozen colorcd peo.
pie, most Of whomshad been students in
Berea, md two whites. On the 10Th,
after attending to my business, visited
my former acquaintance We took din.
ner with colored family, formerly resi-.
dents of Berea, and toward night the wo-
man rode out with my wife from tie hotel
where we were stopping. At night l at
tended prayer meeting at the colored
church, the only church in the place, and
as was returning alone was met by two
men, who, when they had passed me,
called out roughly, "IIold on; you are the
man we want to see" Ireplied, II don't
want to sec you" and passed on. They
rushed up crying, Surrender! surrender
| ran, and they fired at me. At the same
time two or three other men sprang from
the roadside and fired. Afler running
about thirty steps in the darkness, I
stumbled over pile Of cinders and fell.
They had fired seven shots and ceased,
probably suppoSing l had been hit. Along
the street and at the hotel met crowds
who had heard the firing, and thought 1t
was an effort to rob me. l retired with
out informing my wife Of the occurrence
About two or three o'clock we were
awakened by confusion in front ofthe hotel
and heard voices calling "Open the door"
l looked cautiously out, and saw, by the
light Of the furnace fires, twenty or thirty
men In line, some or oil with guns. Sew.
cral were soon at our door shaking 1t vic.
lently, and calling, "open the door; you
shan't be hurt My wife said, "0h what
shall we dOG" "Pray," said l; "Jesus will
take care Of me" Knowing that resist
ance would be worse than useless, l open.
ed the door. There stood the landlord
with light, and half dozen men, who
seized me, dragged me down stairs, and
rushed me barefoot over the Cinders, the
leader shouting: "Fall in; file left; double
quick" Meantime, the leader pounded
me with his fist, uttGring the most terrible
curses and oaths In reply to some threat
of theirs l said: II love Jesus and He
will take care Of me" ayes" said they,
"you Methodist hypocrite, you'll SEQ how
Jesus will take care Of you when you
arc hanging twenty feet high" said ::
"You may hang me, but you can not
harm me" About d quarter ot n mile
from town they halted at q large log.
The leader seized me by the hair, another
by the feet, and stretched me over the log,
and two strong men began to whip me
with large hickory whips, Alter they had
struck several times, l counted thirty
nine blows, when they stopped for q par
ley. Their only accusation against me
was that l was q Northern man with
Northern principles; that associated with
"niggers," and had come to establish
"nigger" school. Itold them that I was for.
merly from Michigan, and held Northern
principles, but had no intention Of estab.
fishing a colored school. They said,
"You must give up your principles" l
replied, ~ cannot" "Then we will whip
them out OF you" This" said l, "you
cannot do" "Then we will hang you"
Said l, "This will not kill my principles"
They added dozen lashes, then took me
to spring and, at my request, let me
drink. They asked me il l had a family,
and il l wished to write to them. 1 said,
"If l never hoped 10 see them again l
would" The officers retired for consul.
tatiOn, and determined to give me ten
more lashcs and an hour to leave town.
As my business was done, and we were
expecting to go at daylight, l promised to
leave within the time. "Now boys" they
said, ,y'give it too him." folded my arms
and they gave me ten lashes about my
shoulders. l was very thankful that /
could receive the blows upon a new place.
Having sworn most awful vengeance II l
should ever reveal their names, they let
me so. 1t was so dark | could not dis.
tinguish any faces.
While I was gone from the hotel, my
wife entreated in vain for some persons to
follow after me. Though there were
twenty or thirty dodgers al the hotel, and
many Of the company's hands within easy
call, no one seemed inclined to do any
thing about it. W. W. WHEELER.