The morning news., 1899-03-16
CLAIMED HE WAS KUKLUCKED.
NEGRO FORCED TO LEAVE TAFT
NALL COUNTY BY MOB.


Witchcrnft and Wanted TO Get
Rid of HIm-said He Possessed
Dead Infants Hand, which Per-
mitted Him to Indulge in Crime
without Fear of DETECTION.
Charged Him With Communion
Forced Him to Leave the County.
Either the Gays of the "Ku Klux Klan"
are not over or the oid-time order has
illegitimate successor in Tattnall county. A
negro wandered into the Office of United
States Commissioner Lewis yesterday af-
ternoon and tearfully related that he had
been "I1lukucked' by some Of his neigh
bors and forced to leave the country. This
time the members of the clan are negroes,
and their conception of its purpose and
destiny the determination of witchcraft,
hoodooism, and other dark and baneful
crimes of the same ilk.
The unfortunate in this case Is Jasper-
Young, from his appearance a prosper
Gus and intelligent darkey. Indeed, it is
his prosperity, according to his story, that
and his neighbors' determination to get rid
of him. They ascribed his good luck 70
the employment of some devilish agencies,
by means of which he was enabled to out
wit his enemies, engage in profitable
crimes and escape detection. Young, on
the other hand. says that the little compe-
tence he had amassed was the result of
industry economy and hard work.
In The latter part of 1898 the persecution
of Young began, and was continued with
out intermission or abatement until Jan
81, 1899, when he left the country in fear
of his life and with the wild shouts of
those who meditated and had threatened
MS death ringing in his ears He has not
been back since, and declares he is afraid
to do so. He firmly believes that should
be return to his home, he win come to an
untimely end within a very few days.
Young says that the leaders of the
gang as Jasper Hal and York Collins,
and that under their direction it is its
custom to prowl around at night, ar
raiguing those whom it accuses of the
practices it condemns before mock tri-
bunal, finding them guilty and then pro-
ceeding TO beat them numerically and
groes in the vicinity of Hagan, near which
place all the parties live, have fallen I'M
der its disapprobation and have become
victims of the outrages it constantly COM
mits. Young and Hall had several rows
before the former was driven from the
country, on one occasion. exchanging a
couple of shots. Young endeaYored to
have warrant issued for the arrest of
Hall. but he was without money at the
time and none of the magistrates in the
county were willing to issue the warrant,
unless their fees were paid in the first in
stance and before they took any steps in
the matter.
Staying in Youngs house was an old
negro named Aleck Mcleod, who by the
use of the simple herbs that grow in the
swamps and forests had cured him of a
serious and dangerous disease. Mcleod
was charged with being an intimate of
spooks and witches and to perform his
cures with the able assistance of His Sa-
tanic Majesty.
1t was claimed that he had given Young
a hand, obtained in the dead of night and
the dark of the moon from some country
graveyard. 1t was asserted that this hand
had once belonged to an infant who had
died in early life and under tragic cir
cumstances, and hence 1t was believed to
possess a peculiar potency. With this hand
II was said that Young was enabled TO en-
ter the chicken coops and meat houses
OF his white neighbors and depart. load
cd with piunder and without fear of de-
tectloh. me possession of an amulet that
gave such immunity was naturally pro-
ductive of strong jealousy among the col
ored brethen in the neighborhood. who
went out on such expeditions Frequently
found themselves pursued by dogs or .
load of buckshot and most uncharitablv
dealth with
With the assistance of the hand Hall
ana his gang said that Young had worked
upon the susceptibilities of those with
whom he dealt and despoiled them of
thelr property. COW which he had
bought was said to have been obtained in
TINS manner II was darkly hinted and then
openly charged that the Evil One and his
satanic host held nightly conclaves at
Young's house, where plans for Young's
advancement and the confounding of the
members of the "Ku Klux Klan' were
Matched and put into operation.
The crowd had announced that they had
tolerated the presence of Young in the
community as long as they intended TO
do so, and upon the night of Jan. 81 de-
scended in force upon his domicile. He
watched their coming, listened to their
whispered threats, and then made a hur-
ried exit through the rear door of his
dwelling. He lit out for the Ohoopee river
and since that night has never returned
to his home. He is afraid to go back un-
til his enemies have left the country or
ceased the persecution of those suspected
of witchcraft. In the meantime, he leaves
q farm. upon which he has a lease for
four years, to go to waste and ruin
Commissioner Lewis told him that he
was without authority in the matter, and
complaint to the state courts or Justice
of the peace.
SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI.