The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-09-23

n made oath to three more The following
day after l returned with Oman l arrested
Henry Triplett, who likewise confessed and
gave the same names as Oman. One of these
men was admitted 70 bail. and two were sent
to the Louisville Jail for safe-keeping thavinG
previously escaped from the Owenton isii(-
Oman was tried in November and acquitted
Fl did not introduce any proof IN his own
behalf Two of his accomplices turned
States evidence, and two witnesses were also
introduced who proved his confession ct
he was acquitted He was, however, held to
bail for burning the house after being &C
quilted of the murder.
On his return IN Owenton Mr.. Perry swors
out writs for myself and the two Walker
boys. The Police Judge of owenton who
issued those writs has acknowledged that he
himself was kuk!ux. The Sheriff then
came to Monterey. and stopping at the edge
of the town, told citizen that he had writs
for myself and Tom Walker, and that he
was coming TO take US. This citizen said that
ne did not think would surrender. as the
road was lined with kukiux, and remarked
that some men, who were then with the Sher-
III and acting as his posse, had been spotted
as kuklux Tor the last year. He said he
thought would be foolish to surrender to
such men.
" hen the Sheriff came into town, l 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 il. l
then refused to surrender; and although l
a
it would have been death to me TO surrender
at that time. The next day the Sheriff came
with posse of over thirty, and most OF
whom without any authority had volunteered
their services to arrest me- At least twenty
FIVE of those men were notorious kukiuK,
and known to be such by the Sheriff The
notorious Nose Webster, with six men, was
also operating against us on his own respon-
sibiiity, without any authority whstever.
William and Jim HoSkins were also operat-
ing against US with sixteen men, without any
authority whatever. Jim Hoskins and five
or six of his men were under indictment in
the Federal Court for Kukluxing. Bill
Smoot was also operating against us with
eighteen twenty men, without any au-
thority. Smoot was under Indictment in the
Federal Court for Kukluxing, and also in
the owen Circuit Court for the murder OF
James N. Walker. The Sheriff at the time
had q search-warrant in his pocket for the
arrest of Smoot. Dick New also had twenty
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 tho State troops arrived;
they said they had come to arrest all parties
concerned. A young man told them that IL
they wanted to catch Smoot and his men they
We're only few hundred yards Of. but they
made no effort to arrest them. They also
had an opportunity to have arrested Hoskins
and his men, but they failed to do So 1
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 opportunely arrived with your forces
they would doubtless have murdered us all.
About twonths since Henry Triplett, an
important witness against them, was taken
by force out of the field whore he was at
work, and taken by the Khan into the
bushes, where they kept him for several days.
One of the party who helped to take him was
under Indictment in the United States
Court. HIS kalEbrother, Monroe Christie
pher, heard of it and went and recaptured
HE hrnt bar A short time Al er this i sNpt
Monroe Christopher and my brother, VIM
Russell, to Loekport with written authority
TO ascertain if any of the parties for whom
had writs were in that vicinity, and to arrest
them Jim Hoskins, who was under bond in
the Federal Court for kukluxing, went be-
fore a magistrate and obtained writ FOR
their arrest for carrying concealed deadly
weapons. After this writ was issued they
were set upon by band of Kuklux, with
Hoskins at their head, under the pretext Of
arresting them. Monroe Christopher wa
badly wounded by a shot from Jim HoskinA
and William Russell had his skull fractured
by a stone thrown by VIM. Hoskins They
were both left for dead on the streets They
We're afterward picked up and taken to Gratz,
whore they are now both lying IN a very crit
zeal condition. The kuklux knew full
we'll that Christopher and Russell were sent
to Lockport by me, and all this was done ia
prevent them from making any arrests or AZ
fecting any discoveries.
SO far as the last difficulty between Barr
and others is concerned, / desire TO say that I
never contemplated making any resistance
whatever to the civil authorities. l never
contemplated iniuring Mr.. County Attorney
Perry in any manner whatever. His charge
that threatened him is entirely false. II
he had come to Monterey quietly and done
his duty, without bringing an armed body Of
kuklux who were bent on my destruction,
Il DO not believe there would have been any
difficulty whatever. Instead of that, he came
armed to the teeth with band of cruel out
laws who had repeatedly threatened my life.
and even then we only acted on the defen-
sye.
killed, wounded driven away from that
portion of Owen and Henry counties lying
on the Kentucky river, by the Kualux, in
the last three years. These have been mostly
colored people. although some white men are
included. Among the number l will mem
ton sam Crew (coiored) and family, james
Bourne (coloroi) and family. John DECKER
son (colored) aud family, Wallace Dicker-
family lone of his boys being .hotA Levi
Fishback (coloreds, Al. Towles 1colored) and
his brothers and mother. Thornton Dunlap
fcoiored). They killed four colored people on
also driven away several white men, among
whom are Richard Il. Williams (a,so
woundedl William Plasters e. NJ. Lindall,
w H Walker. and all his brothers except
They also drove away an old man namse
Hiles and his family.
The majority of the people are all good
citizens and are at heart violently opposed 70
these KukluK. but they are under . reign
Of terror, and are really afraid TO express
their opinions. not knowing what moment
they may have 70 pay the penalty When
ever the country is ridden Of these pests is
will be rs tour:shing a community as it was
before the kuklux organization.
In conclusion, / would respectfully state
that ever since my appointme l fave tried
to do my duty fearlessly, faithfully and i'm
partially. Under your Instructions l have
been careful to keep entirely in the bounds
Of nay duty, and feel confident that have
done so.
The foregoing j. reliable statement OF
the difficulties and their origin. although
MANY minor iuniletlls h..,s. hs.e.a 1,x.;ttcd