The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1910-01-14
Reconstruction in Monroe County.
By e. r. Pickett. B. s. 1902.
tcontinue.i from last issue

N>oAANA-As-~- --~>>-- "
Their DISCUSSES were practically
the same as tn ose worn elsewhere
over the Southern States. consist
ing of loose flowing gown of white
domestic, not long enough. however.
to impede progress. The head gear
Mote. The buying of domestic be-
cane so common that every man
that bought ten yards Of domestic
in Aberdeen was considered as a
ku Klux) was of the same mater
ial with holes cut for ewes nose and
mouth, these holes being sometimes
smeared aronnd with red paint or
dye. They wore long pointed capes,
whose flaps could fall before or be-
hind. The head gear was movable,
and was so arranged that it could
be turned around while riding,
thereby giving the rider a much
better view. They communicated
with each other by means of code
of signals on their nightly parades.
Whistles were often used for this
purpose. While travelling at night
they always tried to make as hid
eous noises as possible and to look
as ghostly as possible in order to
frighten the negroes. Some few
mem bers carried rubber bags and
tubes concealed under their DISCUSSES
and on going up to negroes house
would call for water and then would
follow the often related water-drink-
ing incident There were local
varia tons of the dress. many part
ly from Higgins testimony before
ButwelI's committee, Mississippi
Reports, |, $3.50 using ornaments
Of feathers. rams horns, animals
tails, etc. In the. north east corner
of the county, in the neighborbood
Of Bethel Church, a certain young
man expressed a desire. to join the
X. X. X. He was cordially invi-
ted to come to church at a certain
hour of the night. He came and
found no one there. Later a man
stepped up to him and asked his
business, which ne told very
promptly He was invited inside
the church, which was soon lighted
by a candle. He entered and in a
few moments a man appeared dis
guised with long spiral ram s
horn on his head ! Hess asked the
applicant few questions as to his
name, and age, then began scruti-
nizing him from all sides. Present
Iy he lowered his horn and rushed
toward the boy with a hoarse bel
low, and struck the boy in the side.
This action so frightened the boy
that he left without further cere-
mony, and was content not to bother
the X. X. X. any more.
These clans seldom worked in
their own district. The actual facts
are not known, but it is thought
that the Hamilton and Smithville
klans worked in the Athens dis
trict. and the Athens Khan in
both of the other two Klans There
are vague rumors that Alabama
klans crossed the line to help their
friends in Monroe county. The
organization was active until after
the great trial in Oxford, after which
strenuous measures were passed by
the United States Government
which placed heavy penalties on
those who were mem bers of the
Klan or who did work for that
character.
There were a few killings in the
county, as testified to by citizens
and by the witnesses before the
Buntwell Committee Among those
/ (Buotwell's Report on Mississippi.
|. go. $50, 269. 27S, 279, 900.
353, 374. 1868, SOL. IL, 800, SAT.
$40, 7o6. S43, S44, $50, 500. S34.
S67, 901. 934.) said to have been
killed were the following: Thomas
Hornberger. Alb Atkins, Jesse May
field, Jack Dupree, Joseph and Will
lis Flint. Alec Page, Abram
VAN BILE, all colored. That Alb At
Kins. Jesse Mayfield, and Thomas
were killed by masked men, sup
posed to have been Ku klux, il
merely stated in this report.
Abram mble, a colored preach
err, was shot at his home. He had
taken some part in politics but
whether there were other reasons
for his death is not positively
known. Gen. Gholson in his testi- |
mony said that Wamble was killed |
by negroes on account of personal |
grudges, but that the blame was |
laid on the Ku Klux. Wamble's
wife testified that masked men did |
the shooting.