The New York herald., 1871-03-16


lima about one year ago. and since then as the tunes
became exciting and political feeling ran high, II
order In this state. Investigations Of an unoficial
character made to the present have Ut
negro lIII militia " or 'i the Ku % Kux-are respon;
sible for the recent troubles and pitched
battles bal IN this and adjoining counties Both n po, nn,
such clear case that 1t Is almost Impossible 10 de-
eide which Is cupablc short OF regular official eX
animation OF all parties concerned. The negroes,
with some degree OF credibiy, state that the whole
OF the troubles originated in the
WHIPPING AND BREAKING UP
OF the arms OF members OF the militia companies.
For the past month or two, and since the outrages
rermined object on the part OF the Ku Klux to
wage war on the militia and to destroy their arms
whenever and wherever found Every place where
arms OF the state were known TO have been stored
has been visited by this band OF midnight marau-
ders. habted in their mysterious and hldeous cos
tune, ana the arms either carried or or destroyed
At Rockhlll, at a depot on the Charlotte, Columbia
and Augusta Railroad, adjoining t;is county,
body OF disguised men, numbering some seventy
five, came there about three weeks since and left
five cases OF State Winchester rifles
MASS OF DEBRIS
on the floor OF the storeroom. The watchman says
he was aroused by a loud knocking at the door,
which he opened and was at once seized by man,
who commanded him. with plste at his breast, 10
remain quiet About twenty-five men then rushed
IN, all wearing DISCUSSES, and tney asked HIM
where were The State arms In state OF per-
1ect terror he pointed out five cases piled
one on top OF the other These were quickly
broken open with an IKE and as quickly broken up,
the accoutrements being cut in pieces and thrown
over the leor. The captain OF the band then COM
manded him to go to the barroom OF the place and
bring them whiskey, but before he went on this
errand they left the depot, locked the door and gave
HIM the key. He returned with gallon OF whiskey
and they again entered the depot and completed
their work OF spollation Though there were
barrels OF wnskey and large quantities Of
touched Has anything but % the arms arms. I Wien these these
were all destroyed they eft and commanded hum
to follow them. He went and was almost terrified
lest they should take notion TO hang HIM. When
about five hundred yards from the depot they came
. BODY q men eG a ie
fence for considerable distance Here they drank
the whiskey after which the captain or leader gave
the order To mount he was then ordered TO return
| to the depot, and to whistle as he went. This IN
junction he strictly obeyed, and the last words he
heard came from the captain, who said, "Now,
ooys hurry up; s
by sun up.h From this latter expression It Is In
| ferred tnat the ku klux engaged IN this outrage
were IRON North Carolina as the county OF YORK.
tina: State. Certain 1t is that they came from
another county; but whether from Union in this
or ro s ns Ggn or fe one 10
| surmised however, that 1t was the same band that
has since taken so prominent part IN the diicui.
ties IN this county Abner Holly powerfully
built and stalwart black negro, who is one OF the
most intelligent among them have seen. states
| that he was brutally whipped on Thursday night
last two weeks ago. Just previous to the recent dis
| turbances, and that the
! BLOOD SPIRITED FROM HIS BACK
| every lick In his own graphic language they came
in and dragged HIM out OF the bed where his wife
was and hallooed ana cavorted around like so many
devils. There were twenty-five OF them. They took
| his winchester rife down from where 1t was hang
in. and asked MIN, Do you see this ' and with that
they smashed the breech Off on the hearth The man
then picked that up and said .Do you see where
this is gong" and he threw the breech behind the
fire. The barrel was then mutilated ana broken.
They spoke to him and said they had nothing
against hum, but that he was d-n radical and a
| melish. The principal one whOOped and shook his
horns in his face while he presented pistol at his
breast and told HIM tnat he had voted for that
| D-N ScOUNDREL SCOTT, AND
n
no more, or they would put him up the spout. ave
paid for your damned Winchester rides, and we
more OF the damned radicals you put in Oflce, who
only want to make money out OF your votes You
vote at all. We have pay the taxes, and we want
men who % viii make honest and fair laws nI ana d
not done we will make the county
| HOT AS HE'LL
| for every Id niger OF you. This the negro re-
lated with good deal OF humor, aud he seemed TO
enjoy II as he went on. He said The men must have
known him well from the way they talked, for one
OF them said. "Letus hurry up;
| SILvEY is IN THE FAMILY WAY.
and TINS might scare her. and perhaps hurt her,
known that fact unless they were quite intimate
with Holly and his family; but he could recognize
none OF them even by their voices, which were wei
disguised Jim Wilkes, who is another robust black
young man, not so intelligent as Abner Holly, was
H Mnich Caused ''i ali the recent dncaes II
lie made statement OF the whole affair TO Captain
=: 3. Keeer Company !, Eighteenth infantry. and and
attack to have been made upon his sentinel, instead
OF has already been reported in the HERALD the
| sentinel firing upon party Of passing whites. He
| proved himself q
BAD OFFICER,
for he frequently admitted that in the main en-.
gagement which occurred on Wednesday last in
Baton Rouge township, near New Hope church,
inimy but dat de prlvates did, His account of the
series OF disturbances does not materially differ
from tina. already reported in the HERALD, except
tnat he does not show how many
| KILLED AND WOUNDED
In the several engagements that ensued, OF his
command, Notwithstanding That ne did command
on the battle field. THIS remains still an unsettled
question. Various reports coming from both sides
state tnat few killed In the fight on We'd
nesday, but that IN the route and pursuit that fol.
lowed q large number of negroes were '1ost by the
wayslde.'' How true this Is ! cannot say The
negroes place their loss at some five or SIX while
| have heard whites say that they are satisfied as
many as twelve or fifteen were Killed and buried near
Mount Hope church. the scene OF Wednesdays
battle. Out OF about one hundred negroes under
arms and all OF whom were furnished ammunition
by one Major Reister, the county clerk and cOmman-
dant OF the militia about twenty reached Yorkvie,
where they were required TO lay down their arms,
IN iail. On the next day they were taken to The
United States camp and there they remained until
out any moles,ation whatever. Everybody. both
negroes and whites, state that the aforementioned
ADvENTuRER FROM BALTIMORE,
OF German origin, Is the main cause Of all the
troubles. He has repeatedly ridden into office on
mander-in-chei in The county for long period, and,
by innammatery speeches and bad advice, has kept
the negroes constantly on the verge OF collision
with the whites His wiies family here admit tnat
he Is q most disreputabe character, with whom
thev exceedingly regret their connection.
Twice lie broke faith with the whites
during the late troubles, and instead OF
allowing the negroes TO go home ana
dlsDand he kept them here, furnished them
! ammunition and finally brought on the collisions
that took place. The hotel wnere / now write Is
riddled with bullet holes from the fire OF the
negroes, who were intrenched at the turn-tabe near
| Rester's residence on Tuesday morning last
THE D1sARMING OF THE NEGROES
| has been progressing under the supervision OF one
| Captain Kennedy, AID of the Jvernor, and to-
day squad of United States troops were despatched
to Rossvlle 10 have the moral aid Of their presence
| where a large company were to be required to
render their Wlnchesters There are now three
| companies Of United States troops quartered here,
! under command Of Brevet Major b. Is. Keeler, as
follows:-Company !, commanded bv Captain