New-York tribune., 1871-11-06
THE KU-KLUX.


THE KU-KLUX.
ARRESTS IN THE PRESCRIBED COUNTIES IN SOUTH
CARoLINA-CONFEssIoN OF THE PRISONERS
THEIR SIGNS AND GRIPs-PRosTRATIoN Oh
BUSINESS.
TBY rKLBaRAPH TO rHR rRrBUNB.1
COLUMBIA, s. c., Nov. 5.-The crusade against
the KuKlux IL still actively prosecuted In the interior
by the United States authortes All the arrests thus
been made in the Counties Of York aud Spartan
burg with the exception OF five arrests In Union County
of mon charged with completely In the murder OF the
eight negroes who were taken from the jail In
Union Village, in February last by diAguised men
and shot. spartanburg and York Counties lie upon the
North Carolina line, and contiguous to the region
where the Ku-Klux operated who were recently con
vced at Raleigh and several Of the men now under ar
rest participated In the raid upon Rutherfordton last
Summer The Raleigh trials gave clue to the auhori-
ties that resulted In the arrest OF men whose confessions
have exposed the whole organization and operations OF
the Klan in tho northern part OF this State.
In York County over hundred men have been ar
rested including four negroes, and nearly many more
have voluntarily given themselves up who have con-
essed that they belong to the Kln and have told the
whole story Of their connection with It. In 4partanburg
County the number Of arrests thus far Is about hund
red, many Of whom have also made confessions The
greater part Of the men apprehended belong to the
poor white" clnss.
papers Of the arrest OF women untrue, es are oil the
other stories about the prisoners being subjected to
cruel treatment unnecessary hardship On the con-
trary they are well cared for their families allowed to
vst them and they given every indulgence consist
ent with their safe detention OF course the arrest OF
such large number OF persons, in two sparsey popu
lated counties, has occasioned great excitement and
general arrangement Ut business. number OF men In
both counties who shown by the confessions to be
leaders of the order hiding In the woods or have fed
the county, and several Of these wealthy cizens
and prominent politicians The disordered condition OF
business extends far this city, and the merchants
say that their trade with the "upcountry" s almost
| entirely suspended.
Tho tone Of public sentiment show mixture Of de-
spondency and bitterness Of feeling against Republicans
and the Government intense than has been mani
tested at any time since the The negroes and the
few white Republicans in the State rejoice at the over
throw Of their enemes and the long hopedor suppress
sion Of the terrible Ku Klux organization that has filed
South Carolina with alarm and violence ever since the
withdrawal Of military governments About 80 OF the
spartsnburg prisoners confined In the jail at this
place. They could be taken out habeas corpus but
their counsel and tho citizens object, from fear
that II this were done the President would
include this county in his proclamation suspendng
the writ About dozen OF these prisoners have made
confessions and as their stories all agree there is no
doubt Of their truth They that in each county thers
is Grand Klan that issues orders TO all the local Kans In
ts Jurisdiction The principal officer is called the Grand
Chief" and his deputy Is termed the "Monarchical
Chief" There two committees-one on membership,
and rads-the members Of these committees being
usually too old to do tho active work Of VIOLENCE.
The Grand Chief Of the Spartanburg Grand Kan is j..
Bank Lyle Democratic member Of tho Legislature, who
is hiding to escape arrest. The objects Of the
Kan ore as follows:
First: Humanity, Justice, and Honor.
SecOnd: Aid to brothers la distress.
Third To put down the Radical party and restore the
Government Washington fought to establish.
When questioned as to what they understood by this
last they explained by saying they told that this is
White Mans" Government and that none but white
should be allowed rule The signs Of recognition
to be Responded by running tie
left ear IN like manner putting the nana TO taG right
heel Of the right foot against hollow Of the left and
thrustng the right hand In the pocket with the thumb
and pressing the forehnger against tho foot of the
thumb Several of the prisoners cay they were forced
with death TO make them join One says that after
he was initiated he found Ills own brotherin.law had
he was fourteen raids and was with the party
that killed colored Trial Justice at Cedar Springs Spar
tanbuYe County and also with the detail sent to kill Mr.
owens white Republican in thesame county. Another
says he knows Of 100 raids In that oouny He
Sa IN Sns and q aid IL IN
The prisoners agree that nearly all the raas are pNa
the Radical ticket force reluctant RersSns into Join
nha Whips negro e Or
OF the order One old negro got blows with hckores
fr saying he thought that the blacks and the poor
whites should marry each other and make one race,
Several negro women were whipped for saying
they knew who the EuKl lux were. The prison
ers think that with but few exceptions all the
white men in spartanburg County are by choice or BY
force members of the order, although comparatively
lew have been actively engaged In the work OF violence
Tho better class OF citizens furnish horses and amnun
ton and the poor then do the rading az rule: The
discipne of Khan Ia represented 70 De xceedngy
severe and the members who fail 70 Strictly obey
The Committee Raids determine who are 70 be the
victims of the next visitation Of the KaD and nsructs
the chief who issues orders and mAkee detail Tor the
work III the victim resiss the Instructions are always
70 XIII him but murder Is never planned IN ADVANCE ex
cent under orders from the Grand Klan The Spartan
burg prisoners In the Columbia jail, whose statements
ara summa rEed above, taken from their own lips,
stics Of eir colored faces thin, coarse
hair, dun, sxpressiQness eyes; awkward, loose
tointed backs, and clothing Of the coarsest gray
homespun. A few among them who were officers
in ths Klsn, are rather more inteligent-look-
Inc. ana have a more progressing appearance
than their fellows They chiefly small FARMERS rent
ing little patehes Of land and they complain Of the loss
seauence OF their arrest The Union County prisoners
are of q different csAs One kDudge OF Probate one
hotsl.heeper and two or three are merohants One
nuIatto and q shoemaker Those prisoners deny all
fnowledee OF the KuKux and cautious and retcent
in Conversation. They are to have hearing on satur-
day beiore the o. g. Commissioner, the hearing having
been postponed Q week at their own request The Ku-
Vim fSias begin here on tho th before Judge Bond.
The work of breaking up the order IN the other counties
embraced In the Presidents proclamation win probably
commence soon. ....