The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-12-14

raid, we met al an old field on DR..
Whiteside's place, on the Howell Ferry
Road. Julius Howe led the khan that
night. We stopped at Mrs. Watson's to
see negro, but no was si5sk, aud Nc
went on to Mrs. Moore's quarters, got q
gun there. and broke it. At Ohanoey
Ohambers', we got another gun, and at
the Byers. they whipped some negroes.
The impression was that they were i'm
Pitcated in some burnings. None of the
negroes that I know Of. I think we
were carrying ont the general objects of
the organization by these raids.
The Court-Had these men been tried
BY the khan? = 3
Witness-I don't know.
Mr.. Corbin-Had the chief, John
M..oheii, been In Confederate se:yice2
Witness-He. was q Captain in the
Confederate States army.
!Mr! Corbin-Well, go on and tell about
theYaid. 'lfIl
Witness-We wont on then to Ed.
Byers' place, and there we met the Rat
tlssnake Klan. Wm. johnson was; the
ohief. We then went ON together to
Wilson Wilson's. We rode on, and the
Rattiesnakes went back and whipped
him. They sass they liked to have
killed him. The next place We came to
was John Thompson's. They called
Wilson Wilson out, and told him not to
have anything moro to do with Radical
ism; and that it any more burning occur
red within ten miles around, they would
hold him responsible. We rode on then
to Bullock's Greek, and there took off
our disguises. Captain Mitohelrs son
Joseph took most Of the disguises. After
TINT. there was raid made on the
treasury at Yorkviile. 1 received an
order, but didn't go. didn't hear
what the rnid was to be for; but the next
day, learned that Mr.. Rose's, at York
vile. had been broken into.
The prosecution closed with the wit
ness here, and he was cross-examined by
Mr.. Stanberry.
q. Did you know Of any acts of in
cendiarism about the time OF these raids2
A. Yes. Mr.. Crosby had his house
burnt. Mr.. Cassorly's barn was burnt,
and there were several others.
Q. Did you hear OF any threats being
made, and what were they?
MIR. Corbin objected to the question
as irrelevant; but the court ruled other
wise. md the witness stated that he
hadn't heard any threats himself, but it
was said that one of the negroes whipped
had said he intended to be buried in the
white folks burying-ground; and an
other that he would kick q certain old
soldier.
Mr.. Stanberry WHAT was your mo-
tive in joining the organization?
Witness-I was scared for myself; thoy
had shot into my house. kept liquor
pose they wanted to stop it. They left
word that they had the cold steel for my
CARCASS. went mp and confessed to
Maj. Merrill and Mr.. Corbin. I was put
in Jail, and staid there from the 18th till
the 9th of November. I got out uuder
bond. don't know tho nature of the
bond. Mr. Clawson got me out I was
told to report back to Lieut.. Noland, to
get transportation to come down here.
L received no reward or promise. MY
confession was taken down.
Re-examined by the prosecution-It
was after I joined the khan that Crosby's
house and Mr.. Casserly's barn we're
burned. The first raid was on me, and
shortly afterwards the raid was made on
Pressly Holmes and the others. don't
know when. Allison's mill was burnt; I
heard Of it, but can't tell whether it vas
before or after I joined.
Osborne Guntharpe was next called,
and testified as follows: live in York
County; have lived there eighteen years.
joined the Ku Klux in August, 1868,
near Ebenezor, in York; Dr.. Edward
L. Avery initiated me. The general i'm
port of the organization there vas, op-
position to the Radical party. protection
of one another, and of widows and fe.
male friends. Tho penalty for the in
fraction of the oath was death. The in
tention was TO control the election at
that time by intimidation. We were to
go to Rock Hill, and keep Radicals back
by crowding the polls. There was to be
no violence. I thought before joined
that it was for protection, but found it
was for political purposes, and quit it;
got discharged. moved to the North
west portion OF the County, in Cherokee
Township.
Cross examined by Mr.. Stanberry-I
understood the object of the association
to be protection against danger. It was
rise. When took the oath, I did not
think it criminal. No force was to be
used at the elections. The idea was to
crowd around the polls and keep the
Radicals from voting. by not giving
them chance. I attended the election
last year. There was no disturbance or
interference; nobody was excluded.
There were good many at the polls,
whites and blacks. The Democrats were
largely in the majority in Cherokee
Township. 1t was Mr.. Cathcart that
told mo, in 1868. that they intended to
crowd the polls.
Re-examined by prosecntion--It was
reported, at the time I joined, that the
negroes we're armed and might DO harm.
l didn't feel any fear myself. There was
no militia in Cherokee Township. The
whites were three to Que there. Some