Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-10-11
For the Monitor.
LETTER FROM KENTUCKY.

promised 20 tell you something OF the
an armed band Of men
who are the terror and curse of this Sec
ton, and who are of that class of ruff
fans, known in the South by the name
of Ku-Klux. The Regulators formed
an organization in Elliot county in
1879 for, as they declared, the avowed
purpose of enforcing the laws of the
State. 1t is true that law was disre-
garded, and society in bad condition,
but the means taken to effect a change
for the better was a very dangerous and
bad one. The order in this vicinity.
numbers fifteen hundred upwards. no.
body knows how many; and as the
members are bound to secrecy by sacred |
oaths, who belong to the band, or what |
their secret doings and purposes are.
nobody outside knows. Whatever the
original purpose of the order was, it has
fallen into such hand and such state
now, as to be used for the punishment
of all parties who happen to gain the
ill-will of the organization, either in
business, religion, or politics. The
number of outrages, whippings and muir
ders committed by this band is great,
and society is in state of alarm on
account of it. Last June the State de-
| cided to take the matter in hand, and
proposed to send the militia here, unless
the band surrendered and ceased its un-
lawful work. Three hundred men came
out and surrendered, but the larger part
| refused to do so, and threatened the
lives of the captain and others of the
surrendered party. The captain goes
heavily armed. and is liable to pay the
penalty of his attempt to break up the
wicked organization, with his life.
AS another instance of what the
Regulators are doing. mention the
case of man who offended the lawless
band. They attacked his house, beat
down the doors, broke every pane of
glass in his house by firing revolver
shots through them, and then took the
man out and shamefully whipped him.
They then took the wife, who had tried
to defend her husband, and who knew
many of the gang. and fred revolvers
so that the balls would just miss of hit
ting here head. compelling her, in or
der to save her life, to take solemn
oath never to reveal who the brutal
creatures were that had beaten her hus-
band, destroyed her home and periled
her life.
Seated in the cars, the other day,
! listened to the recital, by an old man
of bloody murder, which occurred
within few rods of his own door. Tht
old man had been summoned as wit
ness in the case, but the ."Regulators'
had warned him that his life would b.
, in peril if he testified to what be knew il
? the case, said he, 81 am an old man ant
| know not how it will go with me. blu
{ as | am called as witness, | shall test
!, ify to the truth
q | could record similar instances b.
r the score, if it were necessary, to shoV
t the terrible state of society in this par
. of the great United States-the land Q
!. boasted liberty.
r 1t is probably we'll known at th
= North, that elections in this section al
: but farce and fraud, and that it is
e dangerous thing to be republica
= here. just now the political cauldro
is boiling like volcano. There
e much strife among the democrats, but
L greater animosity toward the opposit
: party. If it happens in any localit
It that the republicans outnumber the
l. rivals, they are pretty sure to be bea.e
J, by bravado and the revolver. AS a
u instance of how it is done, will rela
the case of Mr.. -. (As the MoNf4o
) comes to me regularly, and is liable,
n the post-offce or otherwise, to fall In
% the hands of the Regulators, | dal
- ;. not allow the name of the party, or N
% own to appear) He was chosen Ma
d shall by the republicans. The defeate
n party at once informed him that
IS would not be permitted to give bond
g and assume the duties of his office. +
If was man that did not lack courag
l. aud proceeded at once to take the oai
ID of Office Since then several attemp
:, have been made to take his life. Oh
n night twenty-five armed men attackt
his house, when he fred on his assai
ants SO sharply and bravely that thu
fed. The next day they sent word
; him that they would spare his life, if
> would surrender his office. He inforr
C.
ed his enemies that he should attend
the duties of his office, and if compell
to surrender his life, he should sell it
:, dearly as possible.
- Beside the injustice, bulldozing a
= punishment inflicted upon the party
- minority here. politics are terribly CT
- rupt from bribery. Elections are c;
" ried by whiskey and money. The moi
!, worth of candidate is not taken in
~ consideration. Candidates, even !
> minor offices, put up large sums of me