New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-05-11
ku-Klux Work In Mississippi


The following letter from General Howard
to Secretary Belknap was produced and read
at tho meeting of the Cabinet on the I'd instant
70 WASHINGTON, May /, 1871.
Hon. w. W. Belknap:
SIR: l have the honor to forward recent
official information that / deem trustworthy
concerning outrages committed on freedmen
and others in Mississippi.
The school six miles east Of Okolona was
closed by order Of the Ku-K lux outlaws. The
information was sent us on April 5. All schools
in Monroe county, over sixty in number, have
also been ordered closed by the same authority.
Notices have also been served upon Northern
men to leave the State The school-house at
Meridian has been burned. 1t was built by
the Bureau, and sold at auction last year.
Mrs. Finley, mother of Warren Tyler, who
was shot at the Meridian massacre, gives few
items. Her son, all agree, was q young man
of unblemished character. His only sin was
remarkable intelligence and some education.
He was teaching the school. He did not fire a
shot. He was sent for to come to the court
house as witness, and left bis school to come.
1t seemed all preconcerted and intended. His
mother knows who shot him first iu the back
as he let himself down from the balcony in
trying to escape after the firing began. He
fell, but rose and ran, and was shot again.
After he was carried into the house the ruffians
fired some thirty shots at the wounded man !;
then he was taken home to his mother that
she might dress him for the grave. He was
still warm.
Aaron Moore, member of the Legislature
being covered with blood, escaped at the Me-
ridian massacre by feigning death as he lay
beside Judge Bramlette, who had been shot in
the first firing by bullet intended for Moore
His house, two story, and fine looking, was
burned down, the chimney still standing, not
far from the burned school-house. 1t is dan
gerous for Moore to return. Many colored
people have already moved away. Other good,
industrious freedmen are about to leave. They
say that the old shareholders cannot bear that
they should be getting up and doing well. 1"
Their intelligence and prosperity exiles them.
On April Is eight United States soldiers, all
Southern men, deserted at Meridian.
Mayor Sturgis was forced to leave Meridian
because he insisted on justice to ALL He was
not bad man, as represented by the press.
The father of Wesley Lee, an intelligent
teacher at Meridian, was an unofendng old
man. He was pursued, twice shot, and finally
most savagely murdered not far from Me
ridian
On April Fl teacher was warned off by
Ko Klux outlaws from the colored school in
charge of missionary. Near Rouse's Mills
Monroe county, a missionary was ordered not
to come there on Sunday. They threatened in
another place to give him 800 lashes, and
forced him to close his school. Monroe,
Lowndes, ard Noxubee counties are the worst
in the State.
On April q news was received from Aber-
deem, Miss, that several more teachers were
driven of, and that all the schools, 80 in num-
Der, were closed east of Tombigbee river, both
white and colored. The Ku-Klux informed
| the last teacher displaced that in two weeks
there would not be free school in the county.
About o'clock on Sunday morning, April
%, the Ku-Klux shot and killed colored man
named Durham, six miles east of Okoona.
April "a news was received from Okolona
that the Ku-Klux had broken out with in
creased fury in the eastern part of Monroe
county. They took Tom Hornbroker Tor Horn
burger, a freedman, on the Saturday night
previous from his house and literally shot him
to pieces. The same night they burned school,
house where coored girl was teaching. An
other freedman was reported killed, name not
given.
On April 25 the postmaster at Aberdeen was
warned to change politics He is Southern
man and a Republican. They threatened to
outrage every Republican.
On March 90 a colored man named Alexan-
| der Page, living near Athens, Miss, was taken
out Of his house, hanged, and buried with the
rope around his neck. Levi Sykes, freedman,
well of, and president Of the Republican club
near Prairie Station, on the Mobile and Ohio
Railroad, was whipped On the same day.
On April % another freedman was shot and
killed near Hoods Church, about twelve miles
from United States troops.
In corroborating the testimony that all the
schools have been broken up, and the threaten
ings repeated that no free schools shall exist
an old resident writes: UNLESS there are some
means adopted to check lawlessness which bids
defiance to every restraint of civil law, the
State mississippi will soon cease to afford
shelter to any but those fond of strife and
| bloodshed."
The following is quotation from Ku- ( lux
letter not yet published I'VE can inform you
that we are the law ITSELF and that an order from
these headquarters is supreme above al
others"
April 81, six miles east of Okolona, where
| Durham was shot, the Ku-Klux ruffians whip
ped white woman, suspeeting that she knew
something Of the murder of Durham the DAY
before.
The statements that / have given are from
men whom | deem thoroughly trustworthy.
therefore report them to enable you or the
President to act officially hoping that YOU NAV
be able thoroughly to cleanse at least the three
counties, Monroe, Lowndes, and Noxubee. and
that part of Lauderdale especially infected by
the outlaws, in the way that your extensive wal
experience has taught You.
90. HOWARD,
Brig Gen. U. S. A, Commissioner, &c.