The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-12-05
A KU KLUx "REMINISCENCES.
THE BRATTONs wENTTO CANADA
They We're Charged with Being Ku
KiuX LeRdcrs-One OF Them Was
kidnapped and England Demand
ell His Return,

The recent trial at Y0rkyillc OF John
>. and Paul. il. BrattJn on the charge
OF murder, recalls an affair that devcl.
oped international importance in
which two Brothers, the father and
uncle OF these young men, were iuvolv-
twenty-nine years ago.
Doubtless the diplomats of those
times would have to refer to the re.
cords To refresh their memories about
Il very thrilling incident between the
United States and Great Britain, the
Issue OF which was watched by the
people OF this " PROSTATE State with
the keencst interest.
England demanded the return to his
temporary home in Canada OF u South
Carolinian who, fleeing the State, had
sought an asylum under the British
dag had been kidnapped and brought
back to face u stern United States
Judge.
1t was no time Tor false pride an Of
fense had been committed by over
Jealous United States officers, and this
government frankly acknowledged
that fact by quickly complying with
the British demands.
DR.. j. Rufus Bratton and John s..
Bratton were gentlemen OF largo
estates in York County, where their
family had lived for generations.
They were graudsons OF COl0lul viii
liam Bratton, who was u distinguished
Wing leader In the Revolutionary war.
At the outbreak OF the civil war, both
brothers entered the army. DR.. Brat.
ton went into the medical department
and won distinction as an army sur
geOn. at the close OF hostilities the
brothers returned to their homes In
York County and attempted to restore
their fortunes.
Many. stories have been published
ab0utthe ku. Klux organization OF that
time, but most OF them have been
pictured from fancy. Because it gave
u certain irresponsible and naturally
lawless class an opportunity to indulge
personal grudgcs and vindictiveness
while falsely representing themselves
TO be ku-kiux, the organization gained
most Of the disrepute attached to its
name.
1t is difficult, oven at this time, to
obtain from one known to have been u
member OF hat organization u definite
statement Of their actions. "lt may
be impossible for those in other parts
OF the country, who had not to face the
condition we did to realize the ncccs-
sity for such an organization by the
better element OF the whites" remark
ed an eX-member OF the "klaD" u few
days ago. We were at the mercy
he continued, "of former slaves and n
hostile government. The negroes
wore irresponsible and knowing We
were powerless to resent openly over
bearing insolence they INDUCED their
new opportunities. A powerful secret
organization In which it was proposed
to have only men OF responsibility and
reliability as members became a
necessity. 1t was Il success and when
1t ceased to be necessary IT ceased tC
exist. The purpose wa not to murder
or burn, but to terroriXe the negroes In
general and either subduc into quiet
ness their leaders, Who were urging
them to CXcesscs, or force them /,
cave. or course, in some cases cX
trcme measures became necessary 70,
sclf-protectlon. And in the end, the
ku-kluX prevented many bloody en-
counters and possibly massacros tina
would ave followed had not som
leaders OF the negroes been checked.
1.-The superstitions Of the negroe
made the methods Of the ku.Klu!
especially effective and it is o laugh
able to think OF the simple plans re
sorted to. a string OF horscmcn rid
ing through the country by highway
and byways, at night, dressed in whit
from head to heel, and making II,
sound, save the tramp Of the horses
hoois, sent night providers scamping l.
their cabins. The signs OF skull ant
crossed bones on fence or door carried
II warning to the occupants OF tn,
house that required them TO meme
t?Jir ways. When the s~upcrnatura
failed, then other plans were resortet
to and more drastic measures used til
the object was attained. For, it mus
be borne in mind, these were not boy
or Idle men, they were serious ant
sober and realized that under the pre-
valling conditions they carried thci
lives in their hands.
1T can be readily understood tina
with such risks to encounter, the or
ganiZation had to have the best dis
clpline and the most reliable members
They were bound by terrible oaths
but rewards for information agains
them would have tempted ordinary
men. 1t is notable that the leader:
were Free MasOns OF high standing
and it Is probable that every member
OF That order in the smaller towns anC
rural districts where the Ku-KluA
were most active were on its rolls.
- With complaints from many quar-
ters and demands hat the Ku.kluy
organization be suppressed by the
military authorities then in South
Carolina, 1T Ia not surprising tina,
strenuous efforts were made to capture
and convict members OF the ~organiZa
t f'"f wiz OauSI De v war
known In q general way that Dr.. j
Rufus BrattOn was the head OF the Ku,
klu organization In upper South
Carolina, and his brother, John S.
Bratton, was also supposed to belong
to the secret order. They we're singled
out for arrest by Major Merrill, then
commanding The United States forces
In York district.
DR.. Bratton was u thirty-third dc.
gree Mason and there IL no doubt this
TACT caused him to be aroused at the
dead OF night at his home In Yorkville
by an unknown horseman, whose steed
was spent, and given an important
military secret. Thirty minutes later
Tue ku'kluX leader WAS riding out oil
town, headed northward and leaving
his wife and three little children be-
hind. Later in the night u dctach.
ment OF cavalry surrounded the Brat.
ton home. Pursuit was made In every
direction, but with q good horse, ample
funds and the friends he could com
mand wherever the secrets OF Masonry
were known, the fugitive made his
way safely into Canada, taking w his
residence in Montreal In the fall OF
1871.
Dr.. Bratton opened an Office in the
Canadian city, where he began the
practice OF medicine. His whereabouts
became known AS soon as he wrote TO
his family In YOrkville, and he was
soon being Swallowed by agents OF this
government. He WAS Joined nv his