The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, September 28, 1877, Image 1
vor- IX.?New Semes. , ^ ^ UNION 0 11 < AIIIH.IXA. ^Kl'TKMIiKi; :>S, ^877 '' ^ NUMI5ER 38.
THE BLOODY KU KLUX IN OHIO.
vvf ill the president declare martial
law in that county ? four dead
bodies found dangling from the
bridge at dawn.
Cincinnati, September 4.?For seven
years the counties of Owen und Honry, situated
in the southeastern part of the State,
-huvo becu terrorized by a ga.ig of banditti,
'who have shot, burned and stolen almost
'without fear of law. The roads in tnuoh of
' the region are nurrow, rocky bridle paths,
that run along the sides of the mountain
streams. Travel is almost entirely on horse
back or on foot, and tho familiarity of the
^outlaw* with every turn in-the roads and
dark oorners in the thickets enabled them
to put travelers out of the way with very
niuo inconvenience, ana witnout tear ot detection.
During the war many of their
murders were charged to rebel soldiers, and
at one tiuic General Burbridge caused a
number of Confederates to be shot in rctal|P
iation. A few weeks ago one of the baud,
named Shuck, was hung at Owcuton. He
protested to tho last his innocence, and made
a statement implicating several of his comrades.
Soon after, another member of the
gang, named Carter, made a full confession. '
and on the strength of this four meu were
arrested and lodged in Newcastle jail.?
Three of them were brothers, named Goodrich
; the other was James Simmons, Sr.? '
At half-past 1 o'clook this morning, a mob '
surrounded the jail took the four men out !
of their cells, hurried them a short distance
from the building and hung them in a ghust- '
ly row. The victims, before the hanging, !
confessed to the murders and other depro
datioQ8 with which they were charged. !
Jim Simmons, Sr., was about 50 years of J
age, aud the ackuowlcdged hcudof the gang
He was known as "The King," and his
house the "King's Castle." Bob Goodrich
yM probably boast the most villainous
the gang. He t'JU;
than pounds
I^^^^^^^^^^^^^Toodrich was
^me than his brother Bob. lie
40 years of age. Bob was por^^^^M0P^ive
yoars younger. They were uiar^H^^ied
to daughters of old Jim Simmons.?
Sam Goodrich, the youngest, a half-brothor
of tho other two, was much their superior
iu appearance.
The mob seems to have been composed
in the main of people from tho adjoining
counties of the west, of Oldham and Trimble,
aud probably also a'number of parties
from Madison, Ind., where Baer, one of
their victims, resided. There is little doubt
that there were present a number ot men
from the eastern part of tho county, where
most of tho crimes were committed, but
they evidently kept out of sight as much as
V ? a t,"rouo'1 t'1G aid of their dis?scaped
detection. The first indication
of the presence of the uiob was seen
at about 1 o'clock, when about twenty men
on foot aud with double-barrelled sliot-guus
in their hauds were observed moving quietly
along the main street of the town from
the west towards the house occupied by tbc
jailer. Arriving at tbo door, they rapped
loudly, awakening Mr. Pierce, who was
sleeping in the house. He, cal^^ . from
his bed, asked who was there, reoeiving the '
reply, "A friend." Dressing, he went im- <
mediately to the door, whioh he opened, to 1
find himself in the prcsence^of a body of
masked men, two or three of whom, with
revolvers at his head, demanded the keys (
of the jail. He replied that he hadn't them,
as he was not the jailer. They ithen ordered
him to call the jailer, which order he
complied with, two men being sent with 1
him as a guard. Jailer Jones dressed and 1
started down Btaiis. On the stairs he was 1
met by two masked men, who, with pistols
at his head, informed hitn that they were
after old Jim Simmons and the Goodrich
boys, und that they were going to have them,
ordering him to go with them and uulock
the jail. He pretested, saying that the law
would certainly do justice, to which tho reply
was : "We mean business, and want
no fooling on your part. UnlockjJ^e ,jail, .
or you'll be killed." Tnking possession of
him, they forced him to inarch to the jail,
leaving a guard over the parties who were
in the house. By this time the crowd had
increased to about forty men. On the way
<to the jail, which was u block uway, they
.were met by Sheriff llicketts aud his dep)
.utics, who had been awakened and informed
of the presence of the mob. He pro.tcsted
against violence, and in the name of
the commonwealth ordered the mob to disperse.
The reply was, as to the jailer, "We
mean business, ami are goiug to hang Jim
.Simmons and the Goodrichcs. Get into
your house, aud keep still, and you'll cot be
harmed." He, however, continued his
protestations until the mob, cocking their
shot-guns, informed him that they wanted
no more nonsense, aud that if he valued
1.:. KR. I.?. 1 1 I? ? ?? ; ?: J - - J
iiu iiiu un ?iki uuuer minium aim not
trouble thorn further. At this he and the
deputies withdrew. The 1110b then moved
quietly to a point noar the jail, where they
halted, and some of the men were Rent after
a rope. They wont to the store of Win.
O'Brien, about a block away, and, awaking
the proprietor, demanded a rope and roiiic
email corda, which they got and paid for.
getting a hundred foot of col toil half-inch
rope and a quantity of cord. Uotuming to
the ("Dot where the jailer was slill held by a
part of the mob, thej cut and prepared the
rope, and thcu moved on to the jail.
Arriving there, they, with guns at the
head of the jailer, ordored hiui to unlock
the doors, saying that they were bouud to
have the pien, and resistance on his part
would be useless. After another protest,
which was met with threats, he uulocked
the doors. The moment this was done
about thirty nicu rushed iuside, and lighting
candles which they had with them,
rushed into the cells occupied by the men
whom they wished, orderiug them to get
up and dress. The men seemed fully to
realize their condition, and prepared to meot
their fate with.that stoical ^difference
which cJiaracteVfratrttfolt conduct from the
tirst. Uld Jim Simmons, the leader, received
the summons without a word or sign
of displeasure. Sam Goodrich, while being
tied by his captors, asked permission to
give his uiouey. to the jailer, to deliver to
his mother, which privilege was allowed
him, with the injunction that ho be quick
about it. He handed over 843 to the jailer,
and then turning to the mob gave himself
again into their hands Joe Goodrich,
with the exclamation, '-Oh, Lordy ! they've
got us !" allowed himself to bo bouud.?
Bob Goodrich, who was generally counted
the worst of the lot, at least in point of
cruelty, asked his captors to grant him time
to pray. The reply was: "You didn't
give Onan time to pray ! You can't have
time uow yourself!" His hauds were quickly
tied, the rope, ready tied, was thrown
jver his head, and he was forced from the
cell. It will bo remembered that Shuck, in 1
his confession, avers that Bob was one of '
<ho crowd that drowned John Onan in the i
Kentucky llivcr, after shooting him through I
.he arm, and that he refused to allow Onan <
;ime to pray.
All this scene oennnied hut. ? fnw 1
?o thoroughly was the work of the mob (
.'a^ued and The leader, a large '
nau, closely maskedj and lroui wtAhn all.*.'
trdcrs emanated, stood in the door of the 1
ail giving commands to the mcu. His
irincipal order was, "Be quick now ; we are '
lcre for business aud waut nothing else.? 1
fie them and take them out, and be quick '
ibout it, too !" In less than ten minutes '
roui the time the doors were throwu open, :
lie men had dressed themselves, their hands !
vero tied, nooses were throwu over their '
leads, and^ flrjhly grasped, ?nd
sach side, in front and rear, and with drawu !
listols at their heads, they were marchej)
roni jail down the street leading to the
vest of the town. As they were taken '
)ut, Humphrey Roberts, a young man livng
iu this county, who was in jail on some '
rifling offense, and who had been tied 1
through mistake by the mob, was untied,
ind the jailer was ordered to lock the jail
ind go home, which he did with alacrity. 1
3ne or two persons attempted to follow the I
nob, but were ordered back, and iuforuicd
.hat they might be shot if they attempted 1
to follow. They wore also informed that
the mob was 250 strong, and that auy attempt
at resistance would be promptly met,
jveu if it were necessary to burn down the
town.
During all this time?which, by means
jf the dolay caused by the huut for ropes,
occupied over half an hour?probably a
dozen or so people had been awakened und
become cognizant of the dreadful work that
was going on. Yet uo one dared make any
effort to prevent action, as all the streets
were picketed and every movement was
met with a loaded shot-gun or the glare of
a navy six or the glisten of a bowic knife,
accompanied by a quiet but determined
order to the party concerned to get home
and stay there.
The mob, after leaving the jail with the
prisoners, started on a fast walk or run toward
the western portion of the town.?
Following the road at a rapid pace they soon
came to a bridge over a branch of Drcnan
Creek, just outside the western line of the
town. This seems to have been the spot
agreed upon beforehand for the execution.
Arriving thee tho mob stopped, and, lighting
candles, placed one upou each end of
the bridge. They then tiTO the ends of
the ropes, which wore about the victims'
necks, to the posts at the side of the bridge,
and prepared at the word of command to
pitch them over tho side. Old Jim Simmons
and Hob (loodtich were given places
side bv side on the north side of the hriihre
and Sam and Joe Goodrich were consigned
to the south. Then the voico of the leader
?whose commands were the ouly words
spoken distinctly, except another plea for
mercy from one of the wretched victims?
rang out on the still night air : "Ready !
one, two, three !" One of the victims was
launched over the side of the bridgo. The
rope was quickly tightened with a snap and
a dull thud, and one of the murderers of
Recly, James and John Onan and Eli Downy
and Wm. Gallighan and John Gividen
and Nelson Parrish met his fate. Again
that awful voice rang out : "Ready ! one,
two, three !" and another form was hurled
over the edge of the bridge into the darkness
below. A third time the awful "ready,"
and the counts were heard, and the third
form was dropped by the gravo executioner.
This time there was a crash, and a sound as
of a falling body on the stones below, accompanied
by a cry of anguish. Then
there was a sharp call from the commander:
II. " I??? -1 ? - I
"Loook out there, below ! Don't let hip get
away !" and a confused humjof voioA in
the darkness below as they gathered up the <
form of the half dead wretch, the fastening ]
of whose rope had given away. Agaiit the i
rope was fastened, and, amid the plcadfcigu t
for mercy of the now thoroughly unnerved <
victim, he was again launched over theeide 1
of the bridge, bleeding from the fall. As t
the rope tightened, the dull, crackiug sound c
announced that the murder of Gallighan c
had beeu avenged. Theu came tho fourth c
and lust victim ; and. as he struggled, and t
pleaded for mercy, he was reminded that t
he never showed mercy to his vict\uis.? t
Auiid his pleadings and imppdeatDips aud v
groans ho was-Khi?u*i. fMfr. *b4v Uf M
stuut, his form oabgfea besiae
The work done, the candles wcVo cxtin-T
guished, and tli? mob lingered in silence to b
sec if it were well dono. A few of those o
posted below moved quietly forward and ex- t
auiined the bodies, feeling for the pulse, t
and occasionally pulling down a mask and b
peering into the faces of their dead victims, o
Nearly a half hour thus passed, and then s
they silently withdrew. Calling in their c
pickets statioucd through the town and by ii
roads, and mounting their horses, which z
they had placed uuder guard near the I
bridge, they rode off in a westerly direction, t
At daylight, the few people who knew of 1:
the terrible work that had been in progress, ti
hut had been driveu home at the pistol's it
mouth, ventured forth. Following the a
tracks of the mob, they soon reached the c
bridge, and found the bodies of the victims, p
Their hands were firtnly tied bchfnd-them; f<
their hats lay in the dry creek below, where d
they had fallen as the wretches were pitched n
over the bridge. At 5 o'clock, Esquire 13. tl
B. Gray, who had been notified, (acting in c
tho capacity of coroner,) cut the bodies tl
down, and, rcuioviug them to the town hall, o
hold an inquest. The jury gave a verdict o
of death by hanging at tho hands of un- h
miw forties. ii
After the inquest the bodies were enclosed
in neat coffins ,and left in charge of t|
the authorities. Liitf thi? nfmrnn#*.. tli?
laher of the Goodrich brothers sejt a team 0
ror the bodies, which were delivered to the Sl
j.esscngcr. and they will to-day be buried f,
it Lockport, near the scone of their, many S{
jriines. The body of old Jim Simmons c
if) titygivt* M1- Iljs wjfo uud a
son, who lived at hiuiincnca, tour nVwwr?iOTtr
here, on learning to-day of the terrible lHte M
which had befallen the gang, immediately g
disposed of their effects, nud, taking the g
west bound train, left for parts unknow?, v
not calling for or giviug auy attention to ^
the body of the old man. j,
Of the strength of the mob there arc c
various estimates. Not more than fifty per- (j
jons were at the jail or upon the streets to- p
gethcr; but the loader stated%hat he had e
120 men in and around towu,?and as many jmore
in the immediate aunourbs *of the v
place. They disappeared as'^suddfellj as c
they came. *. ' 1,
Shall We Meet Again ??The^ollow- I1
ing is said to be one of the most ll-illinnt !
articles written by the lamented 4eo. D. 1
Prentice: a
"The fiat of nature is incxoratrte.v There ^
is no appeal for the relief of the great law
which dooms us to dust. We flouijeh and 5
fade as the leaves of the forest, Ad the a
flowers that bloom and wither in ;iA' have v
no frailer hold on life than tho fl^htiest
monarch that ever shook the cartawith his f
fnotstona Gf?n?rftt.inns iif itinn will nnnonr I '
-n'v".
and disappear as the grass, and the multitudo
that throng the world to-daj .will disappear
as the footsteps on the shiife. Men 8
seldom think of the great cvent^Df death ?
until the shadow falls across thcir|pvu path- ^
way, hiding from their eyes thl* faces of
loved ones whose iiving smiles vrff the sun- s(
light of their existence. Death 4 the aula- ,
gouist of life, and the cold thoifnit of the
tomb is the skeleton of all fea|fc We do j,
not want to go through the darlrValloy, al- 1:
though its dark passage may lrfid to Para- e
diso ; wo do not want to lay in the c
grave, even with princes for bedfellows.?
In the beautiful drama of Ion, the hope of ?
immortality, so eloquently uttered by the p
death-devoted Greek, finds deep response in (.
every thoughtful soul. When atfcut to yield b
his young existence as a sucriticc to late, 1
his Clemantha asks if they should meet a
again, to which he replies : 'I have asked o
that dreadful question of the hills that r
looked eternal?of the clear streams that li
flow forever?of the stars among whose t
fields of azure my raised spirit 1ft* walked n
in glory. All were dumb; bet as I gaze i
upon thy living face I feel tljht there is a
something in the love that man&ls through v
its beauty that cannot wholly pirish. \Ve c
shall meet again, Clemantha.' " \ ,
"Jessie, what was Joe's arm doing jround i
your waist when you wero at tho-fcpF; gate c
last night?" asked a precious Aberdeen f
boy of his sister. "His arm wasd't round (
my waist! I won a belt from him and he (
was taking my measure!" replied the in- (
dignnnt young lady. i
\
A good little boy who was kicked by a 1
mule, did not say naughty words or go home i
crying to his mother. He just lied the t
mule within live feet of a he,' hive, backed i
him round to ir, and let him kick I
FENCE, OR NO FENCE.
The question of fencing stock, instead of
inclosing crops, lias been submitted by the
Legislature to the voters of the State, and
rcry generally decided in favor of the pres:nt
system of enclosing, in a sham way, the
:u!tivnted Gelds against the depredations of
lobbied cattle and pike-nosed hogs. Chcscr
Couuty, we see it stated, voted iu favor
>f a chauge iu all her towuships. In Anlerson,
where the couuty had actually been
canvassed upon the subject, a few of the
ownships opposed the chauge. Ouly one
ownship in Abbeville Couuty and two or
hree in Fairfield favored a change. So
re may say, the law proposing to ouoloee
tT*fortVIr wl^T>oi,.a8
ft State measure.
ifu uu uub uuusiuui iiiu law us [irupuscu
?y the Legislature a fair test of the wants
f our people, simply because it had in it
he anomalous feature of allowing townships
o adopt or reject it. As well may it have
iccn said, let any two or three farmers adopt
r reject it. We would not favor the pasage
of a law submitting this question to
ountics, simply because such a law would
iiflict unnecessary hardships upon the citicus
of certain scctious of every county.?
t should be a law for the State or no poriou
of it) though we doubt not, that if the
tud owners of any one county would petiiou
the Legislature for a change in the exiting
law their petition would be grunted,
nd the remainder of the citizens of that
ounty, who really have uo just right to opot?e
the change, would be required to conWni
to-thsKnew* Wo do oare to.
iscuss this question here, because we could
ot convince any one who is opposed to us
liat his views arc incorrect, but we arc bold
nought to say, that any farmer who opposes
lie change iu any part of the State is, in
ur judgment, an old fogy, and is ignorant
f the quantity of land necessary to graze 1
is cattle and other stock during the plant- 1
ig, cultivating aud harvesting seasons.
Hut we do propose to sav a word upon '
ic subject of who defeated this stock law '
I th<? recent election. True, uiany land [
wncrs were -opposed to it because it was
ubmitted by townships; others opposed it
om the fallacious idea that fencing
Lock was denying the poor man a living (
hance, a mcro sentiment wo think, aud yet
tlmfu pnnoscd it because they feared a !
hflWg?, anbt ahflcipatCQ imn.* It irimie uvt I '
rork well. But who gave systematic, ornuized
opposition to its passage ? The ne- j
rocs; they turned out to a mau and boy and
oted agaiust it unauimously, aud why? Not
ecause they knew or believed it would inure
them ; not because they felt an inter?t
in the country's welfare; not because
hey had stock and uo land upon which to i
asturc them, for they were told, that their i
mployers would by the law be compelled to
urnish them pasturage; (and just here we ,
rould inquire of the frauters of the law,
ould such a provision have bccu enforced
ad the law passed? is it not worse than
lucoustitutional ?) not because they en
oyed the luxury of mauling mils and buildug
fences; not because they anticipated
ny injury, or curtailment of rights, civil
r otherwise, by tho passage jof the law ;
ut the negroes as a body opposed tho pasage
ol the new stock law, with malice
forethought, for tho sole reason that the
rhite people favored it, and this they will
lo on all occasions until their number is io
educed, or the number of the whites is so
nercased, that their opposition will amount
o nothing.
Hut does not this opposition of the nc;roes
teach the farmers more ideas than
ne? It clearly shows how uuited and thorughly
organized they are, and that they ony
require a malicious leader to prove themelves
capable of voting a return of those
ays we have in the past fought so manfuly
to conquer. This question of tho fence law
hey made a political question, and would
isten to no advice or counsel from their
mploycrs, but went blindly against it beause
it was favored by the whites.
And what further does this action of the
egroes show ? It simply proves how coiniletely
unorganized the farmers of South
Carolina are. We are not a "band of
mothers we caro nothing for each other's
ikes and dislikes; we have no concert of
ction ; we have no industrial or political
rgunizutiou whereby each and every one is
equircu to stand shoulder to shoulder with
lis neighbor, even though his interests are
emporarily sacrificed by so doing. Each and
11 of us have a uiost potent and independent
ndividuality, which enables us to contest
,nd thwart the interest of the majority
ehenever wo chose to act from self-iuterest
>r even obstinacy "
Does not the recent election read us a
'aluahle lesson upon the necessity of organzation
? What has become of our Dcrnosratic
Clubs ?* Where nrtf our Labor Deorni
Associations? Why docs not the
jlrange organization show its power in all
|uestions that concern the industrial devel>pmcnt
of tho country ? There is no State
n this Union that is an agricultural State
ivhere the fanners have less organized inluencc
than in South Carolina, and we cannot
understand why this is so, unless it is,
is we have said before, almost ali our loading
farmers have other investments, and
he farming interest is subordinate to every
/
other. Wo lament the existence of such
segregation, but are powerless to prevent it.
Wo have cried, organize 1 organize ! until
we were hoarse, but events occasionally orop
out that show how utterly futile have bccu
all of our efforts.
Had we an organization amongst farmers,
and a majority of them favored a stock law,
there would bo no uccessity for legislation
upou the subject. We need only determiuo
through our farmers' organization that wo
will allow .no more timber cut or rails
mauled upou our plautatious than is necessary
to keep our stock in an enclosed pasture,
and the end is obtained at once. We
have never allowed a hoof of ours to make
* itApk upon another man's {and, and wo
Ulw Bflt parilCUlHMy adViHunnie ?? *?r - __
other mau's stock when he makes a track
on our land. Til'l cvrrv find nwnor nilnnl
^ j ~ ?
a similar policy, and tlnro will be no need
of legislation to establish a stock law. We
will not despair, but hope on to the end,
that our people will some day find out that
if they ouclose their stock they will tako
better care of thcui; and taking better care
of thnui they will learn that it is no more
trouble or expense to keop a tine animal
than a worthless one, and by degrees they
will kill off the scrubs, iutroduce improved
Btoek, and in the end greatly enhance the
value of the live stock of the State.?D. W.
Aiken in News and Courier.
Lime for Fowls.?Some of our farmiug
frieuds appear to be deeply impressed
with tho notion that hens need no food but
corn iu some one of its form*. We ought
not to forget that "lbod" means the t
rial for o very thing that comes out of the ays- *? 1
teui, and that if any particular raco takes
up any special branch of manufacture, they
must have the raw material. All animals
consume more or less of liuiu; it is one of
the principal elements entering into tho
composition of the bones ; but tlifc lion needs
an extra supply. The domesticated hen
also needs more thnu wild stock of any sort,
nince she is stimulated to a greater production
of eggs. In consequence, we
must give her more thau is contained iu tho
various grains. Tho most useful forms in
which to give lime are pounded shells, pulverized
mortar and crushed bone. On the
whole, we profer tho former. Its preparation
makes a good stint for the boys. Wo
abject to bone meal if not perfectly sweet,
hut a good, sound article is a first-rate thing
for this use. rccn iime most abundantly -?
at the time when hens are laying most freely,
and anticipate, if possible, by beginuing
early iu the season, lest your fowls cat ^
ihellcss egg and acquire bad habits.?Live
Stock Journal.
?
Browbeating.?In almost every church
there are a few persons who seem to be actuated
by the despicable spirit of rule or
ruin. If the minister docs not.preach, visit,
or conduct the different meetings according
to their liking; if the church varies iu its
r 1* n 1
uiscipiiuc or policy iroui tncirwayot doing
things, they set themselves against tho majority
with a determined spirit that plainly
means to browbeat all others into their ways.
They will never let up until the church becomes
passive or the minister, wearied by
little persecutions, takes himself out of the
way. Tho necessity for tho abundance of
grace which was promised the apostle who
suffered with the thorn in his flesh, is fully
realized in such an experience. NVc havo
wondered what purpose suclT persons servo
in the economy of grace, unless it may be
that patience may, through their ugliuess,
have its perfect work. It is not ours to
judge of their Christian hope, but we can
sympathize with Spurgeon when he said of
such, that he would rather live an cteruity
with them in heaven than ono day on earth.
iVKIt.
A Model Truck Farmer.?There is a
farmer who supplies the people of a certain
quarter of the city with butter, eggs, apples,
potatoes, etc. Ho conies to the city twice a
week, driving sixteen miles each way. lie
realizes from the sale of his produce, from
820 to 840 a week, every week the year
around. His large crops maintain the farm
and his income from his vegetable aud butter
wagon is his profit. He brings queer 4
loads to town sometimes; but he never fails "
to bring something to sell. lit says that it
really appears that there is nothing on the
farm that the city won't buy , aud so he
makes a conglomerate load ; the contents
raniriiifr from turn in tons to hnnp v from
-00 r i? J i ?
cow peas to apple-.?Atlantia Constitution.
Scandal Denounced.?In the Kovcille
reporter's wanderings about town last night,
he heard a lady, talking across tho street
to a neighbor, thus deliver herself ou tho
subject of scandal: ''Of all things I do
hate in this world it's a scandalizing woman.
Now, there's Mrs. Jinplstonguc, that everybody
knows isn't a bit better than sbo ought,,, ' - -*??- , ^
to bo, aud whose two daughters cut up so
shameful that no decent woman ought to
speak to them, and whose husband gets
drunk, and they do say he owes for that grenadine
she puts on so many airs in over her
betters. If I was to say mean things about
people like she docs, 1 would puli my tongue
out by tho roots, the nasty, scandalizing,
stuck-up old eat.'
\\ h<il a man calls hard luck is frequently
looked upon as laziness by his neighbors.