Daily Republican., 1879-11-05
SOLID ALABAMA.
Tho Story OF Judge Keils-The
. Murder Of hls Son How Alabama
was made solid,

| AnO DsVSy VI SouBo !"
Murder Of his Son How Alabaml
was made Solid.
A special from Washington to tn,
New York Tribune " says that Judg,
Ksils, of Alabama, who nov. occupies
clerkship in the Treasury Department
has related story which has nevel
before appeared in print.
Judge K-is was born and for about
fifty years lived in the State. of Ala
bama. lie was educated in the law
and having attained some local promi-
nence he was elected by the Republi-
cans to the judgeship of the City Court
of Eufaula, q court which had jurisdic.
ton throughout Barber County. lie
filed this position nearly five years,
and in 1874, at the Congressional cleo
tion, he became candidate for re-elec-
ton 70 the same place.
Terrorism was rampant in the South
at that time, and at Spring Hill Pre-
cinc', in Barber County, the Confeder,
ates had threatened to kill anyone who
should go to the polls to "interfere"
with the election. That was then one
Of the Republican strongholds, and it
was suspected that mischief of some
kind was intended in order to invali-
date or destroy the vote.
During his canvass in Barber County,
Judge Keils had been accompanied by
his son, a plucky little fellow of six
teen, and on election day this boy, who
fully appreciated the danger which
threatened his father, sought and OBJ
tanned leave to BE- present at the polls.
Judge Keils was supervisor at Spring
Hill Precinct.
On election day, about II a. M, a
signal-gun was fired. All the white
men started at once for an empty store
where guns were stored, and they re-
appeared fully armed, in which condi-
ton they remained during the day
Notwithstanding their ferocious de
meanor, the colorsd men came ont in
force, and when the polls closed there
was known to be Republican majority
Of about $50 votes in the ballot box -
The supervisors and election officials
then retired to room for the purpose
of counting the vote. The door was
barred and lamps lighted.
The Democratic clerk III charge of the
tally list--a man named Swanson-pre-
tended to be intoxicated and unable to
make out his list for time, but when
it was fully dark he started up, say
ing: "Now have got it," and pro-
ceeded TO unbar The door.
The mob poured into the room. One
CT its leaders blew ont the lights. Upon
this they began firing guns and pistols,
proceeding which they kept up for
sevsrals minutes. Judge Keils and bis
son had crouched down behind high
counter when the firing began. The
firing was suspended at last, but only
long enough to enable one man to run
across the room and pull over the coun-
ter.
During this suspension, young Kells
said to his father, 81 am going to try
and get out, for | am shot all to
pieces. " The firing was at once renew
ed, but only for moment. AT last
one man, leading Democrat, came into
the room, and calling to Judge Keils,
said that he came as q friend, and
the first witness, this man gave his
testimony. He had not left the Court
House, however, before one of the mem
bers OF the Grand Jury, himself one of
the rioters, moved that Miles be ar
raigned for perjury. He was so arraigu-
ed, and was tried and sentenced to a
term of five years in the penitentiary.
This riot has meyer been published to
this day.
After the funeral of his son, Judge
Keils procured the indictment OF num-
Der of men whom he knew to be part-
cipants in the riot. The trials have
never taken place, however, as every
witness of the riot has either been in
timidated or driven away.
A Republican State official having
presented the case before Grand Jury |
Of the county court and summoned
colOred man named Hilyard Niles as
&C Cmmanded the firing to cease. A light
was brought and young Keils started
for the door, but dropped dead upon the
threshold. He was carried away by
some coored men. The mob then de.
stroyed the ballOt-box with its con-
tents, and by that means secured a
Democratic victory in the county by a
Of about fifty votes.