Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-19
mississippi KuKlux.

A representative, John Il. Morphis, came up
to me at the Ebbit house, and said:
"Gath, you don't believe in kuklux. Here is
Mr.. Huggens, of my congressional district, who
received seventy lashes from them. He has
come on to testify before the investigating COM
mittee." ..
Mr.. Morphis is dark-sknned Tennessean,
aged 40, who served from the beginning to the
end OF the war in the rebel army. He lives at
PontotOc, in northeastern Mississippi, was born
in Tennessee, has served in both the Tennessee
and Mississippi state legislatures, and has twice
come TO congress as republican from his
adopted state. He has u tolerable good face,
and cociliatory, discreet address.
"They wanted me to testify before the COM
mittee," he said, "but don't think it prudent.
have wife and five children living at Ponto-
toe, and having worked as hard as | could to
break up the United States for four years.
don't know that it would look very respectable
to be so jealous about showing up my late
ReighbOFs and associates"
odd you lever see any kuklux, Colonel
Morphisp"
''Never but once, and that was few weeks
ago, right at home. We have a pretty fierce
talking republican editor there, and he had been
told several times that on one of the kukuX
rides they would whip him. While was at
home one evening, a party of Union folks were
playing cards and holding little time at the
Jail! A man ranin and said tnat the town was
full of kuklux, at which the jail party seized
their double barrelled shot guns, darted into the
street, and gave the whole mounted clan vol
ley. Six or seven were wounded, one fell dead
and was left, and several of the horses were
killed. A quantity of masks and dresses were
thrown aside In the panic, and these were all
picked up and are now kept at the jail. walked
over next morning, and saw the young mans
corpse. He lived few miles out of town, and
was known to several people. Undoubtedly
there are plenty of kutlux, sir. They ride at
~ rran md ara
five hundred to the county in the northernpart
of the state. The suits which | saw were merely
common black glazed muslin, cloak and cover,
trimmed sometimes with white down the legs.
The horses necks are covered with red muslin
to disguise them sufficiently. You know have
never been very ardent anti-kukiuX, but the
time is past for doubt about the reality of the
matter. There are about four thousand in
Northern Mississippi They whip people after
the first warning, and kill them after the second.
Their Leaders are generally some subordinate
democratic politicians, the bulk are dead-beats
and 'he-Outs, and some are young men and
farmers who have grown up since the war, and
take the matter additionally Now and then
tolerably fair standing citizens are in the move
ment. The kuklux belt reaches from Corinth
to Meriden. Higgins here, who is a northern
man, thinks that 500 troops would quiet Missis-
sippi As an old rebel colonel, tell you, sir
the regular army of the United States ought to
be raised to 100000 men. 1t is not big enough
for its work, and some Of the very congressman
not hot on the kukluX were the chief instru-
ments to cut the army down from its etfici-
ency." '
care there any extenuating reasons for the
existence of these kuklux %
Eyes. Twol Everybody our way is in debt,
and many want no law at all-no courts, no
taxes collected, no sales Of property under judg-
ment. Kukluxsm in Mississippi is, in part, a
reputation movement. Again, the crops have
failed this year in the gulf region generally.
We shall not have half a crop of cotton. and
little corn. This makes people Respondent and
resentful. Beyond these evil proYidences the
state government is terribly corrupt. The state
government last year cost 81 100, 900, to $3.50 900
in former times of prosperity. This makes
growing and gives space for such terrible CEN
sure as that of Ethel Barksdale, the editor of
the Clarion, at jackson, a brother of Congress-
man BarkSdale, killed at Gettysburg. He is the
head of the violent press there, and is shrewd
politician. His paper is making money. The
democrats, however, in our legislature, vote
with the worst republicans for jobs, and take
job money. Some of them supported TOminey's
recent scheme to take $32, 100000 from the peo-
pie at a lick, by making good the old repudiated
bonds. The lieutenant governor left his chair
and denounced this proposition.
81 repeat it, sir. Things are worse in many
respects in Mississippi for republicans than they
were in 1860. He'll is out there At Oxford
the other day, before the United States court
lawyer Lamar denounced a witness and drew
chair upon him. The marshal came between
and Lamar knocked him down on the floor of
the court room. Judge Hill lost his nerve, and
the Oxford university students and the eighteen
kukluX in the dock cheered, halooed, and
stripped for fight. At Lass the United States
military were marched into the court room to
restore order. This scene did not see, but read
all about it, ..... ...,,... ... ...-
1.-The government must either be seen in the
south, you must let that section relapse In
my judgment the whole region is sliding back
into barbarism. Personally have never been
molested, because l keep tolerably quiet, and
my old rebel soldiery, most of whom are atten-
tive, respectful, quiet people, as are the real
rebel soldiery generally, would not see me in
jured"
"How about your senatorial delegation?"
"Revels has gone into college. Hewas good
natured old fellow of no force. Alcorn has not
yet taken his seat. Senator Ames has all the
patronage of the state. He does not reside there.
He was very efficient, peremptory military Off
Ger, who made the law respected while COM
mander, but we think he has missed his voca-
ton as senator. However, l am no authority in
these matters. was disabled in the rebel ariny
two brothers were killed standing beside me on
the same side, and one other brother lost his arm
looking in the same direction. What want is
peace and civilization, and we are very far from
it. Mr. Huggens here will tell you what the
knkluX are in reality"
turned around and found in Mr.. Huggens
fiaXen, almost a silken haired man, with light
eyes, good forehead, thin legs, no stomach of
consequence, and very quiet almost wary ad-
dress. He is from Niles, Michigan, talks with
intelligence and dignity, and was endorsed by
Morphis as being cool, persevering disciplined
soldier and public officer. He did not weigh
above one hundred and thirty pounds, and had
a weak, pale look. To beat a man of that fraiIty
=. -
worthy Of that chivalry which parades by mid
night in calico armor, and numbers amongst its
Templars, Yerger, Mosby and jeff Davis
What were you beaten for, Mr.. Huggensp
Nothing personal. | was the United States
assessor, and had founded cOlored schools No.
tifcations of various sorts had been sent to me-
but paid no attention to them, and even now
although they have decorated me with fog
ging, go through my district without moles-
tatiOn. The reason is that they are towards
who would murder me if feared them; but
succeeded in getting company of regular in
fantry in there, and, although my warning of
death is past many weeks, they will do nothing
with me, except by treachery.
GLOW happened your whipping~
81 was off on my official business and had
stopped for the night at a mans house. They
must have been well organized, because they
were able in that single evening to gather about
100 men. About ten O'Clock, while was fast
and told me that the house was surrounded
with men, who demanded that should come
down to them. ! told him TO go and say that
having retired to rest, and having no business
at that time of night, | must be excused He
had scarcely quilted me, when a light fire was
started before the house, and men in dominoes
and masks began. to approach the house
with torches. The family entreated me
to leave the place and spare their property, so
put on my clothes and descended into the
yard. At the threshold | received assurances
from the leader that if would come out and
have my. warning read to me not a hair of
my head would be injured. This warning, he
said he was required to give me in the presence
of the whole company
81 stood within the yard-fence, leaning upon
it, was as cool as ever in my lfe and all the
party, as far as | could observe, were sober. and
the speakers of it seemed to be men of intelli-
gence."
They said to me that my presence in the
country was repugnant to them; that they
wanted nothing to do with the Yankee govern
ment, mo how and that if | would promise to
leave within ten days, [ should not be molested;
otherwise, / should at first be whipped, and af
forwards, unless missing of my own volition,
made way with.
After few moments, / answered that |
would neither leave nor promise to leave, not
recognizing their authority, and conscious of no
crime.
: In an instant they were upon me, on every
side. My clothes were torn from nv back. and