The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-08-20

A " tNc L0tttoN " 20 IuHU4NJ OuTH0tsI
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
LEAvENwoRTH, Ind, Aug. 18.-Amone the
many s,rocious deeds Of the White Caps brought
out by tins Investigation of the Attorney general
was that developed by the cross-examinatIou or
Nancy Houghton. Her story develops one OF
unparalleled cruelty, and shows the raiders to
be a set OF inhuman devils. possessed OF the
barbarity Of ssvaees-
Nancy Houghton married her husband. Henry
Houghton. fifteen years ago. lie was a 10.
spectacle farmer, who owned eighty acres OF
land, three miles from town, on a ridge. it"as
tillable soil, aud by industry be managed TO
make q living. He had enemies His vile,
Nancy Houehton, was u h~ot-tempered woman.
but was domestically inclined. and stayed az
home. She adopted q child as her own and
cared for il, and had made some bitter enemies
by marrying the man she did. 1t created
iealouely among a number OF her acquaint-
ances. and they commenced TO figure on
revenge from the day of the marriage.
This spite grew and brewed until Mrs. Hough-
toms enemies took il up before the White Caps.
One night she was called on. shortly after she
was married, taken deliberately out Of her bed
In her gown. ADD stripped naked. her head thrust
into the crotch or . tree and tied In that posi-
tion. Thirty terrible lashes were then given
her on her bare back. Then she was thrown
down, and kicked and cuffed into inseusibility.
'Tnis occurred she said. ''about q year after
! married Houghton. and two weeks before the
birth Of my child There were about twenty in
the band, and they gave me no reason Why they
10y u UOto
not acting Just right Our farm was three railes
from town., and We bothered nobody. / never
heard of female White Caps or regulators till that
night They were more merciless and brutal than
the men, and showed less feeling for me-. One
of the women, who whipped me, had the impu-
dence 20 call on ma the next morning at my
house. to see how I was getting along so she
could report 10 her companions. How did l
know herl Simply because she had on the same
dress. It was an old fsshioned linsey dress.
Feeble as / was, ! told her thatI recognized her
and didn't want her sympathy. From this time
on. the prosecutions Of this Houghton family con-
tinued.
The o~utrsges in the slave States were no more
diabolical shan the treatment Of this man and
woman. She has been hunted and bounded IN
Gil to-day she is an object OF pity-a starving
unfortunate. without a homo or friend. and
without q decent place TO lay her head When
this system of social slavery, or social ostra-
cism. commenced, the Houghton family were
considered respectable and well-to-do. The hate
of these Ku-klux, or White Caps. followed them
like an evil thing. Periodically their outbreak
would come, and threats aud warnings were
made without number, year In and year out
Instead of q life of happiness, they lived one of
darkness and terror. For fifteen years they
have been hunted and pursued with devilish
persisteney. The modes OF terrorizat1on have
been as varied as they have been numerous.
Mrs. Houghton is q white slave to the barbarous
cruelties and inhuman conduct Of these south
ern Indiana Ku-klux. She is a woman now thir-
ty-six years Of age. small in stature. a pleasant
face. and Of earnest address. she 10 ignorant
and poverty stricken. Her pinched and wan
cheeks would win the interest of any person
With q human heart. The white-fsced child she
carried Ia her arms would wiring feelings of SYM
psthy out of the stoniest heart. From her
farm she was compelled TO seek shell
ter in the town of L~eavenworth. Ostracised and
and driven out OF here, the victim finally
sought refuge in a boat on the Ohio river,
where she now lives. The troubles OF the
HouRhtons had their beginning more than hf-
teen years ago. Houehton himself was q loyal
soldier in the army, aud when he came home
ecme time after the war was induced to join the
White Cap band, who represented to him that
1t was an organization for the purpose of put
ting down horse-thieving and counter
feitine. When he shortly afterwards found
out that IL was . band of ruf6sns
for the purpose Of whipping human. beings. he
left il, aud denounced it. and exposed its mem
ber: This enragsd them, and they have pur..
sued him and his wife ever since. On one OF
she periodical reigns Of terror Houghton was
captured aud whipped. He was given 100 lashes,
from which he tainted A rope was then tied
around his body. and he was dragged like
beast down the road a long distance. They
stopped at o grove, aud there perpetrated q
nameless and horrible crime on his person,
which, however, was left incomplete. Hough-
ton recovered from that terrible treat
ment, but was told TO leave the county.
As soon as be got well he moved to Leaven-
worth, and his farm went to rack and ruin.
Later on, he was taken out and whipped again.
The gang would always lodge some fancied COM
plant against him, but his misdemeanors, IL
any. were few and of the same kind that are
practiced with impunity in any community.
The second whipping WAS severer than the first.
The gashes in his legs and back were long and
deep
~ helped him home" said Mrs, Houehtou,
'.for he was dripping with blood. I wrapped
some bed-clothing around him. but the blood
actually dripped through this upon the floor"
Houghton was formally sent TO the ~peuiten-
$iarv for QnmA o6anaa whara ha nnU ia a0n6na6
One Of his children was qusrreling one day with
g neighbors child. and its life was in danger,
when Houghton fired off a revolver. the ball
striking the neighbours child in the arm. Hough-
ton, although he shot clearly in defense, was
rent ND for three years. His many troubles
drove him crazy, and he to-day writes letters to
his wife that give uumistakable evidence of his
insanity. Governor Gray's attention was called
Co this case. as Houghtons proper place is in
the Insane Asylum, If confined at all.
Your correspondent was shown Mrs. Nancy
Houehton az she entered Arbaker's store, in
Leavenworth. She came for food. How she
lives is not known. She has five children, and
they are all squeezed In a little. narrow compass.
In . squalid little place in q fsh-boat on the
river. Mrs Ada Arbaker is the wife of the pro-
pristor of the dry goods store, and helps her hus-
band by clerking. She has taken considerable
interest in Mrs. Houghton and aided her all she
could. when they were driven from the farm
to town by the White Caps" Mrs. Arbaker said,
''they were we'll regarded. Very poor, they had
- AaE0 " Afcs auo AZ Cuo 10
II misfortune was always with them.
Finally. about two years ago, Houeh-
ton got into the shooting difficulty
which sent him to the psnitentiary, and his wife
was left alone with her i've children absolutely
renniless Her condition was desperate and we
helped her all We could, although q good many
people condemned us for it. The White Caps
were determined to starve her out, If they could.
She had no place to 60 and the poor woman
couldn't leave. They fthe White Caps) sent her
orders repeatedly to do so until the woman was
nearly demented. Sometimes she could earn a
few cents. and ! have known her TO live on fifty
cents per week. At last" continued Mrs.
Arbaker, II went before the County Commits
sioners myself and pleaded with them to make
this poor victim a small allowance per week for
the sake OF her children. After a good deal of
persuasion they allowed her 81. so per week for
sustenauce. AS soon a. the White Caps heard of
1t, however. they called on the County Commits
siouers and told them that they must
rescind the order to support that
woman. who had already been a victim of
scores OF their cruelties. and not allow her q
cent, on peril OF the direst punishment The
commissioners, who had very little moral cour-
age, cut of the pay and. If il had not been for
few OF rs women. she would have been left 70
die like a dog"
Mrs Arbaksrs story il gospel truth. She ia
the daughter or ex Secretary of State Hawn
Your correspondent asked her what there was
IN Nancy Houghton's character that made her
20 obnoxious IN the eyes ~ the White Cans.
81 have known her all ny life,r she said. land
Inever found her so obaoxious aud vicious as