National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-02-12

thought It was his duty as citizen to inform me
Of It. Reuben Bryan is colOred man, who lives
in Livingston. He said he was over BY Mr.. Lit
pair Of shoes, and when he came out he met Col.
Wetmore, and he stopped and talked with him;
he said, "Wetmore, have been to see Hester
asked him II he sent that negro Jerry Rix out
there and he said he did not" That Is what
Reuben Bryan told me. He said that Wetmore
told Smith that If came there again to kill me,
and Smith says,
'sI'LL BE DAMNED IP DON'T DO IT."
Reuben Bryan told me that. asked him If any
one else heard 1t. He said that Jesse Kimball
and interviewed him, without letting him know
what Reuben had told me. He presented the
same state Of facts. Then sent for John Little,
cept he said that Wetmore told him IL came
out there without warrant to kill me. He testi-
ned the same thing In Mobile. They used him As
more said that II came there without a warrant
to kill me; the others say that he did not say a
there In half hour or 30 and wanted to explain
to them that he meant II ! did not have any war
rant, but he did not say word about warrant
in the first place. thought that made the case
stronger, and that It was conspiracy, and 1 went
and procured q warrant for them. went out
and arrested Smith, and Beach arrested Wet
more.
Hester thGs gives his opinion Of society in
Sumter county:
@. How long were you in Sumter county alto
Der till you left?-A got In there on the 18th Of
September, and left on the 18th Of November
Just ten days after the election.
Q. From the knowledge which you obtained as
detective, and from the knowledge which you
obtained as q Government officer, in that CON-
munlty, will you state what the condition Of 20
cety was so far as it affected the political situa-
tion?-A. never saw place in any country, at
any time-and have Travelled in almost every
country on the globe-vhere such q deplorabIe
state Of facts existed .as 1 found in Sumter
county. In travelling, We would frequently leave
the road to 20 up to some negro cabin to inquire
the road, and the men, women, and children
WOULD RUN OFF FROM THE HOUSE,
and into the woods, and when we would ask them
to come back. they would keep running. We
could not get near enough TO inquire the road. 1
have never seen anything like It in the world.
/ could not have imagined such state Of affairs.
That was when We first got there.
Q. What was the effect Of the presence OF the
soldiers in Sumter county, as applied to the col
ored and white people, Democrats and Republi-
caDs7 A. think that the Republicans felt that
and that the Democrats felt that they were in no
danger from their presence.
Z. Have you thought of the effect It would
have had upon the community If the troops had
not been introduced into Sumter cOuntyH A. l
am satisfied that one white Ku-klux could have
stood in the road on election day
AND sToPPED EVERY NEGRO
that came that road and turned him back If
there had not been troops there, from the terror
which was reiRning among the negroes. They
were afraid to approach the presence of q white
man.
Q. Outside Of the political aspect, what would
have been the effect upon the lives and safety Of
the community prior to the election II there had
been no troops introduced into Sumter county?
A. will answer that in this way: lWOuld rather
be in the very heart Of the COmanche Indians
/ would feel safer there than would have felt in
Sumter county, had there been no troops when
entered it, If they had known who was.