Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-10-27

as issued by General Forrest was In
every way characteristic Of the man.
When the white race had redeemed
six southern states from negro rule In
1878, the Grand Wizard knew that
his mission was accomplished and is
sued at once his order to disband. The
execution 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-five picked men, mounted.
armed and in full Ku Klux regalia for
both horse and men, were selected for
the ceremony. and ordered to boldly
parade through the streets Of Nash
Vile. The Capitol was still In charge
Of 5000 Reconstruction militia and
200 metropolitan police who had
sworn to take every Ku Klux Klans-
man dead or alive who dared to show
himself abroad.
On the night appointed, the squad
ron of thirty-five white and scarlet
horsemen moved out Of the woods and
bore down upon the city. The streets
were soon crowded with people watch
ing the strange procession Of ghost
like figures. On the principal streets
the police blew their whistles and
darted here and there in great excite
rnent, but made no move to stop the
daredevil paraders. On they rode up
the hill and passed the Capitol build
ing, round which the campfires Of
thousand soldiers burned brightly, and
not hand was lifted against them.
They turned south into High street
and ladies began to wave their hand
kerchiefs from windows and men to
shout and cheer from the sidewalks.
The scalawag police received these
shouts with suppressed oaths. At last
they began to summon citizens to aid
in the arrest of the clansmen. The cit
izens laughed at them.
On reaching Broad street, young
Morton. who rode at the head Of the
squadron, observed line Of police
drawn across the street with the evi-
dent intention Of attempting to'stop or
arrest the raiders. Turning to Mart
N. Brown, a gallant clansman who
rode by his side, Morton said:
What shall we do, Mart"
Turn into Vine street." he quickly
answered, pass around them"
"No-ride straight through them
without change of gait" was Nor
toms order.
And they did. The astonished po-
lice, dumfounded at the insolence OF
the raiders, opened their lines and the
horsemen rode slowly through without
a word.
They passed large frame building
used as a carpet-bag militia armory.
It was full Of negroes. Morton halted
his line of white figures, drew them up
at dress parade, rode up to the door
and knocked. The negroes rushed to
the doors and windows, and when
they saw in the bright moonlight the
grim figures, they forgot the police
and the 5000 soldiers guarding Nash
vile. They made unanimous break
for the rear, and went out through ev-
cry opening without knowledge Of any
obstruction. Many OF them wore wins.
dow sash home for collars.
The clansmen silently wheeled again
into double column and rode toward
their old rendezvous. They had over
thrown the carpet-bag negro regime
and restored civilization. Their last
act was warning. A handful Of their
men boldly slapped the face of the
hostile authorities, before the new ad-
ministration entered upon its work,
and, dared them lift hand again.
Outside the city they entered the
shadows of a forest. Down its dim
cathedral aisles, lit by trembling
threads of moonbeams, the white
horsemen slowly wound their way to
their appointed place. For the last
time the chaplain led in prayer, the
men disrobed, drew from each horse
his white mantle, opened grave and
solemniy buried their regalia, sprink-
ling the folds with the ashes Of the
copy Of their burned ritual. In this
weird ceremony thus ended the most
remarkable revolution Of history.