Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-02-24
hops. That night I was carried to Yam

three days. On Monday night when was
lying on my bed some one came IN and
poured a bucket OF water on my bed. L
ran the person to the door. but could not
catch him. The sentinel came up, but
said he did not know who it was, as he
was asleep. I afterwards heard one of the
men say to the sentinel that he had better
not say anything about it, as it was one of
the officers. The next night some one
came in again and threw another bucket
of water on me. [ chased him to the door
but could not get him. About this time
Kirk came down and ordered O squad OF
seven men into the room. The officer put
down the window aud fastened it. 1t was
very warm weather. Kirk ordered me not
to speak without permission, except for
something to eat and drink. l remained
in the room until the 18th ofkAugust. l
frequently saw the men drunk on duty !;
saw one with rock in his hand to throw
at Mr.. Hill. They were continually point
ing guns, raising rocks, cursiDg and other
wise abusing and insulting the prisoners.
Kirk came up to me when L was first
carried there and offered to shake hands
with me. [ put my hands behind me. lie
told him [ had come to him to
find out. He said he knew moth
ing about it, before I appeared there. 1
was kept below in the court houee, the
others were kept above. Kirk came in
twice, once with Marshal Carrow, who
came to see me. When he spoke to me /
told him / could not talk to him without
permission from the officer. Kirk said
he gave permission. l insisted that he
would get the permission from the officer
of the day. That was my order, and, as |
was law abiding man, I insisted that the
law there should be obeyed. He did SO,
and we had conversation. On the thir-
teenth of August We were marched Oft
from Yanceyville. A special guard of
seven was furnished me. They called me
King Of the ku klu7, and thus honored me.
L rode part OF the way, and walked part.
The night we speut on the road one of the
officers went to Kirk and asked permits
sion for me to sleep in a wagon with DIR.
williamson. He refused, hut said he
would furnish me with tent. [ told him
no, l would not sleep under one of Hol-
den's tents An officer, Lieut.. Banner,
cursed and abused DIR. Olendenan on the
route with special malignity, at times
drawing his sword and pistol upon him.
We entered the shops on Sunday. There
was a terrible lain just before We got
there. We had tents, in each one of
which from ten to fourteen were put. AS
[ had declined to use one of HOldens
tents the night before when it was good
weather, thought it would not do to use
one then, so took the rain. The citizens
wanted the prisoners to ge to the hotel,
but were refused. We moved from shops
to Graham about dark, on Monday, all
drenched with rain, and very muddy
We were put in the court house. On
Thursday, about II o'clock, Capt. Frank
lin came in with file of soldiers where
we were, and called for Turner, Gray,
Wiley and Weldon, and marched us off TO
ioii in
dungeon whore a crazy man had been just
taken from. Weldon and Gray were put
in a different dungeon. / heard them
when they were putting the chain on
Weldon heard him resisting them could
not hear what was said. | wrote a note to
one of the merchants OF the place for
bowl and pitcher, table, chair, &c. The
dungeon had no convenience what
ever, only two filthy buckets. The officers
would not permit my note TO be delivered;
talked to them frequently about it, but
all to no purpose. One of the buckets had
stale water III il when we were put in, and
they would not permit 1t to be carried out.
They would not let us have tin cup TO
drink out Of, though We had no use for it,
as they would not Let us have any water
bat what was in the buckets, ana Wiley
and myself said we would not drink any,
and did not. sergeant gave us some
them away from US. We used some of the
matches in burning some pine brush, with
which we partially purified the dungeon.
It was very lOathsOme, lousy, nauseous
place. [ remained IN this cell until We'd
nesday. They refused to have the buck
cts taken out, nor would not give US any
water. On Wednesday morning a soldier
ordered me to get ready to change my
quarters. Was taken and carried into
another dungeon and put with negro
who was to be hung the next day. 1 re-
manned with this negro until next day.
The negro was chained to the fioo' There
was but one window to the cell, and the
officers would continually close it. The
negro was reading his bible, and [ told
him to :sk the guacd TO let the window
stay open. He did ask him, but he failed
to act upon it. [ suggested that it was
hard to refuse to condemned man the
privilege of reading his bible. L drank no
water while i'll Jail. but my friends fur
nisbed me with everything In the way of
food that / needed.
On the 18th of August [ was carried be-
fore Judge Brooks, Kirk, I believe, charged
me with attempting to subyert the govern
ment. Mr.. Boyden said it was due to Mr..
Turner to say that there was not particle
of testimony against him. / saw all the
troops at q distance. There was no more
discipline among them than among SO
many Camanche Indians, and not so much
if they expected fight. One morning
while in Yanceyville, missed my soap
and barlow knife, / enquired for them and
one of the soldiers told me that the Adiu-
tant had stolen the soap, that he saw him
with it. Capt. Franklin said he would
make him give it up. and went off. told
him not to trouble the fellow, that /
thought he needed the soap, and I could
buy more. He went offend soon returned
with soap. When L asked authority for
my arrest, was told by Lit Hunneycutt
that it was by Gov. Holden's orders. was
told by the Sergeant who arrested me, that
he was glad did not resist when I was
arrested, or that no resistance was made to
my arrest, as the squad had orders if such
did take place, to aim at me and be sure to
kill me,
Mr.. Merrimon asked witness if the an
swer of the respondent to the article of
impeachment relative to the arrest of the
witness was true or false. Witness replied
that IL UaG aa folso 40 ~ o7ioo ono11 L g