The New York herald., 1875-08-27


they met by the Mayor aud Aldermen Of Sanders
vlle the acting Solicitor General Colonel c. s. Guyton
Harrison, Colonel T. j. smith and others, and were
conducted to carriages Ia waiting to take them to this
place The Washington Dragons drawn up in
to the outskirts Of the town where the Washington
Rifles, headed by the Sandersville brass band joined
the procession and conducted the Governor TO the
dence OF Colonel John w. Gilmore Mayor. The
streets and public square were thronged with people
from every direction, who had come in TO see the
prisoners and TO hear the Governors views the
situation. committee at once waited on His Excel
ency and asked that he would address the citizens
from the steps OF the Court House. which he consented
10 do. Escorted by the military the procession
formed and proceeded to the place designated where,
on Deihg introduced oy the Mayor Governor smith de-
vered most appropriate and eloquent address upon
the peculiar circumstances by which they
rounded You have already had the points Of that
speech elegraphed 10 you II was WISE temperate and
timely. In It he explained away all the fears
Of the negroes, and eulogized the forbearance
Of the whites ''You have acted in this NATTER he
said 'Ike true Georgans. Such a spectacle OF for
bearance as this, under such terrible provocaon TO
violence, the world has never before witnessed" Gov
ernor smith gave the negroes who listened to him
great deal Of good advice He dssected the characters
Of those men who had led them into false ideas, and
showed the negroes that If they would do their duty
citizens they would DO protected in their homes and
lives.
After making his speech Governor Smith visited the
prisoners and listened to stories from them Corday
Harris told long, ncoherent story, designed TO prove
his innocence but the statements nearly ali proven
TO be untrue by the testimony OF other prisoners who
declare that Harris the third officer in the League
might write pages but / could not tell more about
that organization than Is told by the following aida
Wis.,
EXAMINATION OF JAMES WRIGHT
BLACKsHEAK's MILLS.
Laurens County, Ga, August l9 1875
Queson-Do you know OF a secret military organiza-
ton IN this nelghborhood; and If SO state all you
know OF itl
Answer-Yes there is secret military organization
in this neighborhood and Harrison Tucker commands
IT. and IS called Captain Tucker but know very little
of this company. About four months ago | Joined
captain Jerry Walters company, OF johnson county,
but never attended drill ! remained member OF
this company about three weeks and then directed that
my name be taken or the rolls. | never paid the
initiation fee, but took oath TO abide by the laws of
the company. About three weeks ago in conversation
with Isaac Wright he told me that II they the white
people, did not mind the negroes will have this land
He did not state how where they proposed 10 get
the land but from the tenor OF the whole conversation
think be meant that whenever they got strong enough
they would take the landand take il by force neces
sary During my membership OF Captain walters
company they refused to tell the secrets of the
pany, because they said, would not attend the meet
ngs besides some Of the company, l understand,
thought would tell | can't state positively but
think, from all have heard, that "General' Rivers,
General Morris and Corday Harris at the bottom
Of this whole thing and they mean mischief
Queston-Haye you any objection to stating more
fully the nature OF the oath you took in joining the
company
wordsI will come into this meeting and abide by the
laws, whatsomeyer. Whatever hour minute l
called on will 60 That will not tell the secrets Of
the companyi and, il do, the punishment Will be
hard" told that if violated this oath would be
tried by Grants law, and the punishment would be
death.
Questlon-who swore you into the company?
Answer-Nel Houston swore me IN and Austin Mason
p4' my name ''"H- JAMES n = WRIGHT.
Georgia Ldu1 Cotfnty-Personaly appeared before
me, d. j. Mooreman justice OF the peace IN and for
the Eghtysixth district G. M., of said county, James
Wright, who being sworn, Of his own free will and ac-
cord depOseh and saith that the above statement is
true, TO the best Of his knowledge and belief
his
JAMES 4 WRIGHT.
mark.
Sworn and subscribed before me, this 10th of Au-
gust, 1s75-D. J. MooREMAY j. p.
Wilnesses-C. S. Guyton, K A Kellam, A L. Nor
gan
Georgia, johnson COuaty-Contession and oath Of
John ChIes (colored in the of the State of Geor
ga Jerry Walters and others, members OF Zion Hope
Company and Harrison Tucker and Others members OF
the Buckeye Company, charged with the offence Of
insurrection-
Queston-Do you know of any organization existing
among the negroes IN this part Of the State and what
is the nature of the organiZationg
Answer-I do know that there Is an organization
existing in this part Of the State, and 1t of military
and character and you will allow will ex-
plain the whole movement in FULTON the very be-
ginnng-what IL is Tor and who the principal negroes
are and the Offices they hold and what they intend
doing. The movement first started by Corday Harris,
coored whO is Secretary of the organzaton) calling
meeting Of the colored people TO assemble Sanders
vile for the purpose OF getting general orders and to
know how TO proceed Francis Murkerson, colored
(who is captain OF a company in Washington county,
also principal man ia the meeting / attended
the meeting did also most all the coored people in
this section The object Of that meeting 10 get all
the colored men to unite in secret military organi.
ZatiOn for the purpose Of getting "equality-by that
10 take lands in this county by force Of arms-to
Kill out the whites beginning with the little babe in the
crib, and killing all up.
UNDER ORDERS PROM GENERAL RIVERS
OF South Carolina and General" Morris, OF Burke
county, Georgia issued by Corday Harris Secretary Of
the organization coored companies Of secret and
military character have been formed in all this section
OF the state know Of three companies this neigh
borhood-one called Zion Hope company, and COM
manded by Captain jerry Walters; Jake Mooreman
First Lieutenant Robert Hightower Second Lieuten-
ant and Ben Davis Third Lieutenant; Neal Wood, First
Sergeant; Andrew Hightower, Second Sergeant; Scott
Brinson Third Sergeant, and John Hines Fourth Ser
geant The second company is the Buckeye Company
commanded by Harrison Tucker; the other officers I
don't know The other company IS commanded by Fran
els Murkerson the other officers don't know. These
companies were formed upon orders from Corday Harris
Secretary, at the instance Of Goneraln Rivers aud
General" Morris. and an oath of secrecy TO keep
everything secret and 70 mutually stand to each other
is administered 70 every Joined the organization
but did not pay the Initiation fee and was not called
regular member did not join either company but in
tended at the first TO- join Jerry Walters company but
saw the danger ahead OF me and quit the organization
remained with the organization long enough, how
ever TO know that the negroes intended to take the
lands by force divide by lot the lands into forty aero
lots each draw for his share 70 divide the per-
sonal property such as horses, cows wagons house,
hold furniture, between US. know that we q mean all
included in this organzaton) were TO kill out all tho
whites, as have told you before and to take all the
money could find and give it TO Treasurer which
was for our mutual benehL Fortune Hightower is our
Treasurer.
Question-Do you say, John, that the negroes wero
regularly organized had guns, &C, did drill secretly by
night with drums, &C. and were rapidly making ar
rangements 10 begin this fearful inhuman and bloody
work.
Answer-Yes gentlemen know that the above is
true and that the time at hand when the gen.
eral movement Of bloody work would begin NJ with
drawing from the organization as soon as did prevented
me from getting other secrets they have, and the last
orders which believe to be the orders for the general
movement 70 begin alluded TO above.
Question-NOw, john you answer freely the ques-
tons so far put TO you; tell US If you know where this
movement was to begin, and how and in what way
they were 10 proceed-the line Of march, &C Tell us
all you know about itf
Answer-A short time ago was in Jake Mooreman's
house at night at called meeting There were present
Jake Mooreman, Hubbard Hines, Francis Murkerson,
jerry Walters Neal Huston, Ben Oliver, Zone Fish,
Mig Miller Webb Wright George Sampson, Bob High.
tower Fortune Hightower, Jake Hicks, Austin Masar
Ben Wright myself Felix Guyton, and others don't
member and don't know The object was 10 discuss The
whole matter how to do and what 10 do and Francs
MurkeTson, who was president Of the meeting SAID
fspeaklng the voice Of the meptinnl that aftar