Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-09-15
South Carolina Ku-Klux.

The following is the letter describing
the present state of affairs in South Caro-
lima which Senator Scott addressed to the
President short time ago.
To the President Of The United Stdtes:
SIR since the return of the sub COM
mittee sent to the State of South Carolina
by the Joint Committee of Congress, ap
pointed "to inquire into the condition of
the late insurrectionary States, so far as
regards the execution of the laws and the
safety If the lives and property of citi
zens of the United States" communica
tions have been forwarded to me from citi
zens of Spartanburg and York counties,
and from the officer commanding the
United States troops at Yorkville, which
consider it my duty to lay before you with
this letter.
The sub committee visited 9TH these
counties, and took testimony in them;
that testimony has not all been printed,
but with this forward the testimony of
Rev. A. w. Cummings, of Spartanburg,
and of Colonel Lewis Merrill, relating to
York County. That of DR.. Cummings
shows that from October last until July,
when the committee was there, outrages
had been committed upon 227 citizens,
whose names are given, two of whom had
blen murdered. This list does not en-
brace all the cases that have occurred, and
the Deputy Marshal in that county testi-
fed that the actual number largely ex-
ceeds this. Some forty or fifty persons
were before the committee, who proved
the outrages committed upon themselves
and others by bands Of armed men in dis
guise. The extent of ttis violence was so
great that leading citizens of that county
were informed that il any of the witnesses
who testified were interfered with, or If
outrsges of a character similar to those
proved were again committed, the fact
would be reported to the President, that he
might consider the propriety of exerling
the full extent of the powers conferred
upon him for the protection of citizens OF
the United States against such lawless-
ness. 1t is due to these citizens to say
that they promised to exert their influence
to repress disorder, and / have since seen
published notices of meetings held fol
that purpose.
Before the committee left, ono witness
who had been examined, reappeared and
testified that he had bought gun, re-
tIrned home, and had been visited by
armed men in disguise, from whom ht
escaped, but who took his gun away anC
threatened to his family that they would
kill him.
forebore to report this case, hoping
that the promises of leading citizens
would be fulfilled, and be effective to stoI
further violence. On the same day tina
the committee left Spartanburg the County
Court assembled.
AS an evidence of how far the State Law
is effective in reaching such offenses,
quote an extract from the report of thu
Grand Jury, made under date OF July 25
"We regret to report that we have hearC
of number of outrages having been com
mitted in various portions of the county
but express the hope that the good and In
} fluential men in every part of the commu
nifty will unite their efforts in preventing
every infraction of the law and in assuI
ing to all perfect security in their person
) and property"
This is the notice taken of such stat
of affairs as that presented by DR.. Cum
mings testimony. No man has yet beel
I convicted or punished in that county 70
any of these offenses. DIR. Cummings lei
ter OF the 10th inst. states that numbe
of outrages have been committed since tb
committee left-one of them, as appear
, by the affidavit of DIR. Bales, of a mos
! brutal character. One of the witnesse
: before the committee is also stated TO b
now refugee in Spartanburg, having bee
: threatened with death.