The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-08-04

as Grant's Reign of.Terror. -4;..4
We find the following communication
in the New York San: c.
To the EdiRr Of, hs Sun. h,
SIR: Your correspondent in Columbia.
in a letter dated the 8lh, after giving par.
ticulars in regard to thp ,unwarranted
arrests OF peaceable citizens by the SOL
diers. and theft confinement in the
Charleston jail, says:
''The United States grand iury met
and soon returned g. verdict Of murder.
OI course not one of the jury had the
remotest idea that any OF the prisoners
had, ever even thought Of numbering
anybody, yet, as it was part of the bro,
gra!nme, they had it to do"
NOW. as member Of that grand iurv.
will give yo1s few particulars in re-.
gard to the wayiit was conducted. .f.
The court met April /. There were q
1ew good men drawn. contrary to the
wishes OF the DiHtriot Attorney aud the
marshal. As not enough jurymen re-
ported for duty, the Marshal was ordered
20 draw new panel. What do you
think he drew? He had it all fixed. Tho
trst to head the list was negro named
Davis, q member of the Legislature of
this plundered State. Another was
Jenks, candidate for County Treasurer
OF Charleston, and son.in-law of Pills.
oury. the late carpet-bag Mayor of
charleston, with two school teachers of
the ring, and eight other negroes. No
etfort was made TO compel the attendance
OF some good men that we're originally
drawn. although the court adjourned for
-FOUR days t., give time for them to be
notified. The. District Attorney had
Twelve men on the jury that he could
depend on to bring in a verdict in every
case, and that was all he desired. Three
white men that were drawn were excused,
IN order that the District Attorney might
be certain OF carrying his point.
When the Jury retired to examine the
cases, they were accompanied by Major
Stone. assistant Distriot Attorney He
already had the confessions of q few
frightened men, who were told that they
were to be Indicted for, murder and
hanged, If they did not confess to being
members of the Ku Klux. Not beipg
aole to read or write, and thinking to
escape with their lives, they we're will.
ing to confess anything. This Major
Stone reserved to himself the right to
ask all the questions. If q Juror dared
open his mouth, he at once ordered him
to keep STILL. And 30 the trial was con-
Quoted. The jury put up with this as
long as they could bear it, and then
about the close Of the term they all pro-
tested, even tho negroes, and deputed q
Mr.. Barhot, merchant of Charleston.
to go to Judge Bryan and inquire if a
Juror had right to ask question of a
witness. His Honor said that the Dis.
trict Attorney was present to assist them.
out that the jury had q perfect right TO
ask any question in the iury-room. The
jury must bear the Distriot Attorneys
presence. This negro and CARPET. baa
Jury was ready to find 8 verdict against
any OF the residents of four Counties.
1t was enough that man lived in one of
these Counties, without evidence that he
ever made raid or even attended a
nesting. One man was indicted for
loaning his horse tc another man who
was one of the Ku Klux.
But the witnesses produced we're asto.
nishing. I will give the history of but
one. His name is W. F. M. Williams
His story is as follows:
was Confederate soldier; was cap-
-A I@AOACo AL flIKiQl8s came
home. and was appointed Auditor of
Union County by Governor Scott: went
to Columbia and asked the Governor for
some Remington rifles to fight the Ku
Alqx; the Governor supplied me; on nv
return organised Ku Klux Klsn, known
as Williams KIan, and forced all the
Republicans to join it, and then made
raids on the negroes, taking them out
and whipping them"
When the soldiers came among them.
Williams was the first to turn ihformer
and denounced every member of his
k!an. He swears that every member in
Union County was one OF the .Ku Kiux.
he was the principal witness against al.
most every one that was tried. When
the grand jury requested tile District
attorney to draw an indictment against
Williams, he refused. saying that if he
Was indicted, the case would be mol.
pressed. This same Williams will be
brought up in Columbia next month to
swear into the penitentiery every Con.
servative citizen of Union County. Since
that time he has been nssd as spotter
by District Attorney Corbin. He went
with Hendricks to Georgia, and pointed
out some OF his own relatives as victims.
Hendricks arrested them on a forged
warrant, and then waa arreatad for La