Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-08-11
y The Ku.Klux InvestisatIoa.
WASHINGTON, July 90


lima, where they have been investigating
Ku.Klux Outrages on the spots where they
occurred. They first visited the capital,
Columbia. More than 100 refugees, who
had He'd from violence in various counties,
| where there but after examining witness
| es for two days, the committee determined
| to go closer TO the scenes of alleged vio-
lence, and went to Spartensburg. They
expected TO remain there three or four
days, but stayed eleven. When word got
out through Spartansburg County that
they were there, whites and negroes, vic.
file of the South Carolina Spartan q
Democratic newspaper, folty-two such
cards were found recently published. AT
Unionville the committee remained two
days. Not an avowed white Republican
was found in the place, though members
of the committee were privately assured
| by a few that they Would 4vOw themselves
| if protected. The terror of the negroes
here is complete. The last election was
carried by Republican majority, but the
Republican couaty officers received Ku-
| Klux notices, and all resigned or fled.
The policy there had been more toward
murder, and less toward whipping. The
killing of ten negroes taken from Jail by
several hundred Ku Klux, acting under a
| military organization, was Investigated. A
l
| Democrat, on cross examination, startled
the committee by staiiug that he believed
almost every respectable unmarried man
in the community belonged 10 the Ku-
| Klux, and he believed 1000 Ku-Klux were
within days march of that village. A
negro Methodist preacher, named Louis
Thompson, who had an appointment on
June 11th at Goshen Hill Church, in T. I'm
ion County, received a KuKlux notice, in
the usual form, not to preach. He preach
ed, Notwithstanding to very few, most
of the congregation fleeing when theysaw
the notice. In the evening a Klan of
twenty mounted Ku-Klux came tied him
and whipped him, led him off several
miles, dragging him part of the. way tied
to horses, whipped him again until death
relieved him, mutilated him in a way that
cannot with propriety be described, hung
! Tins of violence, came in by scores, every
day, from all directions. Murders and
cruel whipping by Ku-Klux bands had SO
terrified them that in many neighborhoods
nearly every negro man and Republican
white man had slept In the woods every
night for months. They showed scarified
backs, gun,shot wounds, manned ears, and
other proofs of violence they had suffered.
In Limestone Springs township 11S cases
OF whipping were proved. The committee
hNOhN CNCly W III buG JdIu
| by the hotel a new crowd of victims of
Ku- Klux, some including whites, who had
suffered outrages which cannot be described
with docency. After being whipped, the vic
tins, well-knOwn persons, were often COM
manded, un Ter pain of death, to publish a
card renOuncing the Republican party. 10
| him, and threw his body into the Tiger
! River, leaving a notice forbidding any
one to bury him. Before the committee
returned Senator Scott sent Thompson's
brother, now refugee from Columbia to
Union County, with letter to ensure him
a strong guard of United States cavalry to
go to bury the body, which is reported to
he still lying, half decomposed on the
waters edge. Two more Gays were spent
in examining witnesses in Columbia, on
returning from Spartansburg. One day
was occupied in hearing statements and
| general views of General Wade Hampton
and General Butler, Democratic candidate
for Governor last fall. The committee
then visited York County, where they re-
mained nearly a week They discovered
at Yorkville bitter spirit among the
white citizens. At supper at the hotel on
the evening of their arrival, Major James
Berry threw pitcher of milk over Hon.
A. s. Wallace the Representative of the
District, and Hon. ]. Il. Stevenson, of the
committee. They were just seating
| the mselVes at the table, and not word
had been spoken. Mr.. Wallace jerked
out revolver and raised it to shoot Berry
Ladies were screaming, but the landlord
threw himself before Berry, and Mr.. Ste
vensOn coolly caught Wallace's hand, and
ordered the landlord to take that mar out
of the room. BALI dozen friends gath
cred 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 his knees, if re-
quired, for what he alleged was an unin-
territorial aff:ont to Mr.. Stevenson. 1t was
subsequently asceTtained that the business
had been discussed by Berry and his
! friends during the afternoon. 1t was to
becarried.sut, and Berry had proposed to
use hot coffee, hut finally concluded on
milk. A colnred band seTenaded the COM
mittee. Later in the evening crowd of
young white men filled the porch of the
| hotel and were about the band, frequently
cursing the negroes and Yankees. As the
band went away the crowd followed, and
nearly filled the sidewalks. The band and
those with it who were negroes were kept
by two village policemen from the side
walk. One negro was thrust off by po-
liceman, who says the negro resisted and
struck him. A negro and two white men,
who were close by, say the negro strug
gled to get away from the grip of
the policeman who seized, cursed,
fired at the negro, and continued fir
ing until he had inflicted five wounds.
The man was still living when the com
mittee left. The testimony taken showed
that both of the policemen and the
Mayor were members of the KuKluX.
No one was arrested. The community in
York County was found in almost utter
social and political demoraliZatlon, the
civil authorities being useless farce and
mockery. Col. Merrill, in command of
small force stationed there, an officer of
high character and great energy, laid be-
fore the committee the details of sixty
eight cases of outrage which he had in
vrstigated, some Of them most revolving
and horrible. 1t was found impossible for
the committe TO examine more than small
part Of the crowds of whipped, manned,
or terror stricken wretches that 1ocked in
upon hearing of their coming. When the
committee adjourned the building in which
they had sat was filled-stairs, halls, and
porches-with those waiting to be heard.
The usual course pursued on arriving at
place was to divide the time they eXpecte u
TO remain between the majority and minor
ity of the committee. Judge Van Trump
usually called two or three of the most
prominent lawyers, who each occu-
pied several hours, setting forth the
Democratic views of affairs, giving their
opinions on the relations of the two races,
the inefiiciency and corruption of the State
Government, and the feeling of the white
people toward the General Government.
They always said they had heard of Ku-
Klhx, but never saw one. Generally, they
seemed to regard them as kind OF vigil
ance committee or irregular local police.
They did not consider them under general
organization, but simply TO repress out
breaks. The majority then called for
| thnsa who had seen and felt kuk kluX.