Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-21
KU KLUX VISIT DALTON.
THE BAD ELEMENTS OF THE
CITY ROUGHLY HANDLED.

Women of II-Fame whipped and Their
Houses Torn DOwn-The Negro Pro-
prietOr of One of the Dens Killed In
the Melee-The Vigilants from Murray
County.
DALTON, GA, Aug. 20.-Last night the
ku kluX or some other band of masked
men, to the number of 30, entered Dalton
and proceeded to administer justice to
the evil-doers of the city. For some time
past lawlessness and disorder have pre-
vailed. Migrants, tramDs, thieves and
lewd houses have accumulated, especially
since the moral sensation has driven so
many from Chattanooga. The masked
regulators proceeded first to the house of
Ormstead McKsin (colored }, who keeps
disreputable boarding house and where
number of black and white women were
found, and here they severely whipped
him, his wife and a colored bOarder. Nc
Kain was so badly beaten that he was
unable to get down to breakfast this
morning.
TARVER KILLED.
The next place visited was that of
Thomas Tarver, colored, who keeps
disreputable house near the Baptist
College, on College hill. Tarver was
taken out of his house to be whipped, but
resisted, and in the melee was killed by
pistol shot, the ball taking effect in the
back of his head. He was also crushed
by blow. The Coroner impaneed a
jury this morning and held al inquest,
the verdict being death from the causes
above described, and at the hands of un-
known parties. Tarver was desperate
character, common thief, and cOrrup-
tor OF the race to which he belonged.
A HOUSE SACKED.
The next place visited was that Of Mrs.
Kidds, O well-knOwn white woman, who
has kept house of ill-fame near the ceme-
terry for number of years, and who has
son named Bill Kidd, a notorious thief.
The mob sought to arrest and whip Bill,
but he fired aud ran, receiving in return
about 20 shots after him as he ran away.
The vigilants then tore up the house of
Mrs. Kidd and gave her orders to leave
the city.
ANOTHER HOUSE TORN DOWN.
The next place visited was Lizzie VIII
sons (white), who lives in the southern
portion Of the city, and who, with a sister,
keeps another Gisreputable establish
ment for the benefit of negroes she
has several negro children }, and here the
mob tore up the house and administered
to Mrs. Wilson severe whipping.
The regulators then went to Lizzie Lees,
mulattO woman, on Hamilton street,
where she keeps disOrderly boarding
house, and left word for certain white
man who boards there to change his lOdg-
ing or else the law would be administered.
Other houses of a less notorious charac-
ter we're broken up and their occupants
ordered to leave.
A CALL ON THE MAYOR.
The mob then went to the house Of the
Mayor, Col. Samuel p. Maddox, and call
ed him out, commanding him and the
City Council to administer the laws with
more salutary effect or else the city
government would be taken into hand.
They left with the Mayor a long list OF
idlers, lOafers, suspected thieves and bad
women whom, through the Mayor, they
gave notice to leave the town or take the
consequences In lieu of obedience to Or
ders.
NOT A POLITICAL AFFAIR.
The affair has no political aspect or sig
nifcance whatever. Not a good citizen,
white or black, was molested, and the evil
dOers, whether white or black, We're
severely dealt with without distinction.
The people of Dalton deplore the neces-
5ity for such a step, although much SYM
pathy is felt for the good effect produced.
some people, however, are quite indig-
nant, and an Indignation meeting may yet
be called.
IN A STATE OF TERROR.
Dalton has been in a state of terror for
a month on account of burglars and
tramps, several of whom have molested
and attempted to outrage ladies and girls.
A number Of burglaries have been COM
mitted recently, and the city has been
infested with loafers and vagrants.
THE MOB FROM MURRAY COUNTY.
No doubt this state of things has re-
suited in a secret call on the part Of some-
body for help from the kuklux This
band of mob lawyers is from Murray
county, east Of Dalton, and came into the
city from that direction. Much excite
ment prevails and great regret Is ex-
pressed at the death of Tarver, and that
any excess should have occurred.