The Washington herald., 1907-01-20

The manner Of appealing TO the super
stitious fears OF the negro was unique.
On some dimly mOonlighted night the
members Of a den, comprising possibly
100 mounted men, would ride swiftly down
the pike and call at the home Of some
negro whose budding impetuosity It was
deemed wise to curb He was hoarsely
| summoned 20 the roadside, where he
would behold a ghostiy train sitting in
funereal silence upon white-caparisoned
steeds. and each wearing a weirdly de-
vised uniform Of white trimmed with
black. each visOred and hooded until only
the indistinct outlines Of a grisly counte-
nance. which might have come from the
molderins trenches OF a battlefield as easy
as from elsewhere, were visible
Inc negro was sharply and briefly com
Inahded TO bring bucket Of water. When
! ne compiled. the leader Of the mysterious
/ Troop raised II to his head and apparently
! drained its contents at a single draught.
In reality he merely emptied it into a
rubber bag concealed inside his flowing
uniform Then. handing back the bucket,
ne remarked in a hollow voice that this
was the first water he had tasted since he
fell at the battle Of Shiloh.
That suficed for the negro. The troop
rode on its way and was heard az no
more. perhaps. for weeks. No negro was
interfered with, or in any way intimi-
dated, who kept his proper place and
whose words and deeds contained no men
ace 10 white supremacy
Saving an Accused Mans Life.
That was one phase Of the klan's work.
Another, no less important, was the pro-
lection Of innocent men against whom the
machinery Of the law was put in motion
by INSCRIPTIONS carpet-baggers or their
friends. A single truthful instance will
serve to illustrate.
Soon after the organization OF the Ku-
klux Khan there appeared in the town
OF Holly Springs, Miss, a horse trader
/ from East Tennessee This man. g1inr,
ABOUT his business. happened % racog-
nize young man from hts own section
OF the country who had. during the az
( citing times Of the war, killed a guerrilla
III the mountain country. This guerrilla
was OstensiDiy Federal trooper In re-
allty ne was one Of that numerous band
or harpies which lowered about the edge
OF the war 10 make prey Of the defense
less on both sides
The horse trader caused the arrest Of
the young man on the charge OF murder.
The arrested man refused 10 be taken
I A4p'a4 NA-N A1t&~N@ AAlltIt lEiIAH-lLlEN ra-
pers. The trader left 10 procure them.
That night the Ku-klux Khan got busy.
Before morning the accused man was on
his horse In the country. he Was pro-
yided with relays and with refreshments
until he was landed safely upon the west
bank Of the Mississippi River. vita
500 expense money in his pocket and ad-
vised never 10 return 10 Mississippi The
khan had saved his life Had De been re-
turned 10 East Tennessee in the agita-
ton then existing they would have hang
ed him first, and made inquiry forty years
later.
But the khan did more than merely IN
repress the dangerous exuberance II the
negro and protect the menGceL life ana
/ liberty OF innocent white men. They pro-
tected the just rights OF the negro rs
sternly as they rebused his uH-time5 and
] understandable assumption OF supremacy.
| Another incident. ont of the experience
/ OF a gentleman Of the most unquestioned
veracity. moral standing. and orat0rical
+ ability. Will serve % illustrate ,he point
Fight with GaerriIIas.
/ The gentleman il question lived at the
I time in Forked Deer River bottom. rDor
a plantation where about fifty negroes
also lived and worked one moonlight
night he was aroused by cries from the
quarters, and seizing an army pistol.
I FASTENED 70 the scene He found four
white men Of the guerrilla stripe terrify-
/ ing and rObbing the defenseless negroes.
You have no business here and no
| right TO rob these negroes he asserted.
| as soon as he caught sight Of them.
You get OF this plantation. and get of
quick"
Their answer was a pistol shot. the bull
/ let singing close TO his head. He returned
the fire, and several Of the negro men,
| taking courage in the presence Of d white
/ champion, produced guns and began a
merry fusillade. in the midst Of which
| the marauders drew away.
Several hours later that same night the
| defender of the negroes was awakened
/ by a knocking on his door
| who's theTe?" he questioned.
a friend" came The reply.
| Hastily dressing, he went down to the
/ door
Friend. what do you want?" he de-
manded from his security behind the
| bolted door.
| Il want TO see you"
What is your signal2"
The well-known signal was passed and
the door opened. Before him stood an ap-
partition IN white. wearing the tall hat
and mask OF the khan.
Has there been any disturbance here
tonight asked the shape
Yes; some white men were here. try
ing TO rob the negroes. but we drove
them on -
Which way did they gO?''
They rode straight down the bottom
road, taking the turn to the right"
The grip was passed. and with a hasty
goodnight, the apparitiOn strobe To the
front gate, when half a hundred others
rode out from under the shade OF the
trees He mounted his horse and they
rode swiftly down the bottom road.
Next morning four guerrillas were found
hanging to single oak tree about two
miles from the plantation. They had been
caught in the bottom and given q short
shTift
Sequel to the Khan.
In 1869 the Loyal League went into IN
nocuous desuetude. It had literally been
haunted" out of existence. And with
its passing the Ku-klux Khan disbanded,
never to reorganize.
But there were plenty OF inscriptions
characters floating about who recognized
the opportunity TO hide the commission
Of crimes behind the cloak Of the defunct
organization. and who conceived that its
mystery would suffice TO place an effectuaI
bar to the legal investigation Of their evil
deeds. In this they were for a time not
disappointed. But their criminality be-
came so fragrant and so bold that the
matter was taken in hand by the Federal
authorities, and Secret Service men
thronged the South for months seeking
TO discover the responsible head OF the
reputed Ku-klux Khan and to bring the