The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-28
THE KU KLUX KHAN.
Ms First Batch for Albany Prison-How the
Convicts Look-A Gang Of scoundrels-TheU
Terms of Observation-Disclosures OF
Herald Reporter in Search Of Informa-
tion-How "Ku Klux" Lock
Through Two Kinds Of
Political spectacles.


Through Two Kinds Of
Political spsctacles.
| ~ o late hour on friday evening last the Ameri-
can steamship Charleston arrived In this port, ana
1t soon became bruited abous that aboard OF hef
| was number OF those reckless rascals ycIeps In
| South Carolina the "Ku Klux.n Accordingly .
! HERALD reporter was yesterday morning sens
aboard the fine vessel from Charleston in order to
| behold and report upon the personal appearance
| OF the 'clvized savages"--to use Hibernian-
lsm-who were lately sentenced TO various terms Of
Imprisonment for the commission OF
CRIMES MOST DIABOLICAL
| upon those who longer refused to maintain and
uphold OF the Southern States OF America
the rebellion which was so many years ago n1pped,
not in its bud, but in It's fullest bloom.
The chief mate OF the Charleston was the nrse
individual from whom the reporter sought to CLEAN
information "What has become OF these foolish
fanatics ?" was the first question asked.
OFFIcER-Tne steamer Henry Smith came along
side as soon "a we arrived and bore the prisoners
away to Governors Island
REPORTER-They are pretty hard-looking
crowd, suppOsef
OFFICER-Not at ALL sir; on the CONTRARY, they
are remarkably mId and meek looking lot Of
men. They came on board the day we left Charles
ton. ct six O'Clock last Wednesday morning. under
o guard Of twelve United States soldiers and two
officers They were released from irons as soon a.
we were fairly out ut sea, and
THEIR MANACLEs
were not replaced until our vessel entered the Mar.
rows They seemed wel-Dehaved and Intelligent
lot OF fellows, and feel sure that most, II not all Of
their number are guiltless Of the crimes charged
REroRrEn-I fear you are no Judge Of character.
OFFIcER-l may be mistaken; do not think
am, however. Go and see them for yourself; yOu
NAV be better aole to read their natures than am.
The HERALD emissary took the good-tempered
mates advice, shaped his course for whitehall and
Gates periodically win Governors Island. soon
the tiny craft blew It's noisy whistle-rhe smaller
to human beings-and steamed stern first away
! from the stone letty. Starboard yer he;mp' cried
| the captain, and the helm was fOrthwlth put nara
over the little boat swung her bow around ana
| headed across the channel. She crashed through
great sheets ana u.xrs OF ICE
| thar seemed large enough to Overwnclm nef with
an ease and grace taat showed sne possessed mere
ing across "Buttermiik Channel" Ike tiny grampus
The slippery Shiny, ice-encrusted pier, crowded
with motley groups OF blue.nosed, brass buttoned.
azurecothed soldiers was soon reached, gang.
| mandate "Get ashore, now" given. me reporter
s d to hs rs
visaged TeutOn in the garb OF United States NIT
tatre.
functonary. bringing the gittering point OF the
4 bay0net appended to mis- rife into close proximity
The reporter, awed into clvllity ior once. cour-
teously made request that he might be permitted to
gaze upon the lustrous face OF the onlcer OF tho
ssOficer Of the guard ~ cried simultaneously .
| dozen voices In sent0rian tones.
81 am him." said that Official utterly disregard
ing adhesion to rules laid down by Lindley Muir.
| ray.
he added in establishment. when the writer had ex.
| planned the object oil his mission. 'There alnr
Guess
yer must be mistaken, stranger; there amt -
' The reporter Was somewhat positive, relying on
the assertion OF the chief mate OF the CharestOni
Would only matters BY asseveratns
that 1t was possible the culprits In question had
been taken to and immured IN the military prison
| "How am TO get to Bedloe'sf"
"There's the Henry Smith 'ull be up ter the land
ing four O'Clock; git aboard o. her an she'll taAe
the scribe thanked the man. as In duty bound,
and when he sa the vessel named approaching tho
pier started for her gangway.
oyer can't go aboard that vessel" roared SEN
try; but The reporter was getting little vexed and
very cold, for the temperature OF Governors Island
ts % So ey
OF the sentry, prepared to duck II ne heard an ON
nous ''click" anu darted aboard the steamer.
Seeing
and ladies on the quarter deck or poop, or what
ever the roof OF the house ABOARD the vessel might
be termed, the reporter went boldly up 10 the moss
sandy haired Of the group-or the men he means
you are the Commandant Of Bedloe's Island, sir.
1 believer
the Oifcer, gazing through his spectacles with .
medical ana benedcent smile upon the reporter
any Of the Ku kiux prisoners were conveyed to the
| island speak oil this morning, sir'"
''Not One SIT; we heard they were to come; bus
| to the pest Of my knowledge they never arrived I
should have heard had they come TO the island but
| all the Information outside OF our little isle we
gather from the newspapers. The HERALD supplies
! us with all our news"
me writer was thoroughly disappointed ana
upon the little island, with its eartnwood fortIfca-
tions, THAT the steamer was approaching He
thought Oh MS own wTW c a,eSae ~
| and, growing soto Uoce, went below to warm his
lrigid veins with the gena' heat the boiler diiused
| OF Bedloes Island. for one person. IN civilians
clothes, who looked ike an ofhcer-let Il
sthree sheets In the wind," and it took MIN
considerable time to haul out OF DOCK But at length
touched at Governors Island once more, the re-
porter sought her captain and explained MS
"My dear fellow. why didn't you come to me
| beore Pm always ready and willing to give you or
Of e aa a e
In number, dlsembarked into TINS vessel from the
Charleston last night, and TOOK them around to
| pier "A East River early this morning They were
! then to proceed to the
via the Hudson River Railroad. They were In
charge OF the United states Marshal Of south Caro-
lima and dozen soldiers under Lieutenant Potter.
The terms OF servltude for winch tney have been
condemned vary from nineteen months to five years,
and am convinced they have not had their full
were the hardest looking gang Of
CUTTHROATs AND SCOUNDkELS
that ever saw-just the sort OF fellows who would
be guilty OF the barbar0uS Outrages Of which they
were accused and for which they were condemned
Every class represented from the self.styled
| and the trash' looked most honest The
Sheriff declared 20 me that every one OF them