The New York herald., 1871-03-16


became exciting and political feeling ran hign "
has grown TO be most formidable and extensive extensive
Character r'S MADE made '0s To the presen, have ut
terly failed to show which OF the twomtne
negro Negro militia or the Ku Klnx-are e,lpSae respon,
battles in this and adjoining counties Both pollti
cal parties charge on the other, and both make out
such clear case that Is almost impossible TO de-
eide which Is culpable short of regular official ex-
animation Sa AL parties pa concerned n mne me nesroe
OF the troubles originated IN the
WHIPPING AND BREAKING UP
OF the arms OF members OF the militia companies.
For the past month or two, and since the outrages
In Union county began, II seems to have been de-
termlned object on the part OF the ku Klux 10
whenever and wherever found. Every place where
arms OF the state were known to have been stored
ders habited in their mysterious and hldeous cos
tune ana the arms either carried or or DESTROYED.
and Augusta Railroad adjoining tiis county,
body OF disguised men, numbering some seventy
five came there about three weeks since and left
five cases OF State Winchester rifles
A MASS OF DEBRIS
on the floor Of the storeroom. The watchman says
ne was aroused by a loud knocking at the door,
which he oDened. and was at once selzed by man,
who commanded hIm. with plstel at his breast, to
remain quiet. About twenty-five men then rushed
IN, all wearing DISCUSSES, and they asked HIM
where were The State arms. In state OF per-
feet terror ne pointed out five cases piled
broken open with an axe and as quickly broken up.
the accoutrements being cut IN pieces and thrown
manded him to go to the barroom OF the place and
bring them whiskey, put before he went on this
HIM the Key. He returned with q gallon OF whskey
and they again entered the depot and completed
their work Of spollation. Though there were
provisions and goods there they never
touched anything but the arms. When these
were all destroyed they left and commanded him
to follow them. He went, and was almost terrified
lest they should take notion TO hang HIM. When
about five hundred yards from the depot they came
across the road, and horses were tied along the
The whiskey after which tile captain or leader gave
the order TO mount. de was then ordered TO return
junction he strictly obeyed, and the last words he
heard came from the captain, who said, NOW,
WE MUST BE ACROSS THE LINE
by sun up.n From this latter expression it is in
ierred tnat the Ku klux engaged In this outrage
where 1t occurred. adJoins Meckenburg county in
tina: State. Certain 1t is that they came from
another county; but whether from Union In this
State. or from this county: or from one in North
Carolina cannot be definitely settled. 1t IS strongly
surmised, however, that 1t was the same band that
has since taken so prominent part In the diliicu
ties in this county. Abner Holly, a powerfully
built and stalwart black negro, who is one Of the
most intelligent among them ! have seen, states
that he was brutally whipped on Thursday night
last two weeks ago, Just previous to the recent dis
turbances, and that the
BLOOD SPIRITED FROM HIS BACK
every Hex. In his own graphic language they came
in ana dragged hlm ont OF the bed where his wife
was and halOOed ana cavOrted around like so many
devils. There were twenty-five OF them. They took
his Winchester rife down from where 1t was hang
they smashed the breech OF on the hearth. The man
then picked that up and sad. 'Do you see where
this is going ~ and he threw the breech behind the
fire. The barrel then mutated ana broken.
They spoke to him and said they had nothing
melish. The principal one whooped and shook his
horns in his face while he presented pistol at his
breast ana told HIM tnat he had voted for that
D-N SCOUNDREL SCOTT, AND
Grant, too, ana they would show that he must do 30
no more, or they would put him up the spout. 1--WE
paid for your damned Winchester rides, and we
have the right to destroy them. We don't want any
more OF the damned radicals you put in office, who
vote at all. We have TO pay the taxes and we want
men who will make honest and fair laws and
levy taxes under which we can llve and II this is
not done we will make the county
HOT AS HE'LL
for every ID nigger OF you. This the negro re-
lated with good deal OF humor, and he seemed TO
enjoy it as he went on. He said the men must have
known him well from the way they talked, for one
OF them said. "Let us hurry up;
sILvEY is IN THE FAMILY WAY.
AIMS msh s neT
known that fact unless they were quite intimate
with Holly and his family; but he could recognize
none OF them even by their voices, which were well
disguised Jim Wilkes, who is another robust black
young man, not so intelligent as Abner Holly, was
HIN, which caused all the recent dimcuties
| He made statement OF the whole affair to Captain
d. B. keeer, Company !, Eighteenth infantry, and
your correspondent. or course charges the first
attack to have been made upon his sentinel, instead
OF las has already been reported in the HERALD the
sentinel firing upon party Of passing whites. He
| proved himself
BAD OFFICER,
| for he frequentlg admitted that in the main en-.
/ gagement which occurred on Wednesday last in
| Baton Rouge township. near New Hope church,
inmy, but dat de prlvates did," HIS account OF the
| series OF disturbances does not materially differ
from thas already reported in the HERALD, except
| tnat he does not show how many were
KILLED AND WOUNDED
IN the several engagements that enSued, OF his own
! command, Notwithstanding that he did command
| on the battle field. THIS remains Still an unsettled
| question. Various reports coming from both sides
state tnat few men were killed In the fight on We'd
nesday but that IN the route and pursuit that fol.
lowed large "a number of negroes were "ost by the
negroes place their loss at some five SIX. while
| have heard whites say that they are satisfied as
| Mount Hope church, the scene OF Wednesdays
| battle. Out OF about one hundred negroes under
by one Major Rester, the county clerk and comman-
dant OF the militia about twenty reached Yorkvile,
| where they were required TO lay down their arms,
and for safety to Themselves the Sheriff put them
| IN jail. On the next day they were taken to the
United States camp and there they remained until
| out any molestation whatever. Everybody. both
negroes and whites, state that the aforementioned
| ADvENTuRER FROM BALTIMORE,
| or German ORIGIN Is the main cause OF all the
troubles He has repeatedly ridden into Office on
| the votes of the negroes, has been rher
mander-in-cief in The county for long period, and,
by in1ammatory speeches and bad advice, has kept
the negroes constantly on the verge OF collision
| with the whites His wifeS family here admit tnat
! he Is most dsreputable character, with whom
! they exceedingly regret their connection.
| during the late troubles, and instead or
| allowing the negroes TO go home ana
| dsDand he kept them here, furnished them
| ammunition and finally brought the collisions
| that took place. The hotel wnere now write is
| ridded with bullet holes from the fire OF the
negroes, who were intrenched at the turntabe near
Rester's residence on Tuesday morning last
THE DlsARMING OF THE NEGROES
has been progressing under the supervision of one
Captain Kennedy an aid of the G Jvernor, and to-
day squad of United States troops were despatched
to Rossvile to have the moral aid Of their presence
where large company were to be required to sur
render their Wlnchesters. There are now three
companies OF United States troops quartered here,
under command of Brevet Major b. B. Keeler, rs
follows:-Company l, commanded bv Captain
Keeler; Company II, Captain Mclaughlin; Com