The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-04-23

man, and Thomas S. Fosberry, white; and David
J. ]. Johnson, Stephen Hare, James Moultrie. -
Birch, Dennis R. Bunch, James B. Da Costa,
Samuel Dlckersen, Matthew Wilson, John r Ed.
wards and John R.. Simms, colored.
The district attorney then briefly addressed the
jury, and called as the first witness for the prose-
cution William F. Williams, white, the ex.audi-
tor OF Union County. he t. ed that he was q
Republican, lived In Union County, was a member
of the Ku Klux organization, and the chief OF a
khan. Was Inflated at Jonesrille In January,
1871. Had been "lying out" for some time through
fear OF the Ku-Klu1, and joined the order through
fear OF his personal safety. he described his ini-
tiatIon and the oaths, grips, signals, &C., OF the
order, very much as the other witnesses had de.
scrlbed them. A new constitution and oath was
produced by the district attorney and identified
by the witness. The document Is as follows:
ARTICLE l.. Creed.-The fundamental creed OF
this association Ia, rrst, Justice; second, humanity;
third. constitutional liberty a. bequsathed to US
by our fo-e.athers; fourth, reputation and oppo.
sition to the political and social equality with the
negro: afth, Reputation OF the PRINCIPLES OF tae
seventh, protection to fem lie friends, Widows
and their households. -.
ARTICLE 2. Oath.-I, Of my own free will aud
accord, do swear before the great Immaculate
| Judge Of Heaven and OF earth, and upon the noiiy
evangelists OF Almighty God, that q SUBSCRIBE
to tie sacred obligations, and that, sh:pld l ever
| divalge OF ca1se to be divu ged any, or the signs
| sacred obligations. l will Justly deserve, and
| must me:t at the hands OF my brethren, tnat
fearful penalty, the traitors doom, death
dea h! death
The witness proceeded to describe q meeting OF
chiefs OF the klans In Union County that took
place In Unionville on the 1st Monday In May or
June, when he was interrupted BY Major Bulst,
who said that II the government intended by this
witness to show that the defendant had been
present at a Ku.Klux meeting, held In May or
June, the defendant had a right to have that da'e
put In the Indictment, and be afforded an oppor'
tunlty to get his witnesses present. They had no
objection to being tried upon that charge, but IL
was unfair to try the question OF an offence COM
mitted In May or June under an indictment for
an offence committed In January or February.
Mr.. CorbIn thought that was q novel objection,
and claimed the right OF the prosecution to prove
the offence a. any time before the trial, and
Judge Bond decided that such was the rule Of
practice.
The witness then testified that he attended O
meeting In a cellar in Unionyilie, which he under.
stood was q meeting OF the chiefs OF the Ku.Klux
Klans 10 Union County. There were present the
defendant, John Rodger, David Gist, James
Bunch, william Carlyle, Stout Nolan. Jaues
Monroe, Richard. Linn, Charles Simms, Lewis
Menu, VIM. Hughes, John D. Lowndes, Richard
Johnson and Monroe Frank. James Bunch called
the melting to order. He was the chief OF the
c .uaty. He stated the object OF the meeting 10
be to determine whether they should continue
the whippings and killings. The troops had
then com to Union County. They also talked
about the right OF taking guns away from color.
ed mea. They were divided in option, Fand
came to no conclusion. Did not rememb. T hear.
ing defendant say anything. Witness had been
on one raid, when the party went to DR.. Wade
Powers and whipped wallace Powers, q colored
man. BE had been pretending to be q Democrat
but had been voting the Radical ticket. Gave
him thirty five or forty lashes. witness was also
on the second raid on Union jail. That raid was
on Saturday night; twelve or thirteen men were
taken out OF the jiil, and two escaped. The rest
were Killed. There were over two hundred men
In the crowd, mounted, disguised and armed; some
with guns and others with pistols. They went to
the Jail, took out the thirteen prisoners, tied their
hands together, and marched them up In the mid
die OF the road to the old muster ground, about a
mile from Union. Witness did not 60 to the
ground, but heard afterward that TWO Of the prls-
oners were hung to a hickory tree and the rest
shot. The two that were hung were put upon
horses under the tree, with ropes. around their
neck aud around limbs OF the tree, and then the
horses were driven from und r them. The
rest were tied to the bushes and men were de.
tailed to shoot them. This was the 18th OF Feb.
ruary. Some OF the prisoners had been taken out
and killed on the first raid, which was on the 4th
OF January. Others were wounded at that time
and got away, but were recaptured, returned to
jail, and taken out and killed on the second raid.
witness had heard OF oIher murders. A colored
man named John Mills was killed at DR.. Motifs.
A. D. Owens, a white man, was killed by a khan
from Spartanburg. Witness had been county gu.
ditor since May S, 1911.
The witness was cross.examined By Colonel
McMaster, and testified that he Joined the khan
in January, 1871. The klans were In opposition
to the Union League and to Scotia militia. The
raids on the jail were not on account Of politics.
The prisoners were killed for the murder OF
Matthew Stevens. The defendant was not with
the raid on Union jail. The party came from q
IL duCE lkOu Alo liRS hooSaJ AhN ~
near the town. Witness never heard OF the de-
fendanl's being a member or chief Of the Ku
Klux Klans, and only judged so from seeing hlA
at the meeting In Unionville. The place where
the meeting was held was q restaurant and public
bar.room. Th:re WAS no secrecy about 1t. No
Signals were required at the door, aud there was
no guard to keep people out. People were COM
ing IN and going out during the meeting. Did
n { know whether the defendant was In
at first or came In afterwards. Did not
know but that he simply stopped 10 TO take a
drink. Could not tell how long he was there, nor
what his purpose was. Had heard since he came
to Charleston that the defendant was a ku Klux;
never knew 1t before. The defend Int'5 repu'a-
tion was very good. he was a merchant In Union.
Vile, and a quiet, peaceable citizen. Witness
was q member OF the Union League before he
Joined the Ku-Klux. Was arrested March 4th,
1872. Wrote to General Anderson, at Columbia,
about ills COIN .ction with the Ku.Klu6 before he
was arrested, and also mentioned 1t to Lawyer
Runkle In Columbia. Did not remember whether
he had Informed on the defendant or not. Made the
disclosures he did because 1t was a duty he owed
the government. Yves appointed county auditor
in April, 1871. Was also a commissioner OF cleo
tons. The dere ada1t was once q manager OF
elections.
7 Major BUST. Was aware that 8 committee
OF cit!z ems Of Unionville had sent to Governo-