The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-09-15

menced firing at him out of Hills
Hotel. The detachment OF soldiers had
been removed from Owen county the day
previous, as everything was quiet at the
time, and it was thought they would be no
longer needed. The next day these two
Shoots, for whom had writs of arrest, came
into OweDton, and inquired of little boy
from Monterey if the soldiers had gone.
Being informed that they had gone, the
Smoots then replied that they had some
work to do. They said that there were writs
against them from the Federal Court for
shooting damned negro, and that they
expected to leave the country, but before they
left that they intended to fix
been instrumental in having the
writs issued. They carried this threat into
execution by killing Walker the same even
ing. While the Smoots were firing at
Walker at least forty of their khan were
yelling all over town, and several of them
fired at Walker from the court house yard.
He was literally riddled with bullets. Alter
this murder. they reloaded their pistols and
leisurely walked out of town, remarking
that they had killed one of the id radical
dogs and that the balance had better look
out. The sheriff of Owen county was in
town with three deputies, and could easily
have summoned a sufficient posse TO
have arrested them, but made no
effort whatever. The town marshal
did attempt to make the arrest, but the
Shoots and their khan drew their pistols
and forbade him making the arrest, saying
if he attempted it they would kill him.
Seeing that the civil officers did not intend
to modest them, and fearing that some of
them would waylay the road and shoot me,
dispatched to YOU for squad of soldiers,
when was Immediately sent. Having writs
against those men, / secured the hills in
search of them, but the county being monn-
famous and rough, land they having so many
n / nd
sible to arrest them. The soldiers were
Withdrawn about the lst of July. AS soon
as they had been again withdrawn, the
Ku-KluX became more boisterous than ever.
The details are then given of various
attempts to kill the deputy marshal. in one
OF which bands of disguised men rode Into
Monterey. The account continues: About
j O'Clock five or six men rode into town
ARMED WITH PISTOLS,
all of whom were we'll known Ku-
Klux. They were led by County Attor-
ney Perry, who also was armed with
two pistols. Perry is said to be one
of their leaders. He has been
known to say in his public speeches that
he cid not like to prosecute them, as he had
nothing against them, but his oath COM
PEELED him to prosecute them. George T.
Mefiord, one of the men who helped 20 muir
der James NJ. Walker, was also in the
crowd. He is a noted Ku-KiuX and has
been known to command them. When
these men. came into town a boy came
running in aud said that there were 10 or
% men out on the road with shot
the Smoots, and Sim. Margolyes, another no.
torious Ku-KluX. / then believed that
they meant to kill me, and went over to
fuckers Hotel, where Tom and Charles
Walker were, and then started to go over to
the house where the balance of my guards
a haH tn Hard linz Stn har
this man Melford was standing. We noticed
him with his hand on his pistol, and just as
we got to the corner of the store he made an
effort to draw it, when both of the Walker
boys fired. Metford ran up the street in the
direction of my quarters, and we followed
him. During this time William Hall, one of
the gang, fired at me with his pistol
On his return to Owenton, Mr.. Perry
swore out writs for myself and the two
Walker boys. The police judge of Owenton
who issued those wits has acknowledged
that he, himself, was a Ku-Klux. The
sheriff then came to Monterey, and stopping
at the edge of the town, told citizsn that
he had writs for myself and Tom Walker,
and that he was coming to take us. This
citizen said that he did no. think we would
surrender, as the road was lined with Ku-
Klux, and remarked that some men, who
were then With the sheriff, and acting as his
posse, had been spotted as Ku-Klux for the
last year. He said he thought we would be
foolish &c surrender to such men.
When TIC sheriff came into town showed
him my authority as deputy United States
marshal, and told him all the circumstances.
He replied that he did not doubt my author
ity. but said he could not recognize it,. L
then
REFUSED TO SURRENDER,
and although 1 was perfectly willing
to have undergone fair trial, it would
have been death to me to have surren-
dered at that time. The next day tho
sheriff came with posse of over thirty
men. most OF whom, without any au-
thority, had volunteered their services to ar
rest me. At least twenty-five OF those men
were notorious Ku-Klux, and known to be
such by the sheriff. =
Bill Smoot was also operating against us
with eighteen or twenty men. without any
authority. Smoot was under indictment in
the federal court for Ku-Kluxing, and also
in the Owen Circuit Court for the murder Of
James NJ. Walker. The sheriff at the time
had a search warrant in his pocket for the
arrest of SmoOt. Dick New also had 20 men
acting without orders. Some of these men
had been lodging the officers OF the law,
and had not been seen before that time for
more than year. About this time
the State troops arrived. They said
they had come to arrest all parties con-
cerned. A young man told them that if
they wanted to catch Smoot and his men,
that they were only Jew hundred yards of,
but they made no effort to arrest Them
They also had an opportunity to have ar
rested HoslSins and his men, but they failed
to do so. Think they were acting under
instructions Of the sheriff. There were over
a hundred men besides the State troops after
us, and had you not OPPORTUNITY arrived
with your forces, they would doubtless
have murdered us all. Other murders and
outrages are then detailed and the state
ment closes as follows:
MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED MEN
have been killed, wounded or driven
away from that portion of owen and
Henry counties lying on the Kentucky
river by the Ku-Klux in the last three
years. These have been mostly colored
people, although some white men are
included. Among the number / will
mention Sam Grow (colored) and family,
James Bourne (colored) and family, John
lickarson lcnlnreN and family WALLACE