Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-19
CHAPTER iii.
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The discovery Of the captain OF the
African Guards lying in his full uni
form in Lynch's yard sent thrill OF
terror to the triumphant leagues
Across the breast of the body was
pinned a scrap Of paper on which was
written in red ink the letters K. K. K.
1t was the first actual evidence Of the
existence Of this dreaded order In
Ulster county.
The, first lieutenant Of the Guards
assumed command and held the full
company in their armory under arms
day and night. Beneath his door he
had found a notice which was also
nailed on the court house. 1t appeared
in the Piedmont Eagle and in rapid
sueeession I'm every newspaper not un-
der negro influence in the state. II
read as follows:
Headquarters of Realm No. q.
"DreadfuI Era, Black Epoch,
Hideous Hour
General Order No. I.
"The Negro Militia now organized In
this State threatens the extinction OF
civilization. They have avowed their
purpose to make war upon and exter-
nitrate the Ku Klux Klan. an organ
ization which Is now the sole guardian
of Society All negroes are hereby
given orty-eight hours from the pub
lication Of this notice in their respec-
tive counties to surrender their arms
at the court house door. Those who
refuse must take the consequences.
by order Of the G. D. Of Realm
No. 4.
by the Grand Scribe"
The white people Of Piedmont read
this notice with thrill Of exultant joy
Men walked the streets with an erect
bearing which said without words:
Stand out of the way"
For the first time since the dawn OF
the Black Rule negroes began to yield
% white men and women the right OF
way on the streets.
On the day following, the old Com
moner sent for Phil.
What is the latest news?' he asked
"The town Is in a fever Of excite
ment-not over the discovery In
Lynch's yard-but over the blackeI
rumor that Marion and her mother
committed suicide to conceal an as
sault by this fiend"
a trumped-up lie." said the OLD
man emphatically.
It's true, sir. I'll take Doctor Cam
erons word for it."
You have just come from the Cam
erons?"
Yes"
Let it be your last visit. The Cam
erons are on the road to the gallows
father and son. Lynch informs me
that the murder committed last night
and the ,solent notice nailed on the
court house door could have come
only from their brain. They are the
hereditary leaders of these people
They alone would have had the audac-
ity to fling this crime into the teeth OF
the world and threaten worse. We are
face to face with southern barbarism
Every man now to his own standard!
The house of Stoneman can have nc
part with midnight assassins.'
Nor with black barbarians, father
1t is a question of who possesses the
right of life and death over the cfti-
zen, the organized virtue Of the COM
munity, or its organized crime. You
have mistaken for death the patience
of generous people. We call our
selves the champions of liberty. Ye,
for less than they have suffered, kings
have lost their heads and empires per-
ished before the wrath of freemen."
my boy, this Is not a question fol
argument between u.s." said the father
with stern emphasis. This conspira-
cy of terror and assassination threat
ems to shatter my work to atoms. The
election on which turns the destiny OF
congress, and the success or failure oi
my life, Is but a few weeks away. Un-
less this foul conspiracy is crushed,
am ruined, and the Nation falls agai!
beneath the heel Of a shareholders
oligarchy."
Your nightmare Of a shareholders
oligarchy does not disturb me-"
AT least you will have the decency
to break off your affair with Margaret
Cameron pending the issue Of my
struggle of life and death with hel
father and brother?"
Never"
Then I will do it for you"
II warn you, sir" Phil cried, witt
anger, that If it comes to an issue Of
race against race, 1 am white man