Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-03-02
Alefanoria 6az&tte
SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH g.
The True Inwardness of the Ku-Rlux
Outr8geS.

| HE True 1uW6ruHcSS O1 Luc AuA
| Outr8geS.
| Ex-Governor Moses, Of South Carolina. 10
his confession, published 10 yesterdays New
York Herald says:
Whenever rumor would come from Wash
ington that tho troops were to be removed ana
the government left to protect and sustain itself,
Immediately consultation would be held 20
decide to what measures resort should Do l. "a
| to counteraot the intended movement. At these
| meetings there were always present Scott, the
Governor J. l.. Neagle, the Comptroller
General, (who generally had especial charge
of "outrages" in the up country;) Moses. the
Adiutant and Inspector General and Speaker
of the House, (afterward Governor y Cham-
berlaip. tho Attorney General, and Parker tina
State Treasurer. Each of these men had their
especial personal dependents and henchmen III
the shape Of deputy United States marshals
and State constables, to whom. after the meet.
ings were adj ourned, there Instructions would
be given to begin their operations 10 various
parts of the State. The expense OF the move:
ments of these men. after they had received
their orders and had gone to execute them.
was enormous, and was all paid by the State. la
accordance with Scots request tho Legislature
had given him authority to establlsh a pa'a
State constabuary, and to maintain Tor their use
horses, &c., in the shape of camp equipagc.
John B. Hubbard, q thoroughly skilled detec'
tive and desperate man, who had formerly
taken prominent part 10 tho Investigators
conducted by the United States government
which resulted in the hanging or Mrs. Surrstt.
In addition to this constsbuary force SCOTT I'M
ported into the State one "Coloner' Kerrlgau,
with band of about twenty-five desperadoes
and roughs from New York, whose expenses
he paid, in addition to large monthly wages,
and whom he domiciled In various parts OF the
up county here, with instructions to work up
the outrage business and to do oil IN their
power short of committing overt acts to lnc1te
the democrats to open resistance. These men
did thor work we'll and richly earned the money
they received. Most of them were stationed
in Union county, where there was majority OF
white voters, and the story of the wrongs and
injuries they inflicted on the unoHendIng peo'
pie there would indeed 6ll q volume. Their
expense was borne out of an Unlimited appro'
priation made by the Legislature tor Scott to
maotain an 'armed FORCE and which author
lied him to expend any moneysln the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated.
But even this importation of roughs from
New York was not enough to create the con
sternation which was desired, and by appllca'
ton to the United States government, support
ed by D. T. Corbin, then the District Attorney
for our State, Scott succeeded in having an
officer of the United States Army specially DO
tailed and ordered to report to him, to take full
charge of the hunting down of the terrible ku
KIux and to bring thom to trial and conviction.
This mans pane was Lewis Merrill. and nc
was and is still, | suppose, major OF tho SeV'
enth regiment United States cavalry.
He was we'll fitted for the business tor which
ho had been selected. Cold blooded and heart
less, and as keen on the scent as o seuchhound,
he admirably performed his mission, and. 10
conjunction with Corbin aud under orders from
Scott he succeeded in making of South Caro-
lima perfect pandemonium Tor two years. NO
pen can record, no tongue can reclte tho insults
be heaped upon the people, and at the
slightest show of resentment the victim would
be hurried to trial on the charge OF being
Ku kux, and would soon be heard OF co
more except as an inmate Of the Albany peolten-
tiary. Although Merrill was an officer OF tho
Uoited States Army on full pay during hld
Ku. klux campaign, and although the regula
tious of tho War Department expressly pro
hibit any officer from receiving pay from any
State authorities, still for the whole time be
was here he was regularly paid large sums by
Governor Scott (in addition 10 his TRAVELLING
expenses) out Of the armed force funds. The
vouchers for these payments as received by
Merrill himself, found on file in the State Iroa
sury, are now among the records ottho lnvesll
eating Committee. apd form strong case.
against him for infractiou of the regulations OF
the War Department. :.
But this was not ALL Long alter the dlsap'
pearance Of all symptoms of ku.Hiuxlsm
10 our State, Merrill went before tho Leglsls
ture and by diot Of the most constant system
of lobbying and by bribIng the most prcmlneus
members Of that body, together with most OF
the State officers, succeeded in collecting for
himself, from the revenue of South Carollna.
about $22, 900 as reward for his services TO
the republican politicians.