The New York herald., 1871-11-15

press the belief that the man was murdered by
members OF his own congregation, with whose
wives and daughters he had carried out his peculiar
theological notions.
MURDER OF 4 NOTORIOUS sF1NCE."
the o:her murder can more Justly DO charged
upon the Ku .Klux. 1t was that OF . white man
named OWENS OF whose personal character did
not near single Kind word. He had become no
torous IN the county a. receiver OF stolen goods,
and was the recognized "fencen Of al the white
and negro thieves in the community. OF course,
the fact OF mis- being bad man did not justify any
person numbering him; but 1t Is strong presumpttve
evidence that something else than politics was
the cause OF his murder. State Senator
Duncan, Of this county. is republican,
and is politically obnoxious to the majority Of
the whites, and yet nobody has ever tried 10 Kill
him, and he declares that he has not the signtest
fear for his life. am assured that Mr.. Williams
the radical County Auditor, an appointee Of Scots.
Is politically the worst hated man in Union. and yet
he is not afraid OF assassination. Owens was not
Q prominent politician. Why. then, charge his mur
der to political intolerancef II the Ku Klux muir.
dered him some robbery In which he was concerned
was the impelling motive; and 1t is not improbable
that he was murdered by some Of his companions In
crime
But the worst offence committed 6y the Ku Klux
OF Union county and, IN my opinion the most ex-
men for the murder or white man. The aggrava-
tion was certainly immense. It seems that just
Governor Scott determined to organize and arm
militia I0rce and send 1t TO these countless 0stensi
really ~ to % coerce the voters he began % b. arnias
negroes many OF whom ne pardoned from the
penitentary for the purpose Of putting guns ~ Into into
vile. The whites OF this town became alarmed.
dered him the services OF company or white militia
which would guarantee the peace Of the country
white militia at all; none bur sroes would serve
his purpose. Well the negroes were sent to Union,
and there, as az haurens and elsewhere. they car:
person s ventured 10 % leave his his house sIIer alter
nightial Mems houses were shot into BY
an an inch Of q little girls head s on one one
occasion. Musket firing became q common occur
marxed the conduct Of the militia By day. Probas
bly, the people OF Massachusetts would have become
as angry and excited as the whites Of Union county
became. They were intensely exasperated, and 1t
only required the occurrence OF an event OF moro
than ordinary atrocity for them TO lose control OF
event happened. One evening, after sundown,
one-armed white man. named Matt stevens
4 ahort distance from tho village he was surrounded
by mob OF negro militiamen, who demanded
nc had In his wagon. Stevens reconstructed with
them, and finally refused to comply with their re-
dered the unfortunate man. In two hours more the
entire county was in an uproar of excitement Sew
81 Nv 1s M were py ine N e
Then came the counter .excitement The negro
mlitiamen swore that they would rescue their COM
rades Governor Scott sent down writ OF habeas
corpus for the delivery OF the murderers to
his messengers and for their removal to Columbia.
followed this singular proceeding .Scott wants to
shield them." was the Cry throughout the county.
road outside the town tnre stenisg to move on the
jail and release the prisoners. was race ~ ainst
race and bloody struggle IN prospective when the
men, disguised, rode to the Jail "Not a rcmon-
STRANGE, Mr. Jai!er 7, they said. sternly surrender
fesrfu revenge for the cold booded murder OF poor
Matt Stevens They sn0s or hanged every one OF
and tnen retired. Union county breathed freer.
III" said gentleman to me to-day, 'the Ku
IN
people had been worked up into such state OF
desperation that instead Of killing the murderers
the county"
EFFECT OF THE REVENGE,
terrible revenge this You may say, killing eight
or ten men for the murder OF one. so 1t was. A
citizens Of the town hold meeting and denounce
. committee to the Governor expressing re.
gret thai the outrage had % OCCURRED and asking
en snea @ sas e
DO not believe they were sorry that the murderers
had been punished. They would not have been human
principally because they knew that when it was told
TO the world, the immense provocation they had re-
be condemned as cold blooded deliberate assassins
Condemn them II you please, but before you conslgn
them TO the tender mercies Of military law Just
think whether similar outrages, arising rom similar
provocatons, nave not been perpetrated by 'loyal
men, In bS Loyal States And decide m addition
can be Justly charged TO political Intolerance.
THE BIGGEST Ku kLux ORGANIZATION
Be pleased to let me repeat that am not defend.
Ing the ku klux; am only explaining the causes
that produced them. Az civilized humane man,
and otherwise. .ill.treaied. But bear in mind also
that years OF systematic oppression and des-
pupSer o the
will end In violence where no means Of peace.
@ sad e YKSa Rax a; s os
governor sco fne mos. @ and sa"sa
this Scott and the elect Of bis Legislature; for
II is they VINO. BY their punder OF the taxpayers,
sSecna negro crimnss % rom nave
produced the disorders for which the white men OF
South Carolina-tbe intelligent. respectable classes
intellectual classes Of the State had been able TO
rcpose confidence In the State governmental the
and supporieiss Of society would have tolerated 4
Ky AlaA 2ssspzstISn nS1 in their mdss
In this letter letter. Sas5 hot hot concsaied tne ac, that
troubles have We, existed In Unioh comtyI nnd I have
not denied that the ku kiux, or men representing
themselves as such, have perpetrated gross out
RACES But Will you not be surprised TO learn that
these troubles ended seven montAs Ag0s appeal
TO Captain Thompson, OF the United States Army, TO
ssy how many XVI Klux -outrages nave oc-
CURED In Union county during she seven
been reported, minor anairs, which upon IN
Ycstigation proved to be personal quarrela Cu.
flOusy enough, all the federal officials admit that
for months past these counties have been quiet
Why them wait until the troubles are over 70 begin
operationsf BECAUSE" replies federal Official to
me, "the government must show lts power.n Is 1t
not wani0n display Of powerf While tho Ku Klux
were committing "0utragosn nobody was arrested.
from four 70 seven months AFTER they have retired
TO their sdensu and society has resumed It's normal
condition. the government p0unces down upon
them. defy the United states Marshal to produce
q single warrant against Ku Klux In which the
alleged offence was committed within three months
past.
regret TO report that the conduct OF some OF the
federal ofcials In this county has been unnccessa
rily harsh and despotic. A lieutenant Of cavalry,
named McD0Ugal, gocms TO have behaved most dis
aracefully treating the white citizens In an tnsolent