The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-02-16
THE WEDNESDAY. 49, 1876

long list of respectable names as vice
presidents and directors, headed by that OF
the Hon. s. II. Rogers, formerly attorney
general OF the state, and a man of high
character. These gentlemen, duped by
Hester's plausible tongue, awoke one fine
morning TO find themselves holding the bag,
while
HESTER wALTZED AWAY
with the major part OF the deposits. To
cover his retreat, this audscious rogue caused
notice to be put in the papers. which was
widely copied, stating that his Grandmother
Lawrence, q noble daughter of England, had
just died. leaving him the trifie of $40 OOO, 900,
10 take possession of which he must tempo
rarily absent himself from the scene of his
recent labors. When Governor Holden
organized his cutthroat militia, locally
termed "Kirh's lambs" for whose atrocities
and out-ages on innocent citizens Holden
was afserwarl impesched and expelled from
the state, Hester came from his retirement
and appeared in the role of Ku-K lux
detective. He travelled about in the
CARP OF countrymsn, giving
signs and passwords to all who
would recognizes him, and instigating reck-
less young men, whom he piled with mean
whisky, to deeds of violence, which, when
he saw fit to uncloak his villainy, caused
their ruin. On one occasion, having found
bundle of Ku-Klux gowns in the woods,
he dressed up half dozen OF his cronies and
had the party photographed in a group,
whereof he, the central figure, stood with a
rope around his neck, ready to be strung up.
The picture subsequently appeared in n ar
per's Weekly, labelled Hanging of a
Respectable Republican of North Carolina
by ku-Klux Desperadoes." Later. when
Grant began to develop his plan of intimi-
dation OF the South for the campaign OF
1872, and when swarms of spies and detec-
tives were sent South with instructions to
"FIND oUTRAeEs OR MAKE THEM"
Hester became power in his native land,
and right boldly did he use his carte
blanche. Says the leading daily paper at
Raleigh, n. c., in recent number: At Joe
innocent man. By means of corrupt
United States commissioners, suborned
witnesses and his own matchless villainy
he smassed a considerable fortune of black
mail money. The government paid MIN So
per day and expenses. 1t was Hester's per-.
dition-hred imagination that originated
countless patches of the strocious raw-head-
and-bloody-bones Ku-Klux lies which over
flowed the Northern press. He is a shrewd,
plausible, unblushing scoundrel, who only
lacks brute courage to make him
frst-class monster. The files of
| ticulars of the infamy here spoken of.
Among other outrages, it was Hester who
| knocked down, drugged and kidnapped DR..
Rufus Bratton at Hamilton; Canada, and
carried him forcibly to South Carolina.
Bratton, 1t will be remembered, was subse-
quently restored on demand of the Canadian
| government. His exploits in the Carolinss
so endeared Hester to his masters, Williams
and Grant, that when it became necessary to
save Alabama for Ananias Hays and the
mongrel party by little wholesome intim-
idstion, he was again sent forth with ream
1 Nf hfoW l. afa .ff
| bind and cast into prison. As in North Caro-
lima, the game was begun by an attempt to
INCITE RIOT AND MURDER.
Hester and Beach, a confederate, disguised
as mountaineers, made their appearance
driving a wagon loaded with whisky and to-
bacco, both of which they gave away freely
seeking to entrap their companions into
admissions of disloyalty while drunk. They
| also endeavored to excite wal
of races by pretending to whites
lone to murder the other. Finally, when
a egro riot actually occurred and the sheriff
of Sumpter county gathered posse of fifty
men to suppress it, Hester arrested every
man of them and issued eight hundred war
| rants besides for the arrest of honorable cit
| liens, most of whom were carried one
hundred and sixty miles to Mobile to bring
| them before one of Williams negro tools,
because the United States commissioners OF
the rural counties were too honest fer the in
| timidation of innocent men. This is the man
who was one OF Grants chosen tools in the
work of intinidsting the South. This is the
man who now disclaims Milton to the Young
Christians at Washington. Although he has
almost sunk out OF notice it is well that the
story of Hester's instructive career should be
put on record.