The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-30
mountain graveyard. Intensifying the

mountain graveyard, intensifying the grewsomeness pervading 1t, 1 found that more than a third of it dead had been murdered-in one house alone the bodies of family of five were lying, every one Of whom had been killed by outlaws a few miles distant. Altogether the scene, as shown by my strange guide, appeared In some mysterious way characteristic of the nefghborhood in its present perturb- ed condition. and the uncanny influence of those houses filled with slaughtered people was hard to shake off.
 When I met John Wright at his little log house at the head of Boone Creek
 he was just setting out on long eXpe- dition against the Ku Klux gang. He told me that he had positive information of new uprising of the latter. who threatened to give more trouble this sum- mer than had been experienced last year when Wright captured nineteen Of them and lodged them in jail. At that time 1t was hoped that this activity on the part of the Deputy Sheriff would prevent fur ther outbreaks. especially as the Ku Klux leader, Morgan Reynolds was said to have fled to the Philippines. But secret organization of twelve hundred outlaws Is hard to put down in a single campaign. and now that Reynolds has been seen scouting among the mountains, and a fresh crop of murders has been reaped five took place during the writer's trip through the Ku Klux region), there seems to be ample Corroboration of Wrights s pTeUiCIlO1 UT tTOuDie.
 What will be done with the men already arrested is a question that will be de- cided In the county courts held this spring. Feeling runs so high in fletcher County, where the Ku Klux is located and has so thoroughly terrorized the in habitants that the prisoners have been divided between the courts of Pike. Har- slan and Bell counties. So far five of these men have been sentenced to the penitentiary. Three others, by some spe- cial arrangement with the judge of Har- Ian Court House. have been permitted to enlist fin the army and sent to the Phii- ,ippines, where they are to remain for three years-not the first indication in this part of the country that our faraway possessions are looked upon in the light of a sort of penal settlement, fit refuge for troublesome outlaws. It is ,intereSttng to know that the three men sent thither among the other prisoners remaining in this county are counted two sons Of q high sheriff The fate of the eleven still in jail Is undecided. As nearly all of the latter took part In a peculiarly atrocious double murder and house breaking last winter. 1t is probable that their sentences will be heavy ones.
 Although there have been a larger num- Der of murders than usual in this sec- tion of the country during the past year, 1t is not known how many of them are the work of the Ku klux band. Four are certainly attributable to the latter, Nor gan udNtuS pcISohdhs ed two of these, and 1t is probable that on investigation by the courts others will be found to have emanated from the same source. The principal work of this band, however, has consisted in simple high way robbery among the mountains be- tween Kentucky and Virginia. In this the outlaws were so successful that man by the name of Granville Cox, from Virginia, came to Ietcher County. where he saw the Ku Klux leader. told him he wanted to extend the movement into his State, took the oath and, with band of eight men whom he called "Coxeys Army" entered on a career of house burning. whipping and robbery in Wise County, Va. His enterprise. how ever, was speedily brought to an end by the authorities there and he and his fol- lowers are now serving terms in the Richmond penitentiary.
 Since the commencement of his fight with the Letcher Ku Klux last summer, John Wright has been twice waylaid. by eighteen. On both occasions he out witted his pursuers by doubing on his tracks so that they say >of him:
 'Johr Is like the Irishman's flea; when the 1rishman raised his finger, he warn't thar"
 When met him John was certainly thar" but he showed something of the is engaged He has been wounded sev- eral times In these encounters with am pushed dsSailants, and, worst of all, he has lost the sight of one eye But he shows no sign of weakening in his eff forts to put down the outlaws that have made such dangerous progress in his county. and if the courts and the govern ment sustain him he hopes to drive out tho f<u Klux with another summers cam paign. Ion Clifford.