The New York herald., 1875-08-22
KU KLUX IN ILLINOIS.
Anarchy in franklin ana
Williamson Counties.
BLOODY WORK BY A SHERIFF
Seven Shrouded Sharp
shooters Shot.


part of this State and when it is supplemented by the
Ku Klux outrages in Franklin and adjoining counties
may well be asked If Illinois is indeed she claims,
the fourth State OF the Union in material and Christian
civilization In less than years in Williamson
county SIX people have been killed four have been ser
ously injured, and three have been shot without
being hit About twenty persons, among the number
a newspaper editor States Attorney and several
promneNk business men, have been compelled to flee
for their lives out of the county either owing actual
attacks or letters Of warning received by them Some
of the victims have been shot because they were sup
posed to know much and others because they com
mented upon tho outrages. All the assassinaiions
were conducted in a most cowardy manner, OF
the victims having been shot from ambuscades along
public roads and through wndows others, having sud
denly been called from their beds in darkness
were shot before they could defend themselves
The officers of the law afraid Of the assassina
that they dare not the laws call for as
sistance and the people of two counties Williamson
and Jackson are so nmdated that they dare not even
denounce murdcrous outragcs form themselves into
vigilance committees 10 suppress them Pending tne
of this reign of terror, none OF the villains
have been hanged, imprisoned punished in any man
ner For two years this inamy has been allowed to
disgrace the State without protest except from the
newspaper press and without any steps having been
taken by county State authorities to stop it, The
Buiners and Hendersons, and mixed with them through
relationship and other various other large
families, notably Cairns, Russells and Sssons The
Buners and Hendcrsons were both loyal refugees from
Tennessee and well to do 1t would require pages
of the HERALD to narrate the chickering's, lawsuits, Sc
duct ions braw which have led to the present ter
ribe condition of things in Jackson and Williamson
counties only give you the net results of the
boiling over of bad blood between them.
THE DEATH
Old George Bulliner-waylad on the road from hts
farm to Carbondae and shot, December 23 1873; died
that night David Buliner while riding home from
church, the night of March 30 1874, in company
with brother Monroe his cousin Miss Sancil and sew
eral other young and women was fired upon from
behind fence at the roadside receiving two charges OF
buckshot in his breast died two days after Old Jim
Henderson while at work field, May, 1874, shot;
died few days after Dr. Vincent Hinchcne waylaid
while returning visits patients, shot within 200
yards of his house; instantly killed George W.
Ssney who, after several attempts had been made
upon his life, moved to Carbondale, thinking to find
safety in the town. took house in the most thickly
built portion of It, On the night of the 2Sth, between
nine and ten O'Clock, he called up to man. and
shot from outside through the window of his sitting
room and instantly killed William Spence, on the
night of the 31s after having retired for the night to
sleeping tho at Cransville, was called
the storeroom below and, while unlocking the door to
admit the visitor fred at through the show window,
receiving charge of buckshot his breast Failing to
kill him with the charge, the assassns entered the store
and fred two pistol balls one into his head and the
other ns ais heart Jason Detmore, working in field
adjoining Hcnderson's place was few days after the
murder of old John Henderson, shot, 1t Is supposed
by mistake his assaant supposing him TO be of tho
Hcndcrsons whom Detmore rcsembled in appearance.
! Dot hntsi dod nd
Blank Robb, workman on Henderson's place, within
| a few days of the shooting of Detmore at work
! a field on the Henderson farm when he man with
! blanket his shoulders approaching from a few
rods distant Suddenly the man fell Robb supposns
! that he in at, ran toward him. Robb had pro-
ceedod but few steps when he was shot The wound,
however, was not serious, and he soon re-
covered Next, one Leadbetter, workman on
the Henderson place, shot at while working
in field These shootings, it is supposed, were COM
mitted by who were out cunning after the Hender
sons but who, being discovered fancyng they
discovered by the men shot, peppered away with intent
20 kill the fred at, that the fact of their tho
shooer lying in wait for the Hendersons might not be
divulged On July 20 this year, Allan Baker, work
man al Purdys sawmill miles Of Carbondale
who some time previous had fight with one of the
Buliner boys in his room about to TO bed when
he was shot at through the window MANY OF these
persons shot ut many times before they were
killed There has been little or no attempt TO punish
county and to the who would hunt any OF
them down IN legal way.
THE GOVERNOR
Governor Bcvcridge Is as supine as was James Bu-
chanan He would not call out the militia because the
courts in operation. He would not do
anything lest he might violate the constitution The
reign OF terror in Williamson seemed to parayzs
him. and he has done substantially nothing,
though the troubles in Franklin county are cause
of fresh alarm These outages are OF the ku Kux
order Monday night last bloody tight occurred in the
vicinity Of Benton, Franklin county, between the
sheriff with posse OF about twenty men and band OF
Ku Kux, who for some time past have bcen commit
ting their outragcs pcaccablc citizens of the counties
OF Franklin, Williamson and Jackson. Assistance of the
Sheriff called for Sunday by j. b. Maddox, one OF
the Commissioners of Franklin county, who had re-
ceived rou the Ku Klux band that he had not
performed orders that they had given him, and
ior this offence they would call and whip him.
BLOODY WORK by THE SHERIFF
Maddox Immediately made the threat known TO the
Sheriff. who collected posse, all well armed and ac-
companed Maddox TO his house The Sheriff and his
secrecd themselves and awaited the appearance OF
the maraudcrs. About two O'Clock at night fourteen Of
the Ku Klux, disguised in long white robes white hats
and wearing masks appeared armed with shoguns and
sepped out and commanded them to halt the answer to
the command pistol shot by the leader of the
band which took no effect. The Sheriff then cried
"halt - whcrcupon the band fred a volley wheeled
their horses and attempted to make their escape The
Sheriff and his posse returned the fire. with good re-
suits. Several men were wounded and one mortaiy,
tally wounded This one fearing death confessed and
revealed the of thirty or forty more OF his
! companions From the quantity OF bloody clothes
found the fight IL is supposed several must nave
/ been badly wounded The citizens OF Benton called a
meeting, passed some strong and determined res
outons and also prominent citizen To place tho
matter before the Governor of the State and earnestly
| Cutrcat prosecution iuc hahc vi tlc man HuIIhiy
! wounded is given as Jacob Duckworth. The Sheriff
continued his pursuit. and picked up another Of the
wounded, who proved to be Green NJ. Cantrcl, who,
during the war, was Major OF the 10th illinois, and
| respectfully connected. The latest is 10 the
/ effect that two have been found who
wero shot in the fight; had died
and been buried; others wcrc found in the
woods badly wounded. In addition, John Moore, Mel
ford Brelcy and man unknown have been arrested
All Of them severely wounded Cantroll and
Duckworth still living, that altogether seven OF
the fourteen ku kluX who were fred upon by the
sheriff and his posse have been found wounded dead
How many Will turn Up IN a like condition is moi
known This ku klux band was organized about two
years ago for the purpose Of ayengng what they
dered public wrongs. One OF the rst acts OF the band
the murder OF Isaac Nancil, a respected farmer,
who lived IN Franklin county Ii may have been ai
reported, that the old Nancu in.
tended TO disinhcrlt somo Of his relations and
! n..Lll ln a..LI 10 laaL I'm alLl L.r uan