The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-10-10
ANDERSON S G., THURSDAY OCTOBER TO- 1878.

United States, dehtAncing such crimes
as 1t was alleged those who were brought
before me, under warrants duly issued,
had committed, or In bai!iDg or COM
mitting those fog. trial who came before
me voluntarily confessing the violation
OF those statutes. Ny commission as
United States Commissioner bears date
tho 10th day of June, 1870. made ap-
plication for the Office on the third day
of June, 1870, and my appointment was
"cheesfully rccoiHmonded' by the gen.
tlemen who then composed the Waihalie
bar, Judge Orr and others. At that time
l had just located at Walhalla with a
view TO practice my profession, and had
not the slightest knowledge or suspicion
of the existence of the Iku Klux order.
My official duties rendered it necessary
Cor me to attend the August term, 1871,
of the United States District Court, ait
ting at Greenville, South Carolina.
During the progress of the term I was
called upon to investigate come alleged
violations of the internal revenue laws,
and went to the upper portion of Green.
vile County for this purpose. ] very
soon disposed of the business left un.
finished by Commissioner who had
preceded mo there, aud came back TO
Greenville.
If l am right in my recollection, there
were some cases tried at this august,
1871 term of court called "Ku Kluxn
| cases, but the character Of the nan nc.
cused and the evidence adduced to sup
port the charges did not awaken behalf
in the existence of such an order. Just
before or about the close of the term,
| however, an affidavit was presented to
ME purporting to be signed by one AS
berry Peck, who claimed to be a citi.
zen of Spartanburg County, S. c., dated
the l4th day Of September, 1871, alleg.
ing the existence of the Ku Kiux or
der, declaring its objects, and in it he
confessed his acts as o Ku Klux and
gave the names of the members of the
klan to which he belonged.
! The officers of the court took this
statement Of Peck's under advisement,
and it was decided that / should 20 to
Spnrtenburg, accompanied, by the Assist.
ant United States Attorney, the United
States. Marshal, with one or two of mis-
deputies, and Peck, and should proceed
to investigate the matter. AS to the de.
tails of what did occur, I would gladly
tell you as far as can recollect, or
papers in NY possession will SNOW but
l take it this is beyond the scope ofyour
inquiry. The country has been general.
ly Informed, through the medium of the
press and the courts, OF the result.
have Testimonials from citizens of the
highest character who, as attorneys and
spectators, attended my examinations,
assuring me of the fair. patient and i'm.
partial manner in which cases were con-
Quoted by me. See if tho letters have
with me do not bear me out in this state.
ment. At this time scarcely knew any
of the officers of the State government
and had no official or social relations
with them. Indeed, except the United
States officials / had met at court and the
military officers stationed at Spartan.
burg, ! knew none of them, and I car
never forget the anxiety my position
cccasioned me. was simply hent unor
performing ny swosa duty, as I intcr
preted the law, with fairness to the ci.i
zens and with fidelity to the government
had no other object in view. If 1 has
ever seen the proclamation of Governor
Scott, of date 28th July, 1871, Offering
reward of two hundred dollars each 10
the apprehension and conviction of K,
; Ktnz, do not remember st; certainly
was not actuated by any motive in th
performance of my official duties say,
that which should characterize faithful
officer. And now as to your question a.
to the amount of money received from
the State for this service, have to an
swer that l received Comptroller's war
rants for seven thousand dollars, wbicl
we're disposed of at price less thar
their face value. ] wisk to explain how
and why I submitted the papers did
upon which this allowance vas made
The General Assembly of South Carroll.
ma, on the 26th day Of February, 1878
passed an act appropriating $4,000 fol
the payment of claims arising under the
proclamation of Goyernar Scott before
referred to. was advised that under
the proclamation and the provisions OF
the act making this appropriation
ought to submit statement of my work
to the commission appointed by the Gov
ernor to examine and report upon the
legal sufficiency of claims arising under
the proclamation. The commission ap.
pointed by the Governor consisted of the
following named gentlemen, to wit
Major @. D. Melton, Colonel J. D. Pope,
Hon. Il. Is. Elliott, Hon. d. H. Cham
berlain and James A. Dunbar, Esq,
three of whom certainly ranked as the
ehlest lawyers as the Columbia bar. |
| uOSSiLhiuSu tuht UOulQ only tuDulL 10
the commission thirty five voluntary CON
fessions made before me Mt Spartanburg.
These confessions were duly subscribed
and transmitted to the court. Upon
them indictments were found, and the
parties themselves afterwards, in open
court, made confessions, which are to be
found in the published proceedings oi
the November term, 1871, of the United
States Circuit Court. I refer you to
pages 770 to 787 inclusive of the "Ku
Klux Trials" In their report the com
mittee says: "The committee further re-
port, after q very patient aud careful
consideration of the elaine of the saver.
al claimants, that they have made the
awards as follows:
70 I. FL. Wilkes
Convictions, 35, at $780,. .........$7, 900 90
And this report is signed by every
member of the commission. ! have NO
present recollection, but havo no doubt
that was paid by tho United States
government the usual fees for the war.
rants Issued and the hearings l had in
the cases in question, and I expected no
moro than those fees at the time the SER
vice was performed. IF I am right in
my recollection, Major Merrill was the
first person who called my attention to
the proclamation of Governor Scott and
Informed me of the provisions Of the bill
before the General Assembly. which
afterwards became law.
T. NJ. WILKES.