Year: 1871




RALEIGH, June I6, 1S71.-Accounts have
just been received here, giving the details OF
another ku-klux outrage in Rutherford
county, in the western section of the State.
oh sunday night last body of disguised
men, numbering about fifty, entered the town
OF hutherfordton, having picketed their
horses on the outskirts. They first nrocead.d
to the office OF the Star, IA Republican paper of
the county, edited by Mr.. Carpenter, who was
then assent at Washington, where he had
been summoned as a witness before the
Southern Outrage Committee A vol!ey was
at first discharged ut the office, followed by
an assault, and then doors and windows were
at once burst open. The masked troops then
rushed into the building in a BODY and began
the work OF destruction. Printing presses.
stands, type, cases, forms and other fixtures
were smashed into atoms, and the entire Of
nee was quickly demolished, the debris being
flung into the street.


When this internal work was ended the
marauders proceeded to the residence of Mr..
j Justice, late republican representative in tue
Legislature from Rutherford, broke open his
mouse and entered, the first intimation he had
OF their presence being body of .bem at his
bedside. They took him in his night clothes
to the streets, in the midst OF a severe rain
storm, beat and maltreated him in brutal
manner, carried him to the outskirts of the
town, threatened his life and forced him to
promise he would never reveal what had been
done; that he would cease his operations
against the Convention and the conservative
party; after which they released him and he
returned to his residence through the Storm
MIR. Logan, the local editor of the Star, who
was in the office of that paper at the time of
the attack upon il, succeeded in making his
escape through a window in the rear of the
building, and it was he that brought the news
OF this outrage here.


This did not end the operations of the Ku
Klux that night. They then went in search
of Aaron Biggerstaf, the republican, who,
with his family, has recently been the victim
OF SO many outrageous indignities at the
hands of the Klan. Fortunately, however.
for him, he had gotten clue of their pres
ence, and he succeeded in eluding them by
flight to the woods il the darkness of the
night, aware that if he was caught he would
have been executed, as previously informed
by threatening notices. A number of Ku
klux are now uuder bonds to appear before
the United States Circuit Court for .outrages
on Biggerstaff aud his family.


None OF the Klan were recognized by the
Justice or Mr.. Logan, owing to the darkness,
and no citizens OF the town were aware of
the presence OF the band until long after the
outrage was perpetrated.


Upon receipt of the above details Governor
Caldwell invited number of leading conser-
vative gentlemen to consult with him in re-
lation to the course to be pursued under such
disastrous circumstances. After considerable
discussion it was determined to send Judge
of the State Superior Court, accompanied BY
the Attorney General and the district Solicit
tor, to investigate the matter and commit
such parties as evidence can be found against
The Governor is determined npon a vigorous
enforcement of the S ate laws.