The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-08-04
ku.Klux.

before the KuKlux Committee, to day.
Gen. Wright In reply to question said
he was practicing lawyer and one of
the editors of the Chronicle and Senti.
mel at Augusta, Ga. He further testified
that the people of that State were peace
able and law.abiding, and that the laws
are as fully enforced as they were be-
fore the war. The witness said that his
law practice extended to ten counties
and from his personal observation and
knowledge of the State, he could say
the negroes enjoyed all the privileges In
the Courts accorded to the whites, In
fact, the juries seemed to lean little to.
ward the negroes, from apprehension or
fear that they might be suspected of do
ing injustice to them. In reply to a
question whether he knew of white
men having committed offense5 against
negroes, he replied that he prosecuted
white man for the murder of a negro,
who, however, was convicted of man
slaughter, and sentenced for the full
term allowed by the law. In the same
Court, in the same county, a white man
charged with the murder of negro,
was found guilty and sentenced to be
hanged on the first Friday of Septem-
ber. While these two trials were In
progress, twelve white citizens of WASH
ington county were arrested under the
Ku-Klux laws carried one hundred and
thirty miles, and tried by United States
Commissioner for assault and battery
on negroes. They were kept in Jail sew.
eral days, but on investigation before q
carpet.bagger, Lee and General Swayne,
they were acquitted. The witness said
he had no reason to believe there was
any organized band of Ku.Klux in
Georgia, for political purposes, nor he
had never heard of any. He, however,
knew of band of marauders like Nor
rell's gang, that extended through a
portion of the counties of the district in
which he lived, and the two white men
convicted in Washington county, were
suspected of belonging to the band. A
man by the name of Reese, who killed
a negro, was found guilty by military
Commission, but was pardoned by Pres
ident johnson. This same man, not
long ago, killed another person, and was
tried, found guilty, and sentenced to be
executed on the 4th of August. Gov.
ernor Bullock reprieved him, and his
friends said, in order to have him par.
doned 1t was necessary to make some
arrangements. In answer to the ques
tion as to the nature of the arrange
ments, the witness replied they involv
ed the raising of sufficient amount O
money in furtherance Of that design
The witness was interrogated at som'
length about the Georgia Legislature.
The Republicans having in 1869 oh
tanned majority through tho action o
General Terry, acting, as he said undei
the order of President Grant, and also
through the action Of Harris, master
of transportation. While Harris wa'
engaged in organizing the House, ,
military commission with General Ru
ger at the head, was examining thI
qualification of the members. Genera
Ruger and his board reported sixteen
or twenty members to be ineligible un
der the COnstitutionable amendments,
and this secured Republican majority.
A Senator from the Forty fourth dis
trict, who had served two terms in the
Legislature, died, when the commission
of Harris put in his place the man
whom the deceased had defeated ut the
election. Having been asked what eff
feet disfranchisement under the Four.
teenth Amendment had on the public
mind, the witness replied that it was a
cause of complaint among the people
against the government. They muir.
INJURED because the men, heretofore &C
customed to conduct public affairs, were
kept out of Office while their former
slaves were now the lawmakers. If the
disabilities of the people were removed
and they allowed to select the best men
for the public offices, there would be nc
cause of complaint against the govern
ment. The relations of the white an(
black races were perfectly harmonious,
The negroes had been neither cheated
nor swindled, but fairly treated. Dim
culties frequently rose because the ne
groes could not tell, in calculating thu
shares of crops, whether one tenth ol
One.third was the most. Frequently
arbitrators were called in to determin,
the question for them. The witness
having been asked wht ther he knew o
any person having been whipped b.
disguised persons, replied that Il whit,
man named Ferguson was seized by
band of negroes, stripped and nearl
whipped to death by them. A negr
man was prosecuted for living in adu
terry with white woman. He ws
tried and convicted but was pardone
by Governor Bullock. The frequer
pardons produced much mischief.
little while after the above named col
viction white man was convicted ft
living in adultery with a negro woman
but through the efforts of Governt
Bullocks prosecuting officer the ma
was discharged on technical defect
the proceedings. The citizens whippt
white man and a negro woman WI
had been living in shame. There we
no politics in these occurrences. III
, people resorted to such punishment b.
, cause OF the mischief to society produ
/ ed by the indiscriminate pardons
: Governor Bullock.
,
al PALPITATIoN OF THE HEART.
, There are probably few persons wi
/ have not at some time In their liv
had, II not for more than a momer
palpitation of the heart. The disea
, is dependent on over excitement
, nerves ofthis organ. Usually 1t las
for few minutes, but cases are on n
ord of its continuing eight days at {