The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-12-22
BLACK KU-KLUX IN YORK.
NEGROES BANDED TOGETHER FOR
ROBBERY y MURDER.

al Secret society, Whose object was to
steal, to Kill Any one Detecting Them.
and to Clear Accused Member by False
Testimony.
(From the News and Courier.)
IoEKyILLE, December l5.-About two
weeks ago, or on the night of November
30, John Lee Good, II little son of Mr..
w. T.. Good, who lives in the western
part of this county was b~rrltally muir
dered. The News and Courier has pub
lished several very mcagre accounts of
the horrible affair, from which il has APP
peared that about forty negroes III this
county have banded together to rob and
plumber and murder all persons who
might detect them i'll their lawlessness.
ROBBERY AND MURDER.
The coroncr's investigation OF the
murder of,littlo John Lee Good has re-
vealed a most alarming state affairs in
that section, showing most conclusively
that q stupendous conspiracy had been
formed among the negroes, the object
being robbery and murder. An limo
cont child was the first victim of the
tiendish miscrcants, but developments
have proved that other murders were
freely discussed and planned, and that
only recently members of the gang lay
in wait n night fora prominent citizen,
knowing he would pass n certain point
on the evening named. The confession
of one of the participants in this affair
is corroborated by the gentleman HIM
self so far as to place, action of his horse,
&c, and q day or two after the occur
renee he mentioned it to n friend, but
without the least suspicion that by for
tuitous circumstance, either lack of cour-
age of the man on watch, or because he
had fallen asleep, he was saved from six
murdcrouS bullets.
Trial Justice j. L. Blair. acting as
coroner, summoned a Jury Of very dis
Greet men OF the ncighborhuod, and in
conducting the inquest they have dis
played considerable tact, and, under the
difficult circumstances surrouudin them,
have by practical investigation brought
to light the astounding facts which have
placed the Broad river section in a state
of terror and spread alarm throughout
the county.
Circumstances pointed almost conclu-
sively to Nose LipScomh, Dan Roberts
and Bailey Dowdlc as the perpetrators of
the deed, with perhaps another accom-
plice; and after the close of the first
daysScsslon they were committed to Jail.
On the second meeting of the Jury, on
tn" 3d inst, after taking testimony, cir
cumstanceS and statements Of some of
the witnesses pointed to Prindly Thomp-
son as another concerned in the murder,
and he was also committed.
THE CONSPIRArORS IN JAIL.
In the examination OF so nlany wit
nesseS vague utteranccS by first one and
another of "the club "thc clan" "the
SOCIETY, the witnesses membership and
similar expressions gave a clu" which
was successfully worked up, and the re-
suit is that now % negroes, ranging in
age from l6 to 80, arc inmates OF the Jail,
their offence being murder or aiding
therein. These prisoners are Nose Lips
comb, Dan Roberts, Bailey Dowdlc and
PrlAd Thompson, principals, and the
following, any of whom will no doubt
find it difficult to prove innocence as ac-
cessories, by reason of the conjunction
or conspiracy they formed, and which
by evidence SO far adduced has been SUI.
~iiciently sustained: Giles Good, John
Good, Les Wood, Dick Thompson, VIM.
Craig, George Jameson, Scott Thomp.
son, WadiS Bankhead, David Wilkes,
Masses Roberts, Will Mckinney, Wallace
Held, Sam Thompson, Owens Moore,
Allen Good, Bob Smurr, Squire Thomp-
son, Brown Robins, Jack McCluney,
sam Good, Vim. Washington. OF this
dark cloud Of prisoners Gile Good and
Wallace Reid figured prominently in the
murder for which Columbus Crawford
was hanged l8 months ago. Wallace
turned States evidence, and Giles, who
has always been regarded as the instiga.
tor Of tho deed, though Columbus nd
mltted on the gallowS that he fired the
fatal shot. Giles is a mulatto, probably
80 years old, crafty and cunning, and
has the power to lead the people of his
race, over whom he has eXcrted strong
influence.
No attempt to ovcrdraw the picture,
or to add IL word to increase the excite
ment this affair has produced, is neces-
sary after u recital of the bare facts.
After the c]oroner's jury obtained the
clue as to the supposed conspiracy, they
devoted the third day of the invcstiga~
ton. last Friday, to that branch of the
case, and the following is a specimen of
the sworn testimony:
THE TOR OF n or II Tn.Gs.
VIM. Roberts: / am n member of this
clan. | was received by Jack McCluney
in August, 1886. | know who he said
ocloilBeu W tIc cltn-AllCn tOOu, wal
lace Reid, Prindly Thompson, Bailey
Dowdle and Nose Lipscomb. Jack said
he had very good men as members, and
he wanted me to iC ;. If n man calghht
n member stealing the club was to make
him suffer. | did not attend their meet
ings regularly, but / said to them once:
"Boys, we must swear together. Though
/ have never been with YOU, Won have
got my name, and L will stick to You.
We will stick together" / did not AXE
the oath. Me and Allen Good, Dave
Wilkes, Wallace Reid and Jack McClu-
ney met. L knew that they we're mem
bers, and the was made that if any
n was caught stealing we would make
the man that caught him suffer. Our
purpose was to go two or three together
to Il mans house, and if he detected us
we would mob him right there. The