Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-02-01
KIansmen Hear of Threats.


vile. A meeting of the Klan of York
J Vile was held in Yorkville one after
noon in March. Meetings Of other
Elansnlcn were held that same day
They rode horses and the bold Dr.. Brat
ton, according to testimony before the
investigating committee in 1871, was at
the front. According to testimony CIV
in 1871 in United States court by a
member of the Ku Klux Klan, who be-
traycd his trust and testified, in the
raiding party were: William Johnson
Harvey Cunning, Chambers Brown
IIoibrook Good. james Neill, Sam Fer
guson, Richard Caldwell, Pinckney
Caldwell, Rufus McLain, Lindsay
Brown and DR.. Bratton. According to
the same witness on the Pinckney road
I'VE met the four Sherer boys, Robert
Hayes, Mitchell and Elias Ramsey.
don't remember any more; but there
were more men there
Death of Williams.
They went to the home Of Capt. Jim
and silently carried him out of the
house. Nearby was a forest of whis-
pering pines and cedars andsblack jack
A rope was taken from the pommel OF
the saddel of Klansman. A moose
was made. Capt. Jim's head was placed
therein. The other end was thrown
over the limb of majestic pine and he
| ,,,,,,o, into aterntty
The traitor Klansman mentioned
awhile ago testified in. United States
court in December, 1871, describing the
death of Williams: Il asked if they
had found the black man, Jim Williams
and if they saw him. had stayed
back to hold the horses. I got NO an
swcr and they just got on their horses
to leave. heard some man say,
Mount your horses and then they
mounted and took across over the
fence, and I got upward toward the
foremost man-Dr. Bratton. l asked
him if he had found the negro. He said
ycs. Said I, Where, where is he?
Said he, lie is in he'll, 1 expect"
Elansman Bratton was in Yorkvlile
quietly practicing his profession when
the Federal soldiers under Major Mcr-
rill came. Indeed he practiced among
the soldiers suntil their own surgeons
arrived. He continued to practice here,
living quietly with his family, enjoying
the esteem of his fellow citizens when
the congressional investigating COM
mittee came in the summer Of 1871. Hc
even testified before that committee
Needless to say that not the slightest
scintilla OF evidence regarding the mere
existence Of an Invisible Empire was
! obtained from him despite gruclling ex-
animation. Men Of his calibre didn't
tell.
short time later word came tc
him that Il warrant had been Issuco 10!
his arrest for alleged connection With
the Ku kuX Klans. The doctor lcf'
quietly one day, and when an officer
won't to arrest him shortly aftcrward ne
was not to be found. No man knew OF
his whereabouts or II any man oio
there was no man who would tell.
Went to Barnwell.
TIE went to Barnwell, S. c., to the
home of his sistcr Mrs O'l3annon, wife
If a prominent physician Of that place
Hearing that the Federal authorities
we're On his trail he went to Selma, AL
ALBANIA, after short sojourn III barh'
we'll. In Alabama he associated him
self with his Old friend, Dr. William
Barron, originally Of York county, D Z
There he became Interested in coal lno
iron mines Together with DIR. barron
he began making arrangements Tor tht
purchase OF vast tracts OF these Elho'
which later developments proved wouie
have made him rich man.
\ story is told Of him that alter go
ing TO Selma. lie adopted the name o
Simpson. One day in company with Dr
BARRON he was invited TO the home o
4 gentleman Of Selma for dinner. Up
on arriving and being introduced as
Dr. S:mpson, lie said to his host: NJ
sir. nv name is not Simpson. My name
is Israttun,. DR.. J. Rufus Bratton OF th'
state of South Carolina and the county
of York. Damn it, sir, can not breaF
bread with man under an assu;net
name"
Why that is all right, SIR repllct
his host. The name does not matter
under the circumstances. BESIDES Dr
Barron vuuches for you"
fIees to Memphis.
Soon after he became interested II
coal and iron word was whispered by
A,ubnma Klansmen that the United
States authorities were hot after hin
again. He fled to Memphis, Tennessee
There he met his brother, John )
Brntton, also Il fugitive klansmen.
: vas Il peculiar coincidence that thu
; brother lad also assumed the name o
simpson.
There they remained short time
and decided that it WAS best to sepl
rate and seek further seclusiUn. Dl
: Br:lttun went to London. Ontario, Can
ada. john $. Bratton took another
route. The Eivcrys and other famou!
fNf1 1fftt