The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-07-01

AREAL, LIVE, GENUINE KUKLUX,
at least he used to be one. | met him
on the cars Yesterday morning-a tall,
six foot four young man, OF about TWEEN
ty years of age, and with new mus
tacbe and soft brown eyes.
In the course Of a general converse
ton land it has struck me as somewhat
singular that the people down South
almost invariably introduce this subject
in speaking to strangers) the subject Of
the Ku-Klux was brought forward. l
ventured to express some doubts as to
there ever having been
AN ORGANIZED BAND OF KU-KLUX.
Ny soft-eyed companion smiled fas-
cinating smile and said he thought l
was mistaken. "In fact" said he, 81
was once a Ku-Kllx myself" and the
soft eyes shot a CLEAN or two that
seemed to indicate that he would very
much enjoy being a Ku'Klux again.
He went on to say:-It was two years
or so ago when l lived in Montgomery,
Ala, that ten Of us, all young men, or
ganized Ku-Klux Khan. We
ORGANIZED TO BRIGHTEN THE NEGROES
and to have some fun. Doubtless you
saw in the papers OF that time long &C
counts OF our mysterious doings. We
first thought of the organization to
scare the negroes from the Royal
League meetings. There was a young
medical student in our number who had
TIE SKELETON OF A MAN.
We frightened more negroes with this
skeleton than in any other way. Taking
it out on the road toward where there
was large negroe settlement, we would
attach a small, strong cord to it, and
put it over a limb overhanging the
road. We would then get securely
back, and whenever a negro came along
the skeleton would be gradually let
down in front OF him. If it was too
dark for him to see it. he would feel the
cold, hard bones, and if he could see it
it never failed to Brighten him half to
death, and in either case the negro ran
as hard as he could, yelling
MURDER 'GHosrsr AND 'EU ELUX!
And sir, | tell you the negro that
wouldn't holler when that skeleton
touched him wasn't in the neig hborhood
of Montgomery And the soft eyes
were closed in their owners keen relish
Of the long ago fright Of the negroes.
"But wasn't there danger in your pc
culiar way of fun makingY
Just sir,
ENOUGH DANGER TO MAKE 1T ENJOYABLE
We were fired at several times, but
none of us were ever hit The dar-
kies, you know, are very supersttious,
and firing at US so often and never bring
ing down any game, they grew more and
more terrified at the tall apparitions
that would suddenly confront them in
the dark woods. You see | am very
tall myself; well, two Of US, with
white sheets thrown over US, would get
on the side Of the road, one getting on
the shoulders of the other, squat down
as low as possible. Then when the ne
groes came along we would slowly rise
up, getting taller and taller, until the
negroes would swear we were
KU-KLUx FORTY FEET HIGH.
"Did you ever shoot back at the ne
groes p
ooh no. We never used the least bit
Of violence during the continuance OF
our organization There was one time
when we were all badly frightened.
There was large negro meeting OF
some kind being held in front OF the
State House one evening. We got
about two pounds Of the stuff they make
blue lights with in the theatres and put
it around the gateway to the Capitol.
When the meeting got pretty well under
Roadway We
TOUCHED OFF OUR LITTLE HE'LL,
and | tell you hell was to pay then.
sure enough. We had put enough oil
that stuff there to have lasted Niblos
Garden for twelve months. The flames
blue, devilish looking flames-shot
up about fifty feet. The fire bells were
rung, the whole police force ordered out
and the negroes were nearly frightened
to death. They rushed ont into the
street, and as nearly
EVERY ONE OF THEM WAS ARMED,
thew fred their pistols Unfortunately
in every direction. We kept the negroes
thoroughly frightened around Mont
gomery for some time. remember, on
another occasion, we had inserted in the
morning papers notice to the effect
that the K. X. K. would.
MEET AT THE DEN OF DEATH
at the sound Of the earthquake. That
evening we got about thirty pounds OIL
powder and went out toward the GENE
terry, where there was an old piece
OF artillery. This we cleaned up,
loaded it to the muzzle, put a slow
match to it and got out OF the way.
And when that gun went off you can
bet there was a little earthquake, sure
enough"
How long did you keep up this
INNOCENT AND RECHERCHE PAsTIMET
well, after awhile the boys go
tired of it, and when bad men com
menced to do mischief under the name
of Ku.Klux we disbsnded our organi