Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-06
THE INDIANA KU.RLuX.


When Mr.. John Scott, Of Pennsylvania, ,
rs chairman of the Hu-KluX Committee,
demanded Of Grant that be should suspend
the writ of habeas corpus in South Carroll
ma, the thing was done with an alacrity that
showed Grants heart was in the work. And
tits well known that he is ready to suspend
the great writ of liberty in other Southern
States whenever Radical necessity shall de-
mand it. 1t is quite natural that this read
mess on the part of Grant TO destroy or at
least supersede the courts of a State in the
South, should provoke inquiry and colnpar-
ison as TO tie condition eff affairs in some of
the Northern States. Take, for instance,
Indiana, the State of Senator Morton,
Grants right bower in the Senate. The
recent hanging of three negroes, unques-
tionably guilty Of murder, by a mob in
Clark county The men composing this
mob were said to have been disguised, and
if disguise constitutes a man a kU-Klux,
then these Indianians were members of the
mystic clan. 1t is certain that their work
was as efFectual as that of any of the as
sunled Ku-Klux Of the South. But it ap-
pears this is not the first instance of mob
violence il Indiana. In his charge to the
grand jury touching the murder of the Park
family in CLARK county, and the hanging Of
the three negroes charged with the COM
mission of that murder, Judge Durham
said:
'.Within the last four years, in this judi
cial circuit, there have been thirteen men
murdered before these three. Five were
hung upon the beech trees below Seymour
! speak words plainly; do not minCe them
one of whom was an orphan boy, Just ar
rived at the age of maturity; left without
mOther-wCrse than fatheness. | think he
was less than twenty-One. He was one Of
the victims of that murder. Two more
were hung in the courthouse yard at
BrownstOwn; four in the jail yard in the
very heart of New Albany, one Of whom
the whole community now believe innocent
i mean the youngest victim Of the murder;
two south of Orleans. between there and
Seymour. believe if you count them you
will find they number thirteen. Thirteen
men hung by the neck in this State; more
men than have been judicially hanged in
this State, in my opinion, since Indiana has
been a State"
Here is record for one judicial district
Sixteen men hung by mobs within the last
four years, some Of whom, it is now estab-
lished beyond doubt, were innocent Of any
crime. What security is there for life in
such a community? It is an easy matter
for wicked, designing parties to fix suspicion
upon a man in a community in which a mob
is 50 easily excited to bloody work as is
shown in Judge Dunham's circuit, and then
what is his life worth? Indiana is presided
over by Radical Governor, but what has
be done 10 enforce the authority Of the laws
and to protect the lives Of citizens OF that
State? The New Albany Ledger states that
eight white men have been hung by mObs
in Jackson county, four in Floyd, and two
in Orange, since Gov. Baker has occupied
the gubematorial chair, but he took no no
tira of any of these outbreaks of lawless-
ness. Bat as soon as the three negroes
We're hung in Clark county, he
issued proclamation threatening
the people with Federal interfer-
eace, by the suspension of the writ
Of habeas corpus, and the presence
of an armed force 80 be gulItereI upon
them. Judge Durham is very severe in his
charge to the grand jury on Gov. Baker for
his want Of attention TO the crimes COM
mitted in Southern Indiana by mobs. and
the facts pointed out by the Judge indicate
that this severity is deserved. But Grant
takes no notice Of this lawiesSness. Here
it is shown that about as many lives have
been taken by mobs in Southern Indiana as
in that portion of South Carolina in which
the writ of habeas corpus has been Suspended,
and yet no Ku-Klux committee has visited
Indiana nor has Grant sent Attorney Gen
eral Alderman to ''spy out the land" and
have tie offenders arrested and prosecuted.
How long are these lawless outraCes 10 be
tolerated in Indiana, while the South is
III; de to fee. rhe iron nee, If despotism?