The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1916-11-24


women and children. One of the tenets
of the order was that no person of
color could belong to it. To several
negroes where they were impudent or
misbehaved, they administered COR
poral punishment.
Ex-Sheriff j. G. Long, Sr, organ
lied the first Ku-Klux Klan in Union
Ecounty. Mr.. j. Bank Lyle, who was
teacher at Limestone Springs, S. C.,
was the Grand Cyclops of South Car
oina and then resided at Limestone
Springs, S. c. He also organized the
North Carolina Ku-Klux Klan.
}. G. Long, Sr., sent his Knight
Hawk or courier, DR.. Charles Sims,
now of Cowpens to Limestone Springs
to get the full data as to the organi-
zation of the KuKlux Klan in Union
county, which county was larger than
it is now, as it comprised the present
Union county and part of Chero-
kee county. DR.. Charles Sims
brought the creed, signs, even the
grip, and the first den was organized
at Jonesville, S. c., and was called
Den 500. They kept up the organiza-
ton until it was disbanded, and OBJ
streperous negroes either had to be-
have or leave the county.
Mr.. Long begs to differ with the
author, Thomas Dixon, in the drama
tization of "The Clansman or Birth of
a Natlon,' as to the regalias or meth
DDS of disguise. 1t might be thew
were different in other section but the
South Carolina Ku-Klux Klan's re-
gala was composed of black robe,
the head piece trimmed with white
escalops around the eyes and gave the
appearance of something having pick
ed the eyes out, the mouth piece
trimmed in white and two small white
horns set on top of the head. The
horses were covered all over in black.
too, and the horses feet were muffled
so as not to make any noise when
travelling. The Klan was indebted to
Mrs. Bedie Moseley, Mrs. j. G. Long,
Mrs. w. H. Long and Misses Addie
and Mary Sims. Miss Mary Sims is
the wife of R. w. Hamilton. Cloth
afterwards became so scarce, thew
made the robe of anything bright they
could obtain.
On the first salesday in January.
1866, Mr.. jim Ferna ndez, ID. c. Gist,
Sum Sumner, Asa Smith and J. G..
Long, Sr., all great friends, were Sit
ting on the rock steps of the court
house. Two soldiers of the Yankee
garrison stationed then in Union coun-
ty, down about Mrs. Dora Powelps
place, under the command of Lieut.. |
Shorey, came up with their guns and
these men above named saw negro
come up and point out to them Jim
Fernandez. They came up to arrest
Fernandez, who had couple of Der
ringers in his pocket Fernandez
arose and refused to surrender or be
arrested, and walked on down street
and mis- friends followed. Harry, his
son, had gone down street in a place
known as Poverty Flat to get his horse
to go home. The soldiers followed
Mr.. Fernandez down street some dis
tance, ordering him to halt, but as
he paid no attention to their com
mandS they fired on him. Mr. Fer
nandeZ did not return their fire, but |
his son Harry, having heard the news. |
came daShlnG up street on his horse |
and shot one of the soldiers through |
the shoulder. He jumped through the |
window of Steen hotel, carving the !
lower sash with him. The other SOL !
der made for the camp for rein
forcementS.
The members of the camp started |
towards town and the citizens and |
Fernandez's friends had all armed
themselves, but cooler heads got to-
gether and quelled the trouble. They
sent committee to meet the officers
of the camp and they told them, eve |
don't want to hurt you or your men,"
and they promised the officers there
would be no more trouble if the SOL
diers would not appear on the streets.
If they had not taken this advice, no
telling the amount of bloodshed that
might have occurred.
One of the parties, Asa Smith, who
recognized the negro who had pointed
out Mr.. Fernandez to the soldiers,
started after him. He and Eliphas
Smith, who was fleet of foot, caught
him over in the woods behind where
Mr.. w. f. Thomson now resides The
klan got together and took the negro
"p ~ VIC -hcaHSNlle ioau near DaNe
G. Gists place and shot him and put
him in the Forest.
The United States government, af-
ter this occurred, published Mr.. jim
Fernandez and his son Harry as out
laws, and offered heavy rewards for
them, dead or alive, and kept gar
rison about his place for several
weeks until after he was killed.
1t was customary for jim Fernan-
dez and Harry, his son, to go together
and sometimes they would separate
at night and this happened to be one