Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-08-12
KU-KLUx OUTRAGES.
4 Report by One Who Has Just Returned from the
Scene:..A Horrible Story.

CINCINNATI, o., August la corres-
pondent who has Just come from the
scene of the Ku-Klux outrage at JONES'
boro, Ga., sends the following descrip-
ton of the crime: The circumstances of
the outrage are almost too horrible to
tell, and the surroundings sickened your
correspondent as he saw them. An aged
negro and his wife, with their garments
dyed in their own blood, which brutal
beating had made to gush from their
flesh; a young negress lying dead be-
tween her two crying children with a
bullet in her brain; and a lad of sixteen
groaning in the agony of an awful pistol
wound in his side. Such scene I be-
held in poor log cabin, while around it
crowded hundred negroes, trying to
aid and comfort their afflicted friends,
and a few kind-hearted white friends
furnishing what they needed.
The history Of the crime is as follows:
One year age Joe Thompson, negro so
years old, was at work on the farm of
James McElroy, in Fayette county.
John Gray, McElroy's brother-in-law,
came one day into the field where Joe
and his son Bob were at work. He ac-
cused Bob of stealing plow from him,
Bob denied that he had done so. Gray
grew angry and struck the boy. His
father lnterfered to prevent him from be-
ing beaten. Gray then turned and
severely beat the old man, who could
offer but feeble resistance. Joe left the
place at once, taking his family with him,
and got employment with Reuben Mendy
IN Clinton county, where he now lives.
He prosecuted Gray for assault and bat
terry. The Superior Court fined
the young bulldozer> $l00 and
costs, thus greatly outraging him
and his friends. Joe feared their
vengeance, but he had good friend in
Mr.. Mendy, and all went we'll with him
until night before last. He was asleep
in his cabin with his wife by his side.
In the same room were his married
daughter, Millie johnson, with her two
small children and Bob Thompson, the
boy whom Gray had struck in the field.
About midnight Joe was aroused by
the noise of voices in the yard. Peering
through O. crack in the door he saw fif-
teen men with half adozen huge torches.
Nearly all of them were armed, and on
the face of each were broad streaks and
splotches of SCOT to serve as disguise.
The old negro knew that he was to be
the victim Of this mob, for almost as soon
as he had seen them they rushed upon
the door and began to knockit in. Some
Of them seized log in the side Of the
cabin and tore it from it's place. Soon
the door was down, and the villains were
ready for their bloody work. Two of
them seized Joe Thompson and
dragged him out. They held him down
while third beat him with a stick until
the blood literally spouted from his body.
He was left almost scnseless, with deep
gashes across his back and breast, and
his bald head horribly cut. I saw him
the next morning, and the blood was
scarcely dry on the rough shirt it had
dyed with it's deep crimson. His old
wife had suffered like him. She was
beaten by ruffian until she fell senseless
to the earth. AS the mob continued this
infamous work young Bob arose from his
bed and made a movement to help his
old parents. He was hoored by shot
which pierced his side near the lungs
Millie johnson lay in the bed terrified al
most to death. She attempted to rise,
and was shot in the head, to fall back a
corpse. Her little children, on the other
side, clung in terror to their dead mother
for protection.
The military found the town in great
excitement. They at once surrounded
the jail and assured the people that the
public peace should be protected. The
guards were accompanied by the gov
ernor himself, who did much to allay the
turbulence. The troops have just re-
turned to Atlanta, bringing the prisoners
with them, to be safely jailed there.