New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-21
SOUTH CAROLINA KU-kLUX.
THE TRIALS AT OVERWHELMING TESTIMONY
AGAINST THE ORDER.

pont made by the defense 10 staVe on tnc iacts
trial Is reached. The Court had heard an argument on
fhc Question whether the right TO bear arms right
secured by Constitution of the United States and
tbercforc whether its infringement could be charged,
hut had reached decision, and to prevent further de-
law Mr. Corhin withdrew the count in the of Robert
Hayes Mitchell and called the for trial During the
ImpanclnR OF jurors the took the lib
ety asking to stand aside until the panel was ex
hausted and ne might be needed, claiming to do so by
virtue Of the common law right OF qualified challenge
The defense excepted TO this course admitting the com
law right. but holding that the statutory right OF
two percmptory challenges was substitute for the
other The Court permitted the qualified challenge with
reserved right To the defense To argue the matter ona
motion in arrest Of Judgment.
A Jury obtained after considerable delay IL con-
sSts of two colored men and ten white men, Joseph
TAYLOR. Co!orcd foreman. The Indictment was read to
the prisoner and Mr.. COrOin opened for the prosecution
lie stated that he would first attempt to show that the
defendant entered into general conspiracy IN YORK
County for the purpose preventing coloed citizens OF
that county from voting. He would show al orCanna-
ton perfect in all its details. armed and disguised,
bound together by a terrible oath. having constitu-
ton and bylaws, and pcrvadinc tue whole
country: that 1t inrucuratcd in York
County in ls6S: that its active operations were
somewhat suspended in GO and 20, hut in II became
very active. And in this particular case he would show
that the organization deliberately planned and executed
the murder Of Jim Williams and tina, the defendant was
present. At the instance OF Mr. Stanbcry all the Wit
except the tes,ifyimc directed to leave
the Court. II seems that Mr. stanberys request
tended by HIM To apply only To Government witnesses,
and when his included in the order he could
rub Of law for it, But the ordered them all
from the room.
ftst Lrht Godfrey of the eth Cavalry was the first
witness cal d. lie testified that he had. by authority If
Squire s1mncl &. Brown expressed i'll writing to
Squire Browns house and obtained from place in the
desk Indicated previously by Brown himself the OATH
constitution. and 10y laws Of the KuKlux Khan and the
witness identified the paper produced in court the
one lie obtained on that occasion. (The document
fcIrcd Ia WAS published In THE TRIBUNE last monthly
The dcf,nS, Gid not crosse xaiaine
AhcriGS Hope was the next witness called and his
t-tinony went To prove that the paper identified by
Lieut. Godfrey had been given by the witness to Squire
Brown. and that the witness had obtained it of Major
Avery time in l6s. Mr. Hope a very unwilling
witness having been Chief Of Khan. he hardly
disposed I" make statement that would mI'lcate
himself. lie was, however evidently a man OF
good character although OF a somewhat misguided
judgment. nj Willie he attempted to excuse his connec
tou with tie ORGANIZATION the ground his fears Of
I,rid DIARIES and that hc joined for protection
AGAINST them" he still disposed to be- very honest and
very truthful. IL undoubtedly thought there
danger +" L. appr hcndci from Ia" negroes and wei he
n ht. wirn from lis testimony the whites had per
sr'uicd them for two years
TIE Gov crnInont next called X. S Gum, Who though
IH tA' American Baron. WAS American KuKlux,
who very decidedly barren of GOOD substantial
Nh fact. and facts very uncomfortable to the defense
:" heat Mr Gum fist Identified the Obligation consti-
t1i'"r, 'l N Laws the vcrablc documents OF the
Kun organization. Of which lie was q
=. MI CoIhin then offered these valu
able papers la evidence and they were received
Tia" witness the signs Of recognition
=" far - hr knew them. and the pass The signs
we're l. T"paS' III" right hand over the tight for
"ud I" Nl'h reply las made in the way with
The l"it bad. o To- PIT the fingers in the right
p"K' ~ the pant8loJiis with the thumb rrotrudiuc
to which answer was made IN the Icy the left
hand s. T. place the right heel in the hollow of the
l"' i"o' which answer was made hy the left heel in
the SIN. manner. The Passwords were: | SAY and
Il ;-i-t ~. ~rcihd out
In "stuony Mr.. Green took occasion TO relate his
experiences IN other Klaus, the most interesting of
Which. perhaps. little meeting in Georgia which
g." ATTENDED - i"w days and where they busy
~ Themselves IN behalf Of their South Carolina
brethren t. Use the witnesses own words. they were
i,inS money 10 pay lawyers fees aud witnesses for at
tn'n- court al Columbia" The expression of shame
ihrt has daily grown pcrccpblr the faces of
Mr.. Johnson AMI Mr.. S'auhcry while in attendance
ihc-cti'l, Gr,w greater suddenly. and each felt i'm
/. go 10 venture silly remark.
~. JolG "i.--I h, p" they raised it.
~. - inl,ri That is On, ouiagng.
."fmr Mr. Gurn's testimony was concluded the Court
a'n"Iu 4 n.iil in H." cv,niic At the appointed hour
III. J,s, sex lSnnr rro;lnc enough to say
f.. -u-j,d md could not bc present
NJ stan. cry va, lett alone with the comparative in
..rDii,,t rr.ric, of The South Carolina bar ana lie
w.. dni >c too. hcforc the Court adjourned which
!, i'll t II O'Clock p. The grand point made against
Ns G-ra'- ,,tlInuIy on crosse Examination, was an
FIR - how that hc was employed by the
Cuci = ttc> Government a detective Witness hut
very uHr, IN wl!c some slippery little fact would
u.rm through Mr.. Stauhery's fingers, and make that
DISTINGUISHED gentleman feel very much discouraged.
Tire. or f,ur other witnesses called aud their
disclosures were anything hut comforting to the Demo
,imic hear ,ciuIrc for little morsel OF hope.
The a. witc,s cal,d was Mrs. Williams "a cOlored
vninau,l W dow Of Jim Williams so brutally murdered
l.,t SIr.ug. Although the courtroom had before been
tlniost noisy for the reporters to hear silence
f'n.I inst .uly fer all regarded her poor victim
ni the most !I@bc outrage OF Mr.. Stanherys clients.
And. a, under The questioning Of counsel, the woman
toll her story How band Of disguised men came to
hcr door ard called her husband took HIN
from her ia tie dead Of night; put
rope around his neck. and there, within
very hcaIn. fhcr sight too had she chosen 10 look.
Cokcd him TO death; bow then they dragged him To the
woods and how tie next day she him again for the
Inst time hanging cold and lfclcss from the limb of
ire; there not another sound to break the quiet
when Mr. Corhn said, turning slightly to his opposing
counsel, "Thc witncs> Is yours that counsel was not
IN the condition to rise in defense Of this prisoner
whom he Knew 10 EnIN on tlat murder, ana more
particularly The defense of half the lawyers around
Inn and the democratic party Of tie State all within
III knowledge equally guilty accessories before the fact
When the court adjourned glance over the testimony
showed that The entire defense would I've based upon Il
lily story that the whites feared the blacks, and there
for,. organized themselves In this way for protection
To carry that idea they will prove arsOls &C., sup
posed 10 have been committed by negroes
DEc. ls-To-day the trial Of Robert Hayes Mitchell
we continued In the afternoon the prosecution rested.
and the defense examined one witness before adjourn
ment. Hiram Iittlcohn. John Caldwell, Andrew Kirk
patrick, Elias Ramsay. and Sam Ferguson, all ku-knx
together with Ami Rainey and Dick Wilson, victims,
were called 10y the prosecution and gave testimony
If very strong character kirkpatrick, Ramsey, ana
Ferguson oil present with their klans when Jim
Williams was hung and Ramsey testified that lie was