The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-01

Ku-Klux.
SHOCKING MURDER OF coLoRED PREACHER.
A negro Methodist preacher, named Lewis
Thompson, who had an appointment June
18th at Goshen Hill Church, in Union County,
received Ku-Klux notice in the usual form
not to preach. He preached notYlthstanding
to very few, most of the congF cation nee
Ing when they saw the notice. lHthe evening
clan of twenty mounted Ku.Klux came, tied
him and whipped him, led him OF several
miles, dragging him part OF. lhe way; tiea QUO 10
the horsea, whipped him again until near
death, mutilated him In way that cannot
with propriety be described, hung him. and
threw the body into Tiger River, leaving no.
tice forbidding any one to bury him. Before
the committee returned, Senator Scott sent
Thompson's brother, now q refugee, from Co
lumbia to Union County. with letter to in
sure him strong guard OF United States cav
airy to go and bury the. body. which was re-
ported TO be still lying half decomposed on the
waters edge.
TWO more days were spent in examining
witnesses In Columbia on returning from spar
tanburg. One day was occupied IN hearing the
Statements and general views of General Wade
Hampton and General Butler, Democratic can
didate for Lieutenant Governor last fall.
THE ASSAULT on THE COMMITTEE AT YORK.
VILE.
The committee then visited York County,
where they remained nearly week. They
discovered at Yorkvlllea q bitter spirit among
the white citizens. At supper, at tne notei,
Berry threw pitcher of milk over Hon. A. s.
wallace, the representative of the district,
and HON.. E. Stevenson, OF the commlteee.
They were lust seating themselves at the
cable, and not aword had been spoken. MI.
wallace jerked out revolver, and raised IL TO
shoot Berry, the ladies screaming, out tFt Inc
landlord threw himself before Berry, and Mr..
Stevenson coolly caught Wallace's hand, and
ordered the landlord 10 take that man OUT OF
the room. Half dozen friends gathered
around Berry, and he went out. In the course
Of an hour, several citizens OF prominence
called to apologize In the amplest manner on
behalf of Berry, who Was willing to go on mis-
Knees. If required, for what he alleged was
an unintenlionaf affront to Mr.. SteveT son. II
j, was subsequently ascertained that the bust-
ness had been discussed by Berry ana MS
friends during the afternoon before It was
carried out; that Berry had; proposed to use
hot coffee, but had finally concluded on milk.
The colored bana serenaded the commltlee
later In the evening. A crowd OF young Whlte
men filed the porch OF the hotel, and were
about the band, frequently
cURsISG THE NEGROES AND TIE YANKEES
ip an insulting manner. As the band went
away the crowd followed, and nearly filled the
sidewalk. The band and those win 1t, me-
groes, were kept by two village policemen
from, the sidewalk. One negro vas thrust on
by q policeman, who says the negro resisted
and struck him: The negro and two men who
stood by say the negro struggled to getaway
from the grip OF the policeman, whoss seized.
cursed and struck him, but that the negro did
not strike. AS he pulled away the policeman,
fred at the negro. and continued firing until
he had Inflicted five wounds. The man was
still living when the committee lefe The tes-
timony taken subsequently showed that both
policemen and the mayor or intendant were
members OF the Ku-klux. No one was ar
rested.
The community in York County was found
to be in almost utter
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIBERALIZATION,
. the civil authority being q useless farce and q
\ mockery of the victims Of the Ku-klux clans.
Colonel Merrill, In command Of small force
stationed there. an officer of high character
and great energy, laid before the committee
the details of si1ty-eight cases of .outrages
which he had investigat Of them most
revolving and horrible. 1t was found impossi
bic for the committee to examine more Than 9
small part of the crowds ofwhipped, manned,
upon hearing of their coming. When the
committee adjourned, the building In; which
thew had sat was flled-stairs, halls and
porches-wita those waiting to be heard. The
usual course pursued on arriving at place
was to divide the time they expected TO re
main between Tue naJOEity thiu. GuS iut.AohiS ~
of the committee. Judge Van Trump usuall!
called two or three of the most promnen
LAWYERS, who each occupied several hours IL
setting forth the
THE DEMOCRATIC VIEW. OF AFFAIRS,
giving their opinions on the relations Of M tne I
two races, the inefdciency and corruption o
The State Government, and the feeling OF tne
white people towards the general government
They always said they had heard OF the ku
Klux, but never saw one; generally tne!
seemed to regard them as kind Of vigilance
committee or irregular local police; did no
consider them under general organization
but simply to rcDress outbreaks. The MAORI
ty then called those who had seen and felt the
ku-Klux. The oaths, forms of procedure II
clan councils, and modes of operation wheI
riding on raids were fully developed. Scores
of men whom theproof showed to be Ku-Kla1
were examined, all of whom except a fev
whose disclosure were full and important. de
MED any knowledge whatever of Ku-Klux
One who was shown to have been In seyera
8. cruel outrages swore that he had never heart
Ar of the existence of Ku-Klux In his life. Judg'
VI Van Trump subjected all the witnesses callet
by the majority to the most searching cross'ex
oTninai1Dn