Wilmington daily gazette., 1872-06-13
From tbs New York Sun of yesterday.
Ovants'0 Prisoners In Town.

The Ar1ral Of 7wenty three South Caye,iaious
Conssgnedto to tile Aibany Psn,tentiayy-S,n-
tencsd to Rot to Heath.
The ship Champion from Charleston mr.
rived at Pier 20. North River, last night. h nv.
ing on board twenty. three XII .KIux prisoners
Among them were gray-harel men and
bardless boys; strong men and crippirs,
They were under guard Of l.. S. soldiers.
and on their way to the Albany Peuitentiary
them pr0fessed to be farmers or farm worE-
.nen, and their sunburnud faces and hardened
hands gave proof of II. -G
The termsof Imprisonment are three for
10 years and $1,000 fine six, q years And
500 fine two. I years and 500 fine one. 4
years anu 5000 hne three, years and 500
fine four. years and 500 fine three. a
year and half and SO fine and one wear
and $40 fine. '~'''
All Of these men lived In York county. s.
o., one of the nine counties in which martial
law was declared last October, Some of
them have already been Imprisoned for
months. F
SLOWED AWAY BETWEEN DECKS.
SUN reporter vent on board the Champion
and found the prisoners slowed away between
decks in the fore part Of the ship. No al. circr-
lated through the place, and the the rmometer
indicated ninety-eight degrees. They are rough
looking men, hasgard and tat,eled, but have
not a vicious look. The reporters questions
were promtly answered, and by many Of the
men with much intelligence. They said they
mad been arrested "for belonging to the order"
4 gray haired man told the following story:
When martial Law was declared last October,
no outrages had been committed for year and
none since in our county at least. But the mil
itary authorities nave been making arrests for
the past eight months. The prisoners are taken
before Judge Bond, in the United S,stes Cir
rIii Court, and the charges are like in all cases
They are accused of being, or having been,
members OF the ku klux, and are told that this
can be proven by memlers Of the band who are
witnesses for the prosecution, and advised To
plead guilty to mitigate their punishment.
knowing how useless resistance is, the poor
wretciles plead guilty TO avoid severer penalty
Thus, twenty-five Of these men are suffering the
penalties of convicts through fear, and not from
any evidence of their crime One man OF fifty
wears approached the reporter and said vel,e-
mently:
UNFoRTCNATELY An AMERICAN CITIZEN.
II did not plead guilty. am not guilty, anl
| would not MAKE such confession iur tn,
| world. They tried me on two charges, hut II,
evidence was aliced to convict me. Yet i
was meant that should he Pnnshed, and the,
gave me two wears. Two years for being al
American citizen unfortunate enough TO live il
South Carolina ! an not, nor ever VA. ku
klux--whatever that may be-and have al
ways been apeacsable, iaw-abiding citizen.
go to prison an innocent man, bat the hardes
criminal never irft his prisnn with a worse hear
than shall leave mine. II my life is spared
this indgnity shall he avenged.
The men complained bitterly of being ser
| Norh for confinement They thought it ba
enough to he summarily arrested by soldiers il
legally tried, and unjustly convicted, withou
l,eng taken 80 far from home, and where ,hei
friends cannot visit :hem.
| RELEASED BY DEATH
They are 10 remain In prison until the nnt
are paid. Some o. them are without money, O
friends that have means, and they see no lin
Of their incarceration.
The reporter said TO one.
"How will you paw your fne'"
"By death, was the answer.
He was cripple pale and emaciated. an
evidently rapidly falling away through the ra,
ages OF "a hidden disease. Death M doul
will pay his tine, and cheat the prison Of
Tenant s. S.
At seven O'Clock tn, men were put into
street car and take, 70 he Grand Central De
pot, and they embarked for Albany on the eigl
o'clock train.