The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-10-31
q A DISMAL PICTURE.
A VISIT TO THE VICTIMS OF PRESI-
DENT GRANTS PROCL4MITTON.
How the Alleged Ku Klux are Treated
before Convictton-Their Quarters and
their Fare-What they Say, &c.
[FRoA OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

their Fare-W nat tney say, &C.
[FRoA OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBIA, S. c., October %.
With the permission of Marshal Johnson
visited the Jail yesterday, where number o
United States prisoners, charged with being
members Of the Ku.Klux Klan, are confined
When Ipresented my credentials to the Sheriff
Mr. Frazee, for admission, the following conver
satien took place between that gentleman and
and your correspondent:
Correspondent. / came here, Mr.. Sheriff
to see the United States prisoners charged
with being members of the Ku Klux organiza'
ton.
Sheriff, (hesltating.) Well, don't know
about that. permitted a newspaper man to
visit them day or two ago, and he went awsr
and wrote some things for his paper in refer
ence to the prisoners and the condition of the
cells in which they were confined that were
not true.
that will not be my case. as l intend to write
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth.
Sheriff. There, that will do. Your own face
land the character of the paper you represent
Nre sufficient to satisfy me. If you go up those
srs yonder, you will meet Mr.. Williams, the
sheriff of Beaufort County, who will show
she way. Uncle Sam, through the inhu-
ncS Sof Marshal Johnson and Judge Bond, sent
him up mere to assist me In my arduous duties.
thanked the sheriff and went In the direc-
ton he indicated, when met Mr.. Williams,
who at once brought me to the end Of large
hallway In the right wing of the building. He
then unlocked and swung open heavy door
leading to corridor about six feet wide,
along which were located the cells Of the
prisoners from Spartanburg County.
THE GLOOMY ABODE
of those unfortunate men was anything but
Hviting, and for that reason entered 1t win
some reluctance. But once inside, / deter
mined to 60 through with my. visit. So when
the great door closed afteH me l pushed
on through the crowd to examine the
cells. as l was anxious to get out as
pleasing sight, and have no desire whatever
to visit that wretched place again: There are
six cells on this wing, where the prisoners
are incarcerated, which are said to measure
eight by twelve feet each. There are forty
two men in these cells, not all United States
prisoners, so that at night there are seven per-
sons In each cell, who have neither beds,
mattresses nor benches, nothing, In fact, but
the bare floor to lie upon, with little covering;
indeed, one of the prisoners told me that the
few blankets they had amongst them were
their own, which they carried With them from
home, and that they suffered at night from
the effects OF cold.
The FOOD, :
I was informed, was bad and insufficient,
and the statement thus made by one OF the
prisoners was confirmed by q distinguished
physician of this city, who stated to me to-day
that in the market, yesterday, outcher told
him that nothing but meat Of the poorest KIND
was sent to the jail; and I am told that the
bread Is, also, Of very Inferior quality. .ha Eaen
quarters Of pound Of this ofal meat daily,
and nothing else except water. One OF the
county prisoners, q United States soldier, VINO
deserving out three months imprisonment for
.chmitting an assault upon citizen OF Column
bls, informed me that It was impossible to eat
the meat with which the prisoners were fur
nished, the Quality was 90 bad.
THE CELLS
are On the first story. They are rather dark,
and have disagreeable smell. There are 30
many men crowded together In 80 small
SPACE without regard 10 sanitary require
ments, that it cannot be otherwise. But, In
asmuch as We live In civilized community, t
is to be hoped that better fare and more roomy
quarters will be provided for those suspected
people. AS passed through the cells, con-
versed freely with
Idk fASONbpos
many of whom seemed very anxious to assure
me that they we're members o. The Ku-klux
organization, and were willing to tell all they
knew about 1t. They believe ais course to be
the safest, in order to get orr OF the hands OF
the law; they believe that by so doing the UNI
ted States Government will permit them to re.
turn to their homes at an early day, at least
whef their trial comes of this month before
Judge Bond. One man IN particular, named
James Davis, told me that he was lnember OF
the Union League, Republican, secret, oath
bound society, but was compelled ID join the
Ku-Klux, as somebody told him that II
he did not he would get whipped.
There were about fifteen prisoners
more, who told me that they joined he Ku,
helped to whip negroes, but none Ct them
could give any information about the lead
ers. as they did not know their names, and II
they did, declared that they would Civ full In
formation to the United States au' norities.
Amongst them Is man named Leoe' zee CAM,
to be member OF the Rlan, althous h could
not very well understand from him what use
the Klan could possibly make OF him as ne al
legged he never attended meeting Ind knew
nothing whatever OF the leaders. l heard
all of
THEIR STORIES
with patience, but they were so confused and
terribly mixed that / placed very little reii-
ance on them, and would be very slow with
out strong corroborating testimony to believe
any of the self-confessed criminals under oath.
Their tales of Ku-Klux tyranny are evidently
as uutrustworthy as their own personal ap-
pearance indicate, and the public should be
slow to take any notice of their Wild and inco,
h6oent statements, most of which have good
reason to believe are mere tabrications, wholly
unworthy Of consideration or belief.
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