Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1871-12-23
A Night in the Hands Of the
~ s..,. Ku-Klux.

81 ---- W Rsta
To the Editors of the Boston Daily
AdrYtiser III see in your issue of to-
day the telegram announcing my cap
tIire aid escape from the Kentucky
Ku Klnx. As the account is some
what defective IN detajl, ] give you
here with tine affair as 1t Occurred. ]
visited my native State in behalf OF
"The National Association for the
spread of Temperance and Night
School among the Freedman" and had
spoken to large numbers of them at
louisville, and was on my way to
speak at Pleasureyille, a place half
way between Louisville and Lexing-
ton. / arrived at Pleasureyille depot
at little after 8 in the evening, and
was met by colored man who inform
ed me that the meeting was to take
place five miles in the country. After
waiting some little time for team
which was expected, we started on
foot, thinking we would meet the We
hicle. We walked on until dark over
took us, began to ieel appreheusiye
that all was not right. The man with
me, however, assured me that there
was no danger and we went on, But
shortly after heard the trotting of
horses both in front and in the rear,
and before I could determine what to
do we were surrounded by some eight
or ten men, three of whom dismountei
beuad my arms behind me with a cord,
remounted their horses, and started
on in the direction | had been travel.
ing. The man who was with me dis
appeared, while l was being tied. The
men were not disguised, and talked
freely among themselves. After go
ing nile or mere they stopped anu
a soment or two, he plr-
port OF which | could not hear, except
one of them saying: Lawrence don't
want nigger hung SO near his place."
They started again; | was on foot, a
rope had been attached tony arms,
and the other end to one Of the horses.
l had to hasten my steps from being
dragged along by the animal. Soon
they turned to the right and followed
~ what appeared to be a COW path.
While on this road my hat fell of,
and l called to the man behind and
said, s-Ive lost my hat.' You'n.nced
no hat in half an hours tinfe," he re-
piled. As we were passinga a log house
on this road, man came ont and said
in trembling voice. "Jim's dying r
All of the men. now dismouuted, and
with the exception of two, they went
nto the building. / distinctly heard
the cries, groans and rawlings of the
sick man, which satisfied me at once
that it was an extreme case of deli-
rum tremens, and as I had treated
that inalady successfully by the hypo
dermic remedy and having within
the little instrument, the thought
flashed upon me that | might save my
life by the trial. Consequently, / said
to one of the men;ta know what's
the matter with that man, and 1 can
relieve him ia ten minutcs.' One Of
them went into the. house, related
what had said, and the whole CON-
pany came out. The leader whom
they addressed as .1Gap,v began to
question me With regard TO my skill
in such complaints. He soon became
satisfied, united me, and we entered
the sick mans chamber. Ny hands
we're SO numb from the tightness Of
the cord which bound my arms, that !
walked up and down the room for sorne
minutes rubbing my hands and con,
the situation. The man
lay upon a bed of straw, his arms aud
legs bound to the bcdstead to keep
him from injuring himself and others.
He had in his agony bitten his tongue
and lips, and his mouth was covered
with bloody froth, while the glare of
his eyes was fearful. His wife, the on
Is woman in the house, sat near the
bed with an infant upon her lap. her
countenance pale and anxious, while
The company Of men seemed to be the
most desperate ] had ever seen.
l determined from the first to try to
impress them with the idea that de-
rived my power to relieve pain from
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