Wilmington journal., 1874-07-17
poor, TOMMY PUKNE,.I,.

Tommy has come to grief. He sol
emily pointed his finger at the poor
-Klux who said he was Zone of
'em," and told them they lied. The
ku-Klux did not scare worth O cent,
however, and in spite of Tommys mp
lifted finger, produced the proof that
he was a veritable Ku-Klux, to the
satisfaction of all sane people, and
even Tommy himself has become so
far convinced as to admit that he does
recollect of going into an Office with a
Ku-Klux and "taking an OATH" Well,
as the old mountaineer said, "that
looks black" But if the honest old
fellow thought Tommy's own showing
what would he think if he was to read
the following, which we take from the
Southern Home:
INFAAIY WILL OUT.
Thomas r. Purnell, the Radical cam
| didate for Superintendent of Public
| Instruction told Col. Pool on the cars
near Goldsboro, that he himself az
| Mori-ed the statement in the Newbern
Times that he PurnelD never belong
ed to the Ku-Klux Klan. We gave
last week, the proof furnished by Mr..
Iathes, editor of the Winston Ses,ti-
nel, that he had initiated Purnell into
the White Brotherhood, or Klan, in
his own office. To strengthen Mr..
Mathes' allegations, Col. Pool obtained
| of DIR. Willis, n well-known citizen OF
Lexington, the following certificate
DAVIDSON Co., July 7, 1874.
I hereby certify that some time in
the latter part Of 1868 or fore part OF
1869, in the town of Salem, N. O.,
Thomas r. Purneil came to my place
of business, when and where [, being
a ku-klux, gave Mr.. Purnell the chal-
lenge sign, to which he replied with
the proper sign. Each being satisfied
that the other was q Ku-klux, we en-
tered into conversation in reference
to the order. l found that Mr.. Pur
nell was well versed in the signs and
secrets of the order. ] know he was 6
| ku- Klux, for the reason that no person
could have given the sign and secrets
as he did without being member.
A b. WILLIS,
Lexington, n. G.
We, the undersigned, citizens o.
Davidson county, take pleasure IL
stating that we are we'll acquainted
with 4. Is. Willis, whose signature is
above subscribed to his certificate
and that we believe him to he a gen
tIeman of the highest character ani
standing, and OF strict integrity ani
vcraclty.
L G. ROBBINS, J l. CLEMENT,
WE G LEONARD, w ID BIGGER,
i 3 RORFRTS, O o Hull
Now the mere fact that Purnei wa!
at one time member of an organiza
ton to protect society from League
and negro violence is nothing agains
him. But when he gravely denies tn,
fact, and periures himself to clear hin
from an act which is, perhaps, tn,
least censurable of his life, we fine
ourselves wondering at the conundrun
-''To what base uses can Radica
candidate not come p
1t is our good fortune to know, per
sonally, two of the gentlemen who's
names are appended to the certificat
to Mr.. Willis character. Mr.. Rob
bins represented Davidson county il
the Senate in 1S7O-'71-'72. His char
acter is of the highest, as is also tina
of our good personal friend, Mr.. B. b
Roberts, one OF the most prominen
merchants in that whole section of th,
State, and one of the best men in an,
pant of the State. In Mr.. Hill, we thinl
we recognize another old friend, th'
Lieutenant Coionelof the orty-eightl
Regiment of Nor.h Carolina Troop
in General Lees Army, although th'
initials do not exactly correspond.
60. o. HilP' is intended for Col. Hill
there is another gentleman who certi
fies to Mr.. Willis character that NJ
man will dare assaii.
Poor Tommy! Black, blacker
blacklist