The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-09-08

fear | was almost savage in keep
ing savages in their places, but /
felt it was my duty" This terri
tory is the immediate scene of my
novel THE Clansman. )"
One of the most interesting
figures in the inner history of the
klan iS that of Hon John W. Nor
ton, the present Secretary of State
OF Tennessee, who was General For
rests chief of artillery. Pale and
noyish i'll appearance, he was in
fact but boy, yet he won the ut
most confidence of the General,
who relied on him as Stuart did on
Pelham, and Lee on jackson. For
rest called him the little bit of
kind with Il great big backbone"
When the rumors of the Ku Klux
Klan first spread over Tennessee,
Forrest was quick to see it's posi-
bilitics. He went Immediately to
Nashville to find his young chief of
artillery.
"Morton," he said, 81 hear this
klan Is organized in Nashville, and
| know you're in it. | want to
join. =
The youngstcr fenced, smiled and
gave vague answers.
The General sworc little and
said Shut up, you can't fool
me. If this things in Nashville,
YOU re in it, and Pm going to get
in if kick the door down. Its APP
peal to the terror of the Negro and
its profound secrecy, if linked with
wise leadership and mcrcilcss dar-
ing at the proper moment, will save
the South.'
The young man avoided the issue
and took his old commander for Il
ride. Forrest persisted in his qucS-
tons about the klan, and the youth
kept smiling and changing the sub
lrct. On reaching Il dense woods
in 4 secluded valley outside the city,
Morton suddenly turned on his
former leader, and said:
General, hold up your right
hand,'
Forrest did rs he was ordered
and the youth, trembling with en-
element and his eyes misty with
tears, solcmly administered the pre-
liminary oath Of the order.
That night the general was made
Il full ilcdgcd clansman and was
soon elected Grand Wizard of the
Empire.
Forrest was 50 clatcd over the
success of his mission, he remained
over Il day to help young Morton
with his girl who was hcsitating
over the cvcnttul issue of life. She
fairly w,:Slippcd the daring Cen
cral and when he declared to her
that Morton was the man of all
men for her she gave her consent.
y beautiful welded life of twenty
seven years followed. Three sons
and one daughter blessed their union
and all three of these boys lcaped
forward to defend the flag the morn
ing Mckinley called for volunteers
in 1898.
The order of dissolution of the
klan as issued 10y General Forrest
was in every way characteristic of
the man. When the white race had
redeemed six Southern States from
Negro rule in 1870, the Grand
Wizard knew that his mission was
accomplished and issued at once
his order to disband. The cxccu-
ton of this command by young
Morton the Cyclops of the Nashville
Den, also of the staff of the Grand
Wizard, is typical of what occurred
throughout the South.
Thirty-tivc picked men, mounted,
armed and in full Ku KluX rcgalia
for both horses and men, were Sc
lcctcd for the ceremony, and ordered
to Loldly parade through the streets
of Nashville. The Capitol was still
in charge of 5000 Reconstruction
Militia and 200 metropolitan police
who had sworn to take every Ku
kluX klansman dead or alive who
dared to show himself abroad.
On the night appointed, the
squadron Of thirty-hve white and
scarlet horScman moved out of the
woods and bore down upon the city.
The streets were soon crowded with
people watching the strange process
sion OF ghost-likc figures. On the
principal streets the police blew
their whistles and dartcd here and
there in great excitement, but made
no move to stop the daredevil pa
raiders. On they rode up the hill
and passed the Capitol building,
round which the camp-ircs of a
thousand soldiers burned brightly,
and not a hand was lifted against