The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-11-30
Ku KluX in Indiana.

:c Ku Klux in Indiana.
A special dispatch from Louisville, under
date Of November II, gives the following &C
count of the lynching of three negroes in In
diana. If fthis ching had occurred in the South,
the CRY Of rKu Klux, would have gone up all
over the land, and, Grant would have been in
vited to declare martial law. Now, let us see
whether Grant will dare toapply the same law
to Indiana that he has So frequently applied to
South Carolina and other Southern States :.
LOUISVILLE, November IFALast' night,
about 4 o'clock, a. band of men in Disguise
numbering between so and rs, entered Charles
ton, the county seat of Clark county, Indiana,
and went to the jail where three negroes, named
George johnson, Squire Taylor, and Charles
Davis, who were charged with the brutal MUIR
der of the Park family, near Henryville, on
Saturday night last, were con6nedj and en-
tered tie jail for the PURPOSE of removing them.
They demanded the keys of Sheriff Baxter,
who resolutely refused to give them up, They
threatened him, and in various ways, tried to
force him to give up the keys, but he refused to
the last, They then broke down the doors, Sc
cured the victims, and took them about two
miles from town on the New Market road, and
there hung them in the most unmerciful man.
| ner. -
From.the appearance of the victims and sur
roundings it was evident that Davis had been
hung first, in the presence of the others, for
the purpose of making them confess their guilt.
A fire had been kinded, and Taylor had been
terribly tortured, his right hand was burned to
crisp, and his back had been fearfully burned
and then he was hung, 80 that his feet touched
the roots of the tree. In fact, he was not hung,
but was: merely choked to death. The rope
was fastened around the trunk of the tree be-
low the lowest branches. His neck was not
broken, ind he died from torture and strangu-
lation.
johnson was htng to limb of the same tree,
and he was the only one whose neck appeared
to be broken None of the victims faces were
covered, and they presented horrid spectacle.
Taylor When found this morning, was without
cithing.'g:4'
pIetely disguised. They each wore white hat,
dressed IN old soldiers blouses, coats, &C. They
were in,aiI an hour before they succeeded in
getting The wretched negroes out. When they
came into the town, whenever they saw any
one watching them, they threatened to shoot if
an alarm was raised, and guard was placed
over each person who was found on the streets,
and over each house where any one was found
looking out.
The correspondent of the Louisville Courier
journal, whoiwas on the qui vire for items, was
arrested by the mob and held until the work
was DONE "r ''t
The Ledger man was the more fortunate in
keeping at a safe distance, and witnessed the
whole affair, but was TOO far away to see or hear
all that was going on. ="
The bodies were cut down and taketi to
Charleston in :, wagon where they remained,
and were eazcd upon by men, women and chill
dren. The feeling in the vicinity is intense.
The greatest excitement prevails, and as far as
it is known here it is the only theme OF con-
vefsation. 49,.
Good people everywhere deplore the hanging
of the negroes. In the first place, it is regard
ed as doubtful whether they were guilty of the
murder of the Park family, and if they were
guilty, it is believed they were only the accom-
plices or tools of others who were more guilty
than they: The opinion is freely expressed
that the negroes were hung by parties who
and that the hanging was done to hide the
blood on their own hands. The grand jury had
been in session. three or four days, and had
heard allJthe testimony against the negroes,
I and vet they were unable to find true bill
against yhem. Some believed the negroes were
All guilty and deserved their fate, but they
hoped the law would take its course and posi-
bly, the Investigation would lead to other facts,
land otherparties would be found to have been
implies cated.':iAs the,!matter stands, the whole
aHaipfs ID % gFeatimystery /; and the death of the
ttfrs negroes cuts. off4what tTas considered the
Base ellie tUithe guilty partiesi';oJ j. .y7o93i
il There seems TO have been aterrihle feud be-
tween Sertain families in Mr.. Parks neighbor-
tR6bd, 4n which the Oleggs, Parks; Rralls, Kinks,
ahd Others were mixed uptand itis asserted
that written threats had been made against Mr..
Park and one or two others and there is be-
Lief among. some that the murder was done by
Mr. Parks enemies in this fend, or instigated
byithem. 1t is thought possible that the ne
groes who have been so summarily dealt with
may have done the bloody work at the insti
cation of others. But, of course, no one is
named. h -
From the feeling to-day, it is not likely the
Investigation will stop here. r.
=: