The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-01-12

ADJOURNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES CouRr.
THURSDAY, January 1.-The court met o. ii
a. NJ, his Honor Judge George 8. Bryan pro-
siding. =
<"Messrs. McA1aster and Hoge submitted an
order that j. Rice Rodgers, John dodgers.
Louis Rodgtrs, F. M. Farr, T. J. Greer and
John Dawktns, prisoners from Uuion, con-
fined In Jail here, under charge of violating
the Enforcement Act, bo remanded to all at
Untonville. aud that tho Uni'ed states Com.
missioner there be instructed to release them
frop confinement. upon their giving proper
recognizance.
Mr.. Corbin objected to such instructions
being given the Commissioner, upon the
ground for which, he cited authority lat it
was not competent for the court to vest the
power to admit to bail, in capital cases, in
any OF its appointeee-such power being exer-
cised only by the Judges of tho District, Cir
Quit or Supreme Court OF the United States,
after careful examination into the circum-
stances and evidence iu the cnse.
Mr.. Hoge then proposed to hold an inquiry
into the case at once, bofore his Honor Judge
Bryan.
Mr.. Corbin stated that tho Government was
not prepared to submit all it's evidence.
1t was finally ordered that the prisoners be
remandcd to Union Jail, where they eau be
more comfortably provided Tor than hero, and
that tho confederation OF the application for
bail be postponed until some future time.
MIR. MoMaslcr made application for John
Lythe. that he be rem .nded to the iail at
Yorkville. aud that the Commissioner be in.
structed to release him on bail, iu tho sum OF
$S,tU0; which WAS granted.
Iho grand jury here camo in, and Mr.. B. I.
jackson, foreman, read the following pi csent-
ment:
10 THE JUDGES OF THE UsIrED STATES CIR
GUT COURT: In closing up the laborS cf the
present term. the grand jury beg leave TO
submit the following presentmcnt:
During tho whole session we have been en-.
gaRed III Investigations OF tho moat rave and
extraordinary character. Investigations OF
the crimes committed byan organization
known as tho Ku Klux Klan. Tho evidence
eilclted has boon vOIuminous; gathered from
the the vlct,ms themselves, aud their families, ns
we'll as from those who belong to the khan and
participated in ltscrimes. Tho jury has boen
shcckec beyond Ineaeure ct the DEVELOPMENT.
which have been made in their presence, Of
the number and character OF the atrocities
committed producing state OF terror aud
nense ot utter insecurity among large por.
tlon OF tho people, especially among the
coiored population, The evidence produced
oetore r1 us mas established the following facts:
l. Thst there has existed, since 1865 in
many Counties of the State, an organization
known as the ku Klux Klan, or Invisible En-.
pirc of the South, which embraces in it's mem
pe!snin large proportion of the white popu-
lation OF every profession and class
e That this klan is bound together by an
oath, administered to it's members at the time
OF their initiation into the ordor. of which the
following is copy:
:. I. tname,) before the Immaculate Judge Of
Heaven snd earth. and upon the Holy Evan
gclsts Of Almighty God, do, OF my own free
will and accord, subscribe to the following "a !.
crelly binding obligation
We are on tho side OF justice, humanity
anu constitutional liberty, as bcqucathod to
US in ies purity by our fore-fathers.
49,, we oppose aud reject the principles OF
g. We pledge mutual aid to each other in
sickness distress and pecuniary embarrass-
ments.
f.. Females, friends. widows and their house.
gard and protection.
8: Any member diyulging, or causing to be
divqlgeh, any Of the foregoing oblig alton.
doom, which ia death, DEATH death.
That, in addition to this oath, the khan has
constitution and bylaws which provides
among other things, that each member shali
furnish himself with pistol, Ku Klu1
gown and signal instrument; that the opc-
rations OF the klan we're executed in the
night, and were invariably directed against
members OF the Republican party, by warn.
,ngs to leave tue country. by whippings and
3: That in large portions OF the Counties
or York, Union and Spartanburg, to which
our attention has been more particularly
called in our Investigations, during part Of
tno time Tor the last eighteen months, tue
State civil law has been set at defiance, nnd
ceased to afford any protection to the citizens a.
That the KAN, i'll carrying out the pnr-
poses Tor which 1t was organized aud armed,
lnnicfod summary vengeance on tho cUlored
citizens OF thcAo Counties, by breaking into
their hOnses at the dead OF night, dragging
them from their beds, torturing thom IN the
most ihhuman manner. and, in many in-
stances. numbering them-and this mainly
on account of their political affiliations Oc.
casionnlly additional reasons operated, but
IN no instance WAS the political feature want.
ing.
D. That for this condition of thing. for all
these violations OF law aud order and the ga
cred rights OF citizens, many of the leading
MN of tho Counties were responhible. 1t
WAS proven that large numbers of the more
prominent citizens were members OF the or.
der. Many of this class attended meetings
~ the Grand Khan. At meeting OF tic
Grand klan. held in Epar.anburg Coun.y-at
which there were representatives from the
variona dens OF SparIanburg York, Uuion
and Chester Conutirs. in this State. besides a
number from North Caroiina--rcsolutlop
We're adopted that 10 rails should be under
taken. or any ono whipped or injured by
members OF the khan, without orders from
the jrand klan. Tho penalty tor violating
THIS resolution was 100 lashes on the baro
back for the fret offence, and for tho second.
death. This Testimony establishes tho ma
turo or the discipline enforced in the order;
ana also the fact that many of the men who
We're openly and publicly speaking against
the kian, aud pretending TO drplore tho work
or this Innfdcrous conspiracy, were iniiucn-
tial membefs of the order, and directing its
operations, oven in detail