Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, December 21, 1871, Image 2
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YORKV1LLE, S. C.:
THURSDAY MORNING, DEC. 21,1871
.Watch the Figures.?'The date on the "address
label" shows the time to which the subscription i
paid. If subscribers do not wish their papers dis
continued, the date must be kept in advance.
Cash.?It must be distinctly understood tha
our terms for subscription, advertising and job
work, are cash, in advance
HOLIDAY SUSPENSION.
In conformity with a time-honored custon
of the weekly papers of the country, and ii
order to give those connected with the publi
cation of the Enquirer a week of relaxatioi
from the duties which have kept them unre
mittingly engaged during the year, no pape:
will be-issued from this office next week. Th<
necessity for this suspension is the more im
perative, from the fact that our steam engine
which has been in constant use for four years
'is in need of repairs, which can be made mor<
conveniently now than at any other time
while we wish to give our other printing ma
chinery the necessary overhauling to ensur<
the Enquirer a bright and cheerful appear
ance during the coming year. We presenl
the compliments of the season to our readers
one and all, wishing them a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year, and hope to greel
them with brighter attractions than ever, it
our next issue, which will be promptly printec
on the 4th of January, 1872.
1871.
The year eighteen hundred and seventy-on<
draws to a close. It has been a most remark
ble year. For generations it will be remera
bered as a year of great calamities. A yeai
of fires and floods: of war and peace strange
ly commingled. Although it brings us nea
rer the grave and the judgment bar of Almighty
God, we cannot repress the feeling ol
joy that it is gone. Would to God all the
bitter recollections connected with its history
were blotted from memory's scroll! Would
to God that all the calamities, which have
either commenced with it or transpired during
it, would terminate with it! We are filled
with sad reflections and gloomy forebodings.
Poor old South Carolina! Tears fill our eyes
when we think of her prostration. The homes
of our children plundered and the graves of
our fathers and mothers insulted by a ruthless
band of unprincipled adventurers. We are
taxed grievously to feed and fatten a gang of
thieves. The Treasury of the State is emptied
by high officials to build private residences
and invest in stocks for private purposes.
Who is not glad that such a state of
things is coming to a close ! Such a government
as now exists in South Carolina, never
had a parallel, except it was in Rome in the
days of Cataline, the conspirator, or when Jugurtha
said concerning Rome, that it was
saleable if a purchaser could be found!
South Carolina is the land of all others un*
* - n?-. L.1J 1 _1_
der tne sun wnere poor omce noiuers get nun,
especially those who hold high offices. A
salary of five thousand dollars is, as if by
magic, increased to a hundred thousand dollars.
Who can keep from exclaiming, "Ruined
people!" We wish from our very soul
that in bidding adieu to the year we oould
bid an eternal adieu to these monsters in human
form?these vampyres that hover around
the treasury of the State and devour the substance
of the people.
We long for peace and prosperity. We
love?we ardently love our native State. We
love her "sad and forsaken." We love her
with an intensity which no words can describe,
as she bleeds at every pore. Desperate
as our condition is, we confidently expect a
better day in the future. The present state
of things must come to an end. Corruption
works its own ruin. The dollars that have
been stolen from the people of South Carolina,
will ultimately prove to be hard dollars
to those who possess them. Cheered by these
hopes, we bid eighteen hundred and seventyone
an adieu!
1 ?
CHRISTMAS.
Christmas day, which combines a holy commemoration
and a cheerfbl festival, is universally
observed throughout the Christian world.
In our own country, where formerly it was of
local observance, and confined to only a few
religious denominations, it has been growing
in public favor, until now there is no section,
nor scarcely any church that does not honor
the great holiday. In all other Christian lands
it has ever been one of the most important of
Christian commemorations. There is, possibly,
no authentic proof of the identification of
the day, yet from the fourth century, after investigations
of the theologians of that period,
it has been celebrated on the 25th day of December,
and distinguished by religious devotions,
by vacation from business, and by merriment.
The customs and manners of celebratingthe
day have differed in different countries
and ages, but the sacred and joyous features
pertaining to it have ever remained the same
? in one and all. In Englaud it has always
been a religious, domestic and merry-making
festival, the revels formerly beginning on
Christmas Eve, and continuing until Candlemas,
(February 2,) which day was celebrated
in honor of the purification of the Virgin
Mary?every intervening day being observed
as a holiday.
In the United States, the day was at one
time?we may say up to the date of the afflictions
and oppression of the South?more generally
observed in the southern States than ir
the northern and New England States. This
is owing to the fact, no doubt, that the south
ern people are descended from a paternitj
widely differing from the Puritanical elemenl
which has pervaded at the North. Our an
ce8tor8 could combine innocent amusement
and recreation with their religion?the faitl
of Luther, of Calvin and Melancthon?deem
ing it unnecessary, if not impious, to approacl
" ' * J
their iviaaer wun scownug jauea uuu aucvicu
better-than-thou sanctimoniousness. The Pu
ritans, to the contrary, imagined that the;
were exceedingly pious, when, in reality, a
Tom Hood would say, they were only phleg
matic or billious. As they denounced bear
fighting, not on account of the misery it cause*
the bear, but because of the pleasure it affor
ded the spectators, so were they stern opposer
of Christmas pastimes and festivities. Bu
the grim austerity which has characterize*
our New England cousins is passing away a
they become more enlightened, and now th
prohibitory blue law against observing Chrisl
mas is practically as obsolete as the statut
against a man kissing his wife on Sunday.
Ah we have already stated, Christmas ha
ever been in the South the queen of holida;
t festivals, and we presume will this year b
observed in most sections with the wonte*
gaiety of a warm-hearted and generous people.
But in our own immediate section th6 blight
inghand of misrule and oppression is bearing
so heavily that we fear but few will have the
heart to celebrate the "peace" and "glad tidings"
which the day proclaims. Let us not,
however, croak over our troubles and oppres
! sions. -tirery cioua nas its silver lining, ana
! the darkest houris just before day. The Hand
that guided the children of Israel and vouch1
safed to them a happy deliverance from their
troubles, surely has not forsaken our own
people; and on this the natal day of our ReI
deemer, let us earnestly invoke His blessing
jl upon our unfortunate people.
s *
THE MILITARY ARRESTS.
t Since our last report, A. E. "Warren and
- W. R. Lowrey, who had been arrested in
_ North Caroliha, have been released; and
Elijah Hardin and Felix H. Dover have been
j arrested. Including "Major" Joe Carter's
j band, in custody of the military authorities
. for "riotous conduct and kidnapping white
j persons," there are now in the jail 38, of
. whom 27 are white men.
r MASONIC~ELECTION.
3 At the annual communication of Pliilan*
thropic Lodge, No. 78, Ancient Free Masons,
> held at the Lodge room in this place on Fri?)
day evening last, the following brethren were
elected Officers for the ensuing year:
J. S. R. THOMSON, IF. M.
J. C. KUYKENDAL, S. IF
Dr. W. M. WALKER, J. IF
P. B. DARWIN, Treasurer.
t T. S. JEFFERYS, Secretary.
, THE UNITED STATES*CIRCUIT COURT.
' We have surrendered nearly our entire
t space this week to a full synopsis of the evi1
dence taken in the case against Robert Hayes
I Mitchell, charged with general conspiracy and
j intimidating Jim Rainey,aftaaJira Williams,
as a voter. The jury on Monday last returned
a verdict of guilty as to the charge of in5
timidation, but not guilty of general conspiracy.
Mr. Stanberry gave notice that he would
make a motion in arrest of judgment and
thus attempt to secure a new trial for Mitchell.
On Saturday last the grand jury returned
true bills against Rev. Robert E. Cooper and
' Mrs. Mary Avery and others, charged with
intimidating a witness.
' It is rumored that the Court will probably
take a recess on Thursday, until after the
' holidays.
THE LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS.
The pressure upon our columns prevents us
from giving the usual synopsis of the Legislai
tive proceedings. A few days ago, Bowen,
i from the Special Committee, to enquire into
the matter of the over-issue of State bonds,
rendered a report, from which the following is
i an extract:
"According to the sworn statement of the
State Treasurer, there are now, signed and
outstanding, $9,514,000 of new State bonds.
Deduct from this amount the $3,200,000 that
. were out on the 31st of October, 1870, and we
find that $6,314,000 have been signed and put
upon the market, which, in the opinion of
your Committee, is an over-issue."
The Committee close their report by recommending
that the House take the necessary
steps to hold accountable those persons who
have violated the laws and ruined the credit of
the State.
On Monday, Boweu offered the following
resolutions, for the impeachment of Governor
Scott and Treasurer Parker. The resolutions
were laid over under the rules.
Resolved, That Robert K. Scott, Governor
of South Carolina, be impeach*"* "high
crimes trad misdemeanors.'
Resolved, That Niles G. Parker, State
Treasurer, be impeached for "high crimes and
misdemeanors."
Both Houses will adjourn to-day until the
5th of January, 1872.
+
NEGRO OUTRAGES IX YORK.
One of the grossest outrages we have ever
known to be committed by negroes in this
section of the State, was perpetrated in this
county last week by a gang under the leadership
of a negro named Joe Carter. This negro
is origiually from Kershaw county, and
is represented as being a desperate character,
having but recently been pardoned by Governor
Scott from the penitentiary before serving
out a sentence that was pronounced against
him at Camden for stealing cotton.
It seems that the military authorities here
desired the arrest of a regro named Henry
Glenn, and the fellow Joe Carter represented
that he could make the arrest, as he was familiar
with Glenn's lurking-places; but he
required written authority, giving as a reason
that by acting under show of orders, Glenn
could not be wrested from him by others before
he should be safely delivered in Yorkville.
I The written authority, or "commission,"
j was granted him, and he sallied forth, proj
claiming himself, when he arrived in the Clay
Hill neighborhood, as "Major Joseph Carter,"
and subsequently, during the exploits of his
brief career, announced that he was a member
of Troop L of the 7th Cavalry, now stationed
here, and hailed from the State of New York.
Joe had no difficulty in obtaining adherents,
and seven negroes at once enlisted themselves
J under his banner. Their names are Jefferson
i Jackson, Greene Hampton, Nick Jackson,
i Jack Wallace, Rufus Rawlinson, Silas Gilles(
pie, and James McCaw. They had all pro'
cured arms of various kinds?double-barrel
? shot-guns, old fashioned muskets, and pistols?
; and on Tuesday night, the 13th instant, proi
ceeded to the residence of Henry Williams, at
! Wright's Ferry, on Catawba River, 131 miles
j north-east of this place.
i Mr. Williams was absent from home, of
1 j which fact the negroes were aware. Approach-!
j ing the house, they demanded admittance,
: when Mrs. Williams called Clayburn Smith,
a young man who has charge of the ferry, to
] ascertain what was wanting at so unusual an
i i hour?it then being near 2 o'clock in the
s j morning. Young Smith arose and opened the
- j door, when six of the above-named eight enr
i tered, Joe Carter at their head, who gave his
t followers orders to cock their guns, demand
j ing of Mr. Smith at the same time his name,
t j On replying that it was Clayburn Smith, the
i I "Major" contradicted it, asserting that his
-i name was "Jim Smith" and that he was the
i ; man they were after. Their conduct here was
,! riotous, and after conducting themselves in a
-! turbulent manner for some time, they proj
ceeded to search the house for arras. They
s | found two pistols and a shot-gun, which they
! "captured," and compelled young Smith to
-1 load. They then searched his trunk, taking
I from it some tobacco, and demanded his pock-!
et-book, which under threats of death, he
s handed to them. The "Major" then forced
II young Smith to "hug" him, and he manifested
3 j his own love for Smith by kissing him. Taks
ing possession of Smith's hat and a suit of
e j his clothes, they left Mr. Williams' house,
i- j making a prisoner of Smith, whom they come
' pelled to follow with them under the strictest
i duress.
s j They next proceeded in the direction or
f ! Clay Hill, stopping at the house of a negro
e man named Alexander Wallace, near the res3
j idence of Mr. Leroy Barron's, at which place
; they arrived at about daylight on Wednesi
day morning. Mr. Barron having occasion
, to visit Alexander Wallace, he was met hy
| this negro, who informed hira of the presence
! of the desperadoes at his house, having as a
captive the young man Smith. Mr. Barron
then started for the house and expressed a
j desire to see Smith, when he was met by
the "Major," who gave orders to "turn out
! the guard." Mr. Barron was at once surrounded
by the negroes, presented guns in
hand, and his nearer approach to the house
; effectually interdicted. Realizing the "situai
? > i t . i.? i .. . t* i i
tion," ne exmonea tne Detterparior vaior ny
I prudently retiring.
j The negroes next proceeded along the pub;
lie road, by way of Sahra's mill, to David
Watson's, where they left the road and went
across the fields to Ebenezer, and from there
went to Rock Hill, leaving Smith concealed
and under guard a short distance from the
' village. Their object in visiting Rock Hill
j is supposed to have been to procure a supply
j of whisky.
They next visited the house of a negro
named Harris, who lives on Avery's "Blackjack"
plantation, about five miles north-east
of Rock Hill, which place they reached late
in the evening of Wednesday, and remained
there all night. Here the "Major" was quite
communicative regarding his future plan of
| operations, and among other items in his pro;
gramme, he asserted "that it was his intention
to whitewash all the houses in South Carolina
I with the brains of the white children."
Leaving Harris' house early Thursday morning,
they next called upon another negro
named David Barron, where breakfast for the
entire party was ordered, in payment for
tt?j?? a. ?(TT..:*~J
wnicn an " oruer was given uii iue umteu
States Government."
Their next movement was up Catawba river
to the McCaw river plantation, they having,
in the meantime, pressed into their ranks
several negro men?some of them entering
unwillingly and compulsorily?till their number
now reached fifteen ; and at the McCaw
place they attempted to make a prisoner of
a youth, the son of Mr. Joab Price. Price remonstrated,
and the youth ?being partially
deaf, he was left, not, however, until several
belligerent demonstrations were made, the
"Major" drawing a pistol on Mr. Price's
younger children and making threats to shoot
them.
On leaving Mr. Price's, two of the negroes
were detailed to conduct their prisoner, Smith,
to the plantation of Mrs. Steele, four miles
from Yorkville, on Fishing Creek, where he
was detained until Saturday morning, the
others?some fourteen in number?going on
to the plantation of Mr. R. H. Glenn, where
some laborers were employed. Here they arrested
a youth named Lovelace, who was in the
service of a family of the name of Davidson.
Young Lovelace's offense was having sometime
previously struck a negro named Abe
Choat. The young man was taken to
Choat's house, a quarter of a mile distant,
and there "court-martialed." The "Court"
adjudged him guilty, and sentenced him to
pay a fine of $5 damages to Choat, and 81 to
the "Major," or go to jail. The bewildered
boy, not knowing by what authority the
"court" was constituted in these "piping times
of peace," gladly assented to the paying of
the fine and damages, and was to have discharged
the obligation last Monday. During
the sitting of the "court" the "Major" announced
that during the next we$k he should esm
fLaf nnirrliKrtrliAA/l
IUUI15U III9 UCttU^Uai ICIO 1U Mmv u^iguwviuwvu)
and would proceed to trv number of otW
cases and adjust matters generally. Their
conduct at the house of the Davidson family,
which consists entirely of females, was of an
outrageous character, though no violence was
attempted toward the ladies.
On the same day they continued the raid to
Bailey Barron's, within a mile of Wright's
ferry, when they changed their course and entered
the public road at Sahm's mill. Mr.
Sahms, and also Mr. J. Leroy Barron, were
threatened with arrest, though no serious attempt
was made to put the threat into execution.
At Sahm's mill, the crowd disbanded to
meet on the following Saturday, near Douglas'
store, when, the "Major" assured his men,
they should receive pay for their services at
the rates of $2 per day, and $3 per night, for
whatever time they were on active duty.
Their captive, Smith, for whose detention no
conjecture can be given, was all this time prevented
from speaking to any white man they
chanced to meet, and consequently his situation
could not be properly made known ;
though on Thursday a rumor reached Capt.
Ogden, now in command at this post, that a
gang of negroes had pretended to arrest, and
were dragging over the county a white man.
On Thursday night, Capt. Ogden sent a squad
of men, under command of Lieutenant Braden,
in pursuit of the negroes, and four of
them were arrested. A number of the others,
in order to conceal their actions, hastened to
Mrs. Steele's place, where Smith was still detained,
and after concealing their arms, started
on Saturday morning with their prisoner to
Yorkville, compelling him by threats and menaces,
to go before Capt. Ogden and make a
statement to the effect that he had not been
under arrest by the negroes, but that he had
ftrvnmnanied them of his own free will and
accord. This statement being made by Smith
in person, Capt. Ogden permitted the negroes
accompanying him to depart. Smith was only
too glad to return to his home without correcting
the false statement he had been compelled
to make.
The detachment which had gone out on
Thursday night, under Lieut. Braden, returning
with the above mentioned prisoners, and
reporting the truth of the outrageous conduct
of the entire gang, and contradicting the
statement which Smith was compelled to make
as to his connection with them, a second detachment,
under Lieutenant Benner, was sent
out with instructions to arrest the whole party,
which was soon accomplished.
Twelve of the negroes implicated have been
arrested and are now in jail in the custody of
the military authorities, and have been identified
by several of the persons whom they had
outraged. "Warrants have also been taken out
by Mrs. Williams against the party that visited
her house, and the probability is that the
gallant "Major" will find "soldiering" rather
a hard business after all, and his dusky troop
will realize that the promise of 82 per day and
83 per night not so remunerative, even if it
? '1 ? _
j does afford more excitement man sumary uuu|
finement.
I The following are the negroes arrested and
in jail: Silas Gillespie, Kufus Kawlinson,
j Nicodemus Jackson, Green Hampton, Jack
j Wallace, Jacob Webb, Jefferson Jackson, M,
I Neeley, Lewis McCaw, Simon Gillem, Jacob
Avery and "Major" Joe Carter.
! Mr. Smith, after feeling himself no longei
1 under restraint of the negroes, came to town
and gave a correct version of the affairs, which
j was corborative of the statements previously
made by some of the negroes subsequent to
their arrest and committment to jail, who assert
that they were compelled, by Carter and
his original gang, to follow them and obey
i their orders.
I BY TELEGRAPH.
i!
r ! special despatch to the enquirer.
! i THE KU-KLUX TRIALS.
Columbia, Dec. 20, 1871.
' j On yesterday, the United States Ciroatt 1
1 j Court was engaged in the trial of John W.'
| Mitchell and Dr. T. B. Whitesides, charged j
'! with the intimidatiou of Charles Leech. The '
' jury is composed of nine negroes and .hree j
1 | white men. The trial will continue to-diy. j
i THE Y0RKV1LLE ENQUIRER FOR 1872. j
THREE ORIGINAL PRIZE STORUAj^T
,: j
PREMIUMS FOR CLURS, &C.
In announcing tiie commencement of the next
: volume of the Enquirer, which will be the eighteenth
year of its publication, the propriebrr'lif
gratified at being able to say that the encouragement
he has received has been the most flattering;
and he feels that if success is a test of merit, his
I efforts to place before the people of the State aid
the South a first-class literary and family papir,
have not been entirely unavailing. -w
With the exception of a constant endeavor toimprove
upon the past, the essential features or
the Enquirer which have so greatly contributed
to its popularity, will remain unchanged. Quoting
the legend under the heading of the Enquirer,
it is "An Independent Family NcwspapetM
for the Promotion of the Political, Social, AgrT j
cultural and Commercial Interests of the South;"
and in treating the current themes of the dayji
whileit is independent in its efforts to accomjAm*
, the object in view, it does not discuss questions
in a partisan and acrimonious spirit; it being the !
true mission of a newspaper to place before^tte^
readers such facts as aro likely to pronioto the I
general good. This is the course we have pur- I
sued for years, and the course we shall cnntia?^
to iiiiijuu in Um futut-a, Xoelixi# S&listiWBBftii^MB
"plans of fair delightful peace, unwarped byp?^
tv rage," aro more conducive to the general welfare
of tho people than angry discussion and bitter
crimination. .
THE LITERARY FEATURE
Of the new volume will bo more attractive than it
has ever been heretofore. We have already secured
three Original Stories, written expresslyrtff
the Enquirer, from the pens of the most charm
ing and graceful writers of newspaper seriate*?
the Stories entitled respectively:
"OAKHURST ROMANCE," by Mrs. Henry
Deas, of San Francisco, California, authoresd of
''The Lost Diamond
' "AN HEIRESS IN HER OWN RIGHT,"by
Mrs. Emily J. Romeo, of Barnwell, S. C.; ai*d
"THE FATE OF MILDRED WEIR," by Mrs.
Clara Dargan McLean, of Yorkyille.
In addition to these, other original Storiea of
decided merit will be published during the year;
which, with Mr. Lathan's regular contributions
to the Sabbath Reading and Children's Departments;
"Miscellaneous Reading," adapted td> all
tastes ; the Agricultural Department containing1
only practical and useful information for the farmer
ana housewife; a column ot Humorous Roading
every week ; "Scraps and Facts," embracing
light current topics; together with a eompend of
the News of the Day; Commercial and Market
Reports, and editorials upon appropriate subjects,
will render the Enquirer an acceptable visitor to_,
every fireside.
PREMIUMS FOR CLUB8.
We offer three premiums for the three largest
clubs of subscribers for the year 1872, amounting
in the aggregate to Seventy-five Dollars.
The first premium will represent the value of
Thirty-five Dollars ; the second, the value of
Twenty-five Dollars ; and the third, the value
of Fifteen Dollars. , *
The proprietor, instead of designating certain"'
articles as premiums, has adopted the above plan,
in order that persons who' secure the premiums
may select any article that may be preferred of
the value to which each may be entitled.
The person getting up the largest Club, at |2.50
for each subscriber, will be entitled to tho first of
the above premiums; tho person getting up the
second largest, to the second premium, ana the
person getting up the third largest, to thethird premium.
Competitors may begin to procure subscribers
at once?the time of subscription to commence
whenever the name is handed in, or, on the
first of January, 1872, as may be preferred. The
money for each subscriber is expected to be paid
whenever the name is entered on our books, and
no name will be counted in competition until it is
paid for.
To persons who make up Clubs of ten or more
names, but who may fail to obtain a premium, we
will send the Enquirer one year free of charge;
and to those who send a Club of twenty or more
names, but who may fail to get a premium, wo- will
forward a copy of tho Enquirer one year
free of charge, and a copy of the Rural Carolinian
and the Southern Cultivator, or a copy of the En
quirer and either Godey'a Lady's Hook, Fetor- |
son's Magazine, Frank Leslie's Lady's Magazine
or nny weekly newspaper published in the-United I
States. v M
The premiums will be awarded to th?_a|UMnadL
Po? -?- ? u,,B ? t'liAu, p. ?i., on lunifwffT
Monday in March, 1872. 3
TERMS, IN ADVANCE.
One copy, one year, $ 3 00
Two copies, one year,.-. 5 00
One copy two years, 5 00
Ten copies, one year, with an extra copy to
the person malting the club, 25 00
Specimen copies will be sent on application.
Address, L. M. GRIST, Yorkville, S. C.
proceedingVof congress.
In the Senate on Monday the 11th, Mr. ;
Sumner was excused from serving on the committee
on privileges and elections. He introduced
a bill to reduce taxation and abolish
the internal revenue department in which the
whisky tax is fixed at 80 cents per gallon. A
lively discussion ensued between the administration
Senators and their opponents upon a
motion of Mr. Trumbull, of Illinois, to revive
the special committee on retrenchment and :
civil service reform. Mr. Chandler thought
the Senate had committees enough, and "Mr, 1
Edmunds found the subject of civil service
reform one of "great difficulty."
In the House, a joint resolution was introduced
providing for a $20,000 statue to Admiral
Farragut, to be erected in Washington
city. The following bills were introduced :
Proposing an amendment to the constitution
which shall prohibit Congress from layfcigi
a. ??* 4 *?1 imrtAota Kllf oilKlfi. I
LHI1L1 Ul lUtUi uai 1CVU1UC 11U^/V0W| uuu om/Bvi
tuting direct taxation; a bill proposing an
amendment to the constitution making naturalized
citizens eligible to the presidency ; ^
also a joint resolution proposing an amendment
to the constitution to prohibit intermarriage
of whites and colored, and declaring ,
that the fourteenth amendment is not to be understood
as prohibiting the separate education
of black and white children. A resolution
was adopted directing the committee on ex- !
penditures to give the Treasury Department
and its operations a thorough overhauling;
also that when the House adjourn on the 2
of December it be until the 8th of January.
In committee of the whole the apportionment '
bill was further debated, without action. ~3t'
bill was passed appropriating $480,000, on
account of the late census, to cover defickjwL
In the Senate, on the 12th, the
lution to adjourn from the 21st of December
to the 8th of January was agreed to. Mr.
Sumner introduced a bill to prohibit separata-,
colored schools in the District of Columbia.
He hoped the bill would pass, and the example
thus set be speedily adopted in all the
States. A proposition to adjourn viae die on
the third Monday in May was defeated.
In the House, the committee on electiois
reported in favor of admitting Clark, repuV
' lican, and Herndon, Democrat, as representatives
from Texas. A resolution was adoptd
1 1 ' 1 A ? ? ? -1- ^ ??> trn MI Alia J AT\A w
iOOKing 10 reireuouiucut iu uic vai iuuo ucjjui." |
ments, and bills were passed revising thc?t?^ {
utes of the post office department, and for tlfe-'
relief of purchasers at tax sales in the soutlern
States. The apportionment bill elicitel
i an animated discussion, in which Messrs. Gaj,
field and Shellabarger, republicans, agree! j
; with Cox, democrat, that the fourteenth |
amendment covered such States as Rhode Island,
Massachusetts and Ohio, which disfrai.
chise for various causes, as well as the soutl,
ern States, which the amendment was intern;;
ed to reach, and which disfranchised on a?,
count of color. A resolution was adoptei
? that the Secretary of the Treasury inquire;
into stock-jobbing by New York nationd 1
banks.
i In the Senate, Wednesday and Thursday
1 were devoted to discussing measures for retrenchment.
In the House, the question cf
[ providing that elections for representatives'
I in Congress shall be held in all the States oi!
the first Tuesday after the first Monday in .
i November, was again discussed, but without I
final action. The apportionment bill was
taken up on Thursday and passed. It provides
that after March 1, 1873, the House of
Representatives shall consist of 183 members,
The relative weight of the Mississippi Valley
and southern States is increased, and that ol
the northern Atlantic seaboard diminished.
South Carolina will be entitled to five members
by the proposed apportionment, her present
representation being four.
On Friday, the Senate was not in session.
House proceedings unimportant.
WASHINGTON ITEMS.
? Attorney-General Akerraan has tendered
his resignation, to take effect on the 10th
of January. He will be succeeded by Mr.
Williams, of Oregon.
? Recent dispatches received in Washingten
announce a number of ku-klux arrests in
the States of Georgia and Alabama. It is
notable that whenever the seat of a Democratic
member is to be contested in Congress there
is a sudden discovery of a ku-klux organization.
? It is said that Senator Sumner will soon
submit to Congress a project for a grand national
bank, to be called "The Exchequer of
the United States," and modeled somewhat
after the Bank of England. The plan contains
two departments, the "banking" and the
"issue" department, and provides for one hundred
millions of capital, to be taken by subscription.
It is designed, also, to take the
iBBftBt! pi'BWIlV"'wl>-tw><wnr]r;?-? ?
~"r?^"The political disability committee of the
Senate, at their meeting on the 11th, decided
to report by one majority, and subsequently
did report, the House bill of last session, which
grants amnesty to all persons except those
-i -i n
who were in tne army or navy ana congress
of the United States, and left the same to join
the Confederacy. If this bill should pass the
Senate in this shape, an effort will be made in
the House to substitute universal amnesty and
enact it into a law before the holiday recess.
The feeling in the House in favor of amnesty
is certainly much stronger than it was when
it passed the bill last spring, which was recently
reported in the Senate.
For the Yorkvillo Enquirer.
THE YORK COUNTY PRISONERS.
York Prison, Dec. 19,1871.
Mr. Editor : It is with pleasure that I inform
you that there are now but few prisoners
confined in this jail; and those remaining
have come to the conclusion that since the release
of the Yorkville boys the ladies and citizens
of the county have forgotten those who
are still in durance. Of late, we are visited
,by- very few, which is the worse from the fact
that many live some distance from here, rendering
their situation more lonely than it otherwise
might be. 'Tis true, however, we fare
as well as could be expected. Our prison
fare is good, and the treatment we receive at
the towds of Sheriff Glenn and officers and
men having us in charge, is as good and as
kind as we could expect. We have plenty to
eat, good beds and a comfortable stove;
though we do not know how long this will
continue, as we may be summoned almost any
night to prepare to go to Columbia next day,
where, we learn, accommodations are not so
good. I hope, however, that the Judges and
jury will not be harsh toward us, and that
...111 1.a a? ah. oiila a Puranwrn
VJTUU YV1J1 UC UU UUl OIUV* J.M. A A?IWV41UM.
THE TRIAL OF THEKU-KLHX.
^Commcaccd at Columbia, Not. 2^, 1871.
" *? "^IXlAmrvnTT fc.v'w - Wednesday',
December 13,1871.
Continuation of the trial of Robert Hayes
Mitchell, for conspiracy, against James Williams,
alias Jim Rainey.
The court met at 11 A. M. Mr. W. B.
Wilson made application for the release, on
bail, of John Miller, which was granted. The
bond was fixed at $5000, and Robert Miller,
D. M. Campbell and George Steele accepted
as sureties.
The examination of witnesses by the prosecution
was then resumed.
testimony of hiram littlejohn.
Hiram Littlejohn (colored) was the next
called. He said?I live in York county, on
the Chester road.
Mr. Stanberry here objected to hearing any
more testimony about Ku-Klux raids?this
testimony, he said, seems endless. The counsel
for the Government have continued here,
hour after hour, proving overt acts of conspiracy,
and have not, as yet, connected one
prisoner with one of them.
The Court. The Government is allowed,
Mr. Stanberry, to begin at either end they
choose; and to prove first a general conspiracy,
and then afterwards show the prisoners'
participation in it. ! >
Mr. Johnson. We are all well aware of
that, may it please your Honors; but the
Government is uselessly cumulating its testimony.
They have already proved, or claim
to have proved, the conspiracy, and we object
to the continued recital of these disconnected
facts, because it is calculated to influence
the minds of the jurors, and because it is
resJuter alios aota, until one prisoner is connected
with them in some way.
The court decided that the Government
should be allowed to proceed in the examination
of the witness. He continued: Two
men came into my house ; they were pretty
much white all over. They asked if I had
any guns. I answered no. One said, I have
hung Jim Williams to-night, and I intend to
rule this county. They asked me how I voted.
I told them I was a Radical man, and
they told me next time to vote the Democratic
ticket. They rode off, and carried my
3hot-gun. I heard, next morning, that Jim
Williams was hung. I don't know the time;
I don't know if it was sales-day. Sales-day
comes most generally on the first Monday. I
p Andy Tims that morning, and Bill Brat9bn.
The Ku-Klux went towards Yorkville;
they came from the diriction of Jim Williams'
house.
TESTIMONY OF JOHN CALDWELL.
John Caldwell was next called. Mr. Johnson
objected to his giving testimony, because
he had been present in the court while the
other witnesses were being examined, contrary
to the order of the court.
Mr. Corbin replied, that it was simply from
inadvertence that the witness had been in the
court room. He was one of the prisoners,
and had been brought from the jail with the
rest, and seated in the court room.
The court ruled that the fact of his being
present simply affected his credibilty, and not
his competency.
Witness. I was born and raised in York;
am twenty-seven years of age ; I joined the
Ku-Klux in 1868; Maj. J. W. Avery initiated
me; he came to me and said he wanted
me to join an order for self-defence ; he ad
ministered the oath; all I remember about
it is the traitor's doom : death ! death! death!
I knew Maj. Avery was chief of the klans in
the county afterwards; I was present when he
was appointed ; it was after the election of
1868, may be in 1869 or 1870; it was in the
third story, over Bratton & Mason's store;
there were a good many there; J know Robert
Hayes Mitchell; I never saw him initiated
; but I recognized him as a member on the
night of Jim Williams' raid; I saw him first
four miles from York, on the Pinckney road ;
he was with the crowd; I don't know that I
spoke to him; I got the order to go on that
raid at Yorkville. Dr. Bratton told me they
were going to McConnellsville that night for
some guns. I told him that I couldn't go;
and that Wm. Johnson and Alonzo Brown
were the leaders of the klan about in my
country. William Johnson told me to meet
i them at Briar Patch. He was chief of the
.; Rattlesnakes. I went and met them there;
?! I have a list of those I saw there.
Mr. Stanberry. When was that list made?
Witness. It was made by me since I have
been here.
The court ruled it out.
Witness. I saw Wra. Johnson, Harvey
Gunning, Chambers Brown, Holbrook Good,
, j James Neel, Sam Ferguson, Robert Caldwell
j and Pinckney Caldwell; that was the first
[ crowd. Then I saw Dr. Rufus Bratton, Ru:
fus McLean and Alonzo Brown; there were a
! good many others that I don't recollect.?
j Wm. Johnson took command there ; we went
j on to the Pinckney road and put on our disI
MitiAAA ti'nro Klnsalr retMvrta Vioor\a on/1
| gLi 13CO f tllUJ wvs&v; uiaun ^uii ua^ nvitvm unu
1 false faces; some had horns; I did not see a
i gun or pistol in the party; we met another
! party at the Pinckney road, about three and
. ju half miles from Yorkville, near Squire
! Wallace's house ; I saw there the four Shearj
er boys, Robert Hays Mitchell and Elias
i Ramsay; I don't recollect any more. The
j four Shearer boys were initiated; I mean
1! James, William, Sylvanus aud Hugh Shearer.
We started off to McConnellsville; Dr.
J. Rufus Bratton was at the head. We
stopped in about 200 or 300 yards of a house,
and some went forward to search for guns;
, they came back without any. We then went
on to Mr. Moore's and called out a black
; man, and asked him for guns ; he had none;
but said he thought Jim Williams had twelve
! or fifteen. We carried him apiece and turn,
ed him loose. We went two or three miles
further, and rode off to a thicket in an old
piney field on the side of a hill. Ten men
went off and stayed about an hour; I stayed
?with' t4rrr?liijiyj; 1 ?i^tt Unr nny tiling
' while they were gone; when they returned, I
asked if they had found Jim Williams; I got
no answer; they mounted and we rode off. I
asked Dr. Bratton, after we had got into the
road, if they had found Jim Williams. He
said, yes. I said, where is he? He said, I
expect he is in hell by this time. Dr. Brat
ton then pulled out his watch and said, we
i have not got time, or I would visit two or
three more to-nigbt. We went oi^theu to
the Brattouville road; they stopped at a
house and got a gun ; we went on past Brattonville
where the road forked, and there the
men split; I went on in the direction of Yorkville,
and separated from the rest of the
crowd about three o'clock. Jim Williams
was hung about two o'clock. I took the
right-hand road at Brattouville and went
home, leaving Yorkville to my left. There
was nothing occurred after we split; but we
rode on home as fast as we could. There
were but two men along from York village?
Dr. Rufus Bratton and Rufus McLean.
There wasn't any thing said about eating after
' the killing; before that, some little distance
above Brattonville, we got crackers and cheese,
. and there were two bottles of whisky,
i Cross-examined by the defence?I had
known Robert Hayes Mitchell a good while.
I was in the same regiment with him in the
army. I never saw him at any other meeting
or on any other raid. He was not disguised
and didn't go with the ten to hang Williams.
1 He stayed at the horses where I was. I was
initiated in 1868, by Maj. Avery. He said
; the object was self-defence. I was not in the
room over five minutes. There was nothing
said about preventing voting. Their purpose
of the Jim Williams raid was to get the militia
guns; the negroes at Mr. Moore's said he
had from twelve to fifteen. I never heard
that tho object was to prevent voting. No
fire had occurred when I was initiated. I
didn't hear of any threats of violence before I
joined ; I heard that threats of violence had
been made before the Jim Williams' raid ; I
heard that Jim Williams was forming a KuKlux
party against the whites, and that he
said ne intended to kill from the cradle to the
grave. We stopped at two other places before
we went to Jim Williams'; at McConnellsville
and at Dr. Love's. Black men were
called out; heard nothing said about votingi
^There were firesjjll a ho lit Y ^ rk v i He after t
joined the klan. I reraemoer of Dr. Allison s
mill beiug burnt, Widow Thomasson's ginhouse
and Dr. Lowry's gin-house, Mrs. Alcorn's
and Mrs. Jacob Smith's. The burnings
took place in January last, mostly. Dr.
Allison's mill was the first; that occurred in
October, 1870. There was a good deal of
alarm in the country. I did hear that a threat
was made to burn Yorkville by the negroes,
on a Monday night. I think it was before I
went on the raid ; it was in January.
Re-examined by Mr. Cor bin. I never rayself
heard the negroes make any threats, nor
did I ever see any man who said he had heard
them ; it was only rumor.
The grand jury here came in and returned
true bills in the following cases:
The United States vs. Lawson Armstrong,
John Clinton, James Barnett, John Campbell,
LeyburnCqrrence, Reuben McCall, Robinson
Miller, conspiracy against Andrew
Sturgis. \
The United States vs. Thos. B. Whitesides,
John W. Mitchell, Milton Watson, Joseph
Mitchell, Robert McCreight, W. Good, Bud
Neil, Charles Byers, Newton Osborn, Capers
Scott, conspiracy against Chas. Leech.
The United States vs. Edward T. Avery,
Ernest Lowry, John P. Gage, Howard Davis,
Henry Toole, Frank Cowan, Sam Stewart, R.
T. May, conspiracy against Sam Sturgis ; except
as to R. T. May?as to him, no bill.
The examination of the witness was then
continued.
Witness. I never heard that Allispn said
his mill was burnt by whites; I heard others
say so. Most of the burnings were in January,
about the middle of the month. The first raid
that I heard of was against Rufus White,
about a week after Allison's mill was burnt,
The next raid was the Roundtree raid. They
killed him; it was before Christmas. The
next raid was on John R. Ferris; it was before
Christmas. There were rumors of raids all
about the country in January. Most of the
raiding occurred in January and February.
The rumor about Yorkville being burnt, was
in February or March. A young man came
out to ray house, to ask me to come in and
help protect the town. I suppose they were
uneasy, or else they would not have sent out
for people to come in. I saw nothing of any
fire that night. I heard that fire had been
Dlaced under Mr. Graham's house. Harry
Clawson was the young man who came to call
me in.
Cross-examined. Harry Clawson is a son
of lawyer Clawson, the Registrar in Bankruptcy.
I saw a crowd in Yorkville that
night. Their object, they said, was to protect
the town. There was a company of colored
men in the town. They were armed, and
stayed down about the lower end of the town.
The whites were in the centre of the town. I
heard the drum of the negro company beat?
at least the sound came from that direction.
I had a double-barrel gun. I went there to
protect the town against conflagration.
TESTIMONY OF ANDREW KIRKPATRICK.
Andrew Kirkpatrick was next called. He
said: I live seven and a half miles from Yorkville,
on the Pinckney road. I was twenty
years old last June. I was initiated into the
Ku-Klux Klan last February, at home, by
Chambers Brown. He was chief of the klan.
I can't remember the oath; the last words
were, "The traitor's doom shall be death,
death, death !" I attended one regular meeting
at Sharon church. The four Shearer boys
were there, Banks Kell, Robert Hayes Mitchell,
Chambers Brown, Hugh Kell, Elias Ramsay,
Alex. Stewart, Sara. Ferguson, Pole Miller,
John Miller, Sara. Brown, Bobert Riggins, I
and Henry Warlick. J don't mind whether j
there were apy more or not. They elected a
new chief and a turk. Robert Riggins was !
? i f-fc i *f11? 1_ . /-ii 1 ;
Chief ana roie Jollier, iijrK ; v^jauiueta 4jiuwm
| was elected monarch. I did not attend auy j
l other regular meeting. I think it was after J
; corn-planting time. I was on the Jim Wil*!
, liams' raid. We met at the Briar Patch. I j
I saw there Harvey Gunning, Will Johnson, i
Bascom Kennedy, Holbrook Good, Chambers !
Brown, Alonzo Brown, Dixon Bigham, Pole i
Miller, Samuel Ferguson, John Caldwell, !
I Robert Caldwell, Pinckney Caldwell, Jim;
I Neil, Milus Carroll, Addison Carroll, Dr. Ru-1
'T.
fus Brattoii and Rufus McClain. Tliey were J
armed ; some with pistols, some with guns. !
i They had different disguises?some white and j
! some red; and they had a cap on and a false :
[face; some had little horns. The horses of;
I some were covered with blanketsr' I think
j there were two klans?Will Johnson's and ;
Chambers Brown's klan. There were thirty j
j or forty in all. We started off and rode to ,
the cross-road on the Pinckney road, just
above Squire Wallace's. There we found the j
four Shearer boys, Robert Hayes Mitchell, I
Elias Ramsey and Hugh Kell. The Shearer !
boys were initiated there. We went on by |
I Squire Wallace's, took the left hand road, and j
' \f/>f]nnnolla?illl> \V#> SfnnnPfl flt I
I UUC 1/11 IV 1T1VWUI1VUW f u?vi ?? V ? ?
Mr. Joe. Moore's, called a colored man out,
and some of them talked to him. I didn't
hear what was said. We then rode on and
stopped at a colored man's house, but didn't
find him. Then we rode on to the big road ;
then, after a little, turned off and went into a
thicket on the side of a hill. Robert Riggins
and I sat down near the horses. Some of the
men went off to a house; they stayed about
a half hour. When they came hack, I heard
some man say they had hung him. I didn't
hear any profane remarks. We then got on
our horses and started for home; I got home
about daylight.
Cross-examined. I don't think Hayes
Mitchell went to Jim Williams' house; he
stayed with the horses.
TESTIMONY OF ELIAS RAMSAY.
Elias Ramsay, white, was next called. He
said : I live in York county; I was born and
raised there. My home is about ten miles 1
from Yorkville. I joined the Ku-Klux Klan
the 26th of February, 1871?in Chambers
U? rilimnliiiHi. Run urn rnunw Bfl in.
The object stated was to put down the
Radical party. The doom was, death 1 death!
death! I attended one meeting at Sharon
Church. I saw there S. G. Brown, Chambers
Brown, Robert Riggins, Hugh Kell, Sherod
Childere, Pole Miller, John Miller, Samuel
Ramsay, Robert Hartness, the four Shearer
boys, and Robert Hayes Mitchell. I have
known Robert Hayes Mitchell about eighteen
months. There was no raid the night
of the meeting at Sharon Church. The raid
A T il !_!_ _ 1 a. x J x
was soon alter; i mina auoui leu uays or iwo
weeks after. I was ordered by Robert Riggins,
but I didn't go; I didn't think it was
right. The object of the crganization was to
go around and visit colored people for the
purpose of controlling their voting. I heard
some say so. Robert Riggins was chief;
Chambers Brown, monarch; Pole Miller,
turk. I was appointed, with Wm. Shearer
and Banks Kell, a committee on membership.
I was on the Jim Williams raid. Robert
Riggins gave me the order to go. I
heard the object was to get the guns. I went
with the four Shearer boys, Henry Warlick
and Robert Hayes Mitchell. They all had
on their disguises, except the four Shearer
boys. I have known the prisoner in the war
and since. I talked with him that night before
we got to Squire Wallace's. We waited
there about an hour for the rest to come up. 1
We halted them as they rode up ; the words
used were: "Who comes there ?" "Friends."
"Friends to whom ?" "Friends to our country."
Chambers Brown swore the four Shearer
boys in then. We started off from there;
took the left hand road, and stopped at Hen- 1
ry Latham's for some water. We then went (
on to McConnellsville. When near there, 1
the order was given to keep quiet, for we are '
going to seize some guns at McConnellsville.
We went on near a house and stopped. '
Chambers Brown ordered me to stay behind
with the horses. If a pistol fired, we were to
come up with those who had gone on. While 1
we were waiting there, a party came up be- j
hind. They were Dr. Love and Boss Lathan,
fox hunting. Alonzo Brown went out 1
to speak to Dr. Love. He asked him if he '
knew where the cruns were. Dr. Love said '
he didn't know; he thought they were at Be- '
thesda Church. We then crossed over to another
road; they cali?d out a colored man 1
was'opposelfto c^rrying^Mm^lo^*anff TEey*n
put him down. We then got into a country
that I didn't know anything of. After riding (
about two miles, some one four or five horses 1
ahead of me said they were going to hang
Jim Williams. We rode on about a mile, .
then took into the woods and stopped and ;
dismounted. The biggest part of the crowd :
then went off. John Caldwell stayed with ;
me; he said he had colic; also, the four Shearer
boys and Robt Hayes Mitchell. I heard 1
nothing of the party in front; they were gone
about thirty minutes before they came back. 1
I heard nothing said at first, but after a while 1
I heard Jim Neil say "some men are powerful
hard-hearted." We stopped near John 1
S. Bratton's house and got some crackers and ]
whisky. While there, some man said: "Hold
up the guns; let's see what we've got." I '
looked and there appeared about twelve or
fifteen. Bill Johnson said he wanted a squad
to go to John S. Bratton's house. He got
them and went and called Mr. Bratton out
and asked him what he meant by having
those guns on his place? He said he had
nothing to do with it, and that it looked hard '
that he should be censured for what the State <
authorities did. He said he had neither vo- '
ted the Radical ticket nor armed the negroes.
We stopped at several bouses and got guns, <
and then went on home. I beard Chambers
Brown say Williams was a leading Radical j
down in his part of the couuty, and consumed ]
a great deal of time with his drilling. I was ?
arrested on the 20th of October. Chambers j
Brown had left the couptry.
Cross examined. I didn't know of any
raid on Democratic negroes, nor of any being (
arrested by the military. I don't know how 1
many places were visited that night; the j
only object seemed to be to get gunsj the <
guns were army breech-loaders. The raid i
was on the 6th of March. There had been i
several burnings in the neighborhood, and I '
heard that some of the blacks had made (
threats to kill from the cradle to the grave. i
TESTIMONY OF SAM. FERGUSON. (
Sara. Ferguson, (white) was next called, i
He said: I am sixteen years old. I was ini- ]
tiated a member of the ku-klux on the 6th of i
March, by Harvy Gunning, at Jforkville. t
He told me to go down to Briar Batch that i
evening. When he initiated me he blind- 1
folded me, and administered tho oath, tho pen 1
alty of which was death, death, death. They c
didn't tell me what they were going to do on r
the raid. I went with Pole Miller and Josi- (
ah Martin. I don't know how many came to ?
the Briar Patch. They had on disguises.? c
Don't know the leader. We went from there v
to the cross road on the Pinckney road, near c
Squire Wallace's; there saw Robert Riggins, 1
Hugh Kell and the four Shearer boys. The t
four Shearer boys were sworn in there. e
Th?n followed a description of the raid, not I
differing from the others in any important t
particulars. v
TESTIMONY OF AMZI RAINEY. I
The next witness called was Amzi Rainey, n
(colored.) He said: I live in Yorjt county;
am thirty-eight years of age, and I voted the o
Republican ticket at the last election. On a
Saturday night towards the last of March, s<
j about ten o'clock at night, four or five dis- 1<
guised men came to my house. They rushed a
up, crying, G-d d-n! open the door, open the a
I door, open the door! I ran up into the loft.
They broke the door off the hipges. My wife o
opened the door, and they knocked her down, g
They made Sam. Good get a tqrch, hod they v
came up in the loft and found me where I had i "V
hidden myself in a box. They dragged me 1 tl
! out of doors. Some of them went back and f<
i beat my wife, and drew a pistol aud threaten- ri
ed to kill her. They knocked me down. My ' tl
little daughter ran out and begged them hot ii
to kill pappy. They commenced firing off g
niatnla Thev shot some fifteen times. Thev ! tl
shot ray daughter in the forehead; the shot J fi
glanced off; she bled very much; she came , tl
to the door while they had me outside, and , tl
threw out a double handful of blood that ti
came from her wound. They took me off up J a
the road?some wanted to kill me. One said,. c
"No, don't kill him." They made me swear o
never to vote another Radical ticket, and then (tl
let me go. They made Sam. Good swear the! c
same thing. I did not know any of the men.
TESTIMONY OF DICK WIJ.SON.
' The next and last witness for the prosecution
was Dick Wilson, (colored.) He said:
I live in York on Dr. Lowrey's place. I voted
at the last election ; voted the whole Republican
ticket; Mr. Wallace was one of the
men I voted for; nobody questioned my right
to vote. The Ku Klux visited me on the 11th
of April, about 2 or 3 o'clock; two rode up
to my house; others went to my son Richard's
house; they halloed, "open the door!"
then "make up alight!" "who lives here?"
I said, Dick Wilson. "Is this old Dick?
Yes, sir. "Where's young Dick?" I don't
know, sir. "You are a d-n liar!" They <
then took me and carried me with them to
my son's house. There were four there
searching for Dick ; they did not find him ;
they asked me where he was. I said, gentlemen,
I don't know. "Don't call us gentlemen,"
they said ; "we are just from hell, and
haven't been here since the first battle of Manassas
; we're come to change all this Radical
rule." They then took me out, made me
stretch out on my face on the ground; they
said, "Stretch yourself, d-n you stretch I" I
stretched all I knew how; I would have
stretched longer if I could ; they whipped me
with ram-rods; I think one was iron; they
whipped me badly; they like to have ruined
me; they whipped me all in one place. I
promised to vote the Democratic ticket, and
they made me promise that I would go with
my son and put a card in Grist's paper, and
say that we had quit Scott and his ring. I
saw two pieces of the ram-rods next morning;
white oak ram-rods. I didn't put a card in
the paper. I wasn't able to do a day's work
for had to get abpu^ with a stick
and sit on a pillow. 1 saw six men.
Cross-examined. I knew some of the men:
Dr. Parker, James Miller, John Little and
Bill Lowry. I did not know for certain
about the other two; I thought one was Bishop
Sandifer, and the other Thomasson.
They had gowns and false faces on; I knew
them by their hands and their shoes, and their
under dress, and I had a full understanding
of the voices of those four I mentioned. Wm.
Dowry's hand had a finger that stood off like,
aud had softs on it. The rest had white
hands, of course. I knew some by their hands
and some by their voices. I did not publish
the card, and they never came hack. I don't
recognize the prisoner, Robt. Hayes Mitchell.
The prosecution closed here, and the defense
entered upon the examination of their witnesses.
TE8TIMONY OF MRS. JULIA RAINEY.
The first witness was Mrs. Julia Rainey.
She said : I live in Chester county, just over
*u? v?-i, t:~ w:n: .l'.. t:?
bUO iUll HUO. fj 11X4 ff ltiiOUiO| (MHM CllIU ^
Rainey, lived in two miles of me. He was
formerly the slave of my husband, who is now
dead. Jim went off with Sherman's army,
and stayed about a year. When he came
back, he came to see his old master, my husband.
He was very polite to us, and we always
treated hira kindly. Most of my old
servants remained with me on my place. Jim
lived in two miles, and used to come about the
place and in my kitchen frequently. I heard
through the house servants, of threats that be
had made. He was captain of a militia company,
and they were armed. I saw them occasionally.
They caused a great deal of uneasiness
in the community. They were very
disorderly, and completely under the thumb
of their captain. There were fires frequently
in the neighborhood. I know they were incendiary
fires, because ray own gin-house was
burnt, with twenty-five bales of cotton; and I
frequently saw the horizon lit up with fire
around in the neighborhood. I had not heard
of any raids of white men before that time.
The people were in a great state of alarm
from fire, and just before Jim's death, there
was great fear of an attack by the negroes. I
was alarmed myself and left my borne and
went to my father's, in Union.
Cross-examined. I did not myself hear
Jim make any threats, nor did I see his company
commit any disorderly .act* under bis
AJinmaWU. "J '
The witneSB was then permitted to come
iown, and the court adjourned till 11 A. M.,
to-morrow.
The grand jury made the following returns:
The United States vs. John Little, John L.
Parker, Wm. Thomasson, Wm. Lowrey, Jno.
Miller, Bishop Sandifer, conspiracy against
Dick Wilson. True bill, except as to Wm.
Thomasson and Bishop Sandifer; as to them,
do bill. B. F. Jackson, Foreman.
The United States vs. the same as above.
Conspiracy against Hiram Alexander. Same
finding.
j a.-.,-. T-i \ir
i ne uniiea outua va. uuuu tt miiwicii,
Joseph Mitchell, Thomas B. Whitesides, Mel*
ton Watson, Wm. Good, Robert McCreight,
Newton Osborae, Herod Neal, Charles Byers,
John Davis, Capers Scott Neal, Pinckney
Webber, conspiracy against Charles Good.
True bill.
fourteenth day'8 proceedings.
Thursday, December 14,1871.
Mr. Hart applied for the release on bail of
William Barnes, of York. He was released
} a bond of $5,000. Jas. A. Sanders and
T. J. Gibson were accepted as sureties.
The trial of Robert Hayes Mitchell was
continued.
Mr. Johnson stated that there were six or
seven witnesses material for the defence who
lad not been summoned, and requested that
mbpoenas might be issued for their jtppearipce,
testimony of john a. morqso.
He said: I live in Charleston, I am on the
editorial staff of the Courier. In 1870, I
/isited York and other counties to report the
gubernatorial canvass and the state of the
country. I traveled in Chester and in York;
vas at Land'8 Ford and at Rock HilL This
vas about six weeks prior to the election.
The election was for Governor and members
>f Congress: The condition of things at York*
rille was quite exciting. There were reports
)f the negroes coming into town. I saw five
legroes ride into town, and ride down to the
ilace where the negroes had the arms of the
nilitia company. The Reform meeting was
it the Court House. There was a great beatng
of drums, bass and kettle. A. 8. Walace
spoke; also, Judge Carpenter and others,
rho meeting was broken np In aonroqyence
>f the drum-beating, and a riot seemed lmrailent
The uproar was greatest when Judge
Carpenter spoke. There were a crowd of ne;roes
down at the barracks, where the arms
if the militia were said to be. Some men
?ere addressing them, and seemed to be ex*
siting them. I couldn't hear what was said,
jut l neara enougn iu iuuuw mc uu miun.
hat the danger was imminent I was preset
at a Reform meeting at Rock Hill. Col.
JcKissick, Gen. Butler and Judge Carpener,
and perhaps some others, spoke; there
pas a large attendance, but no disturbance,
devious to that though there was a Reform
aeeting at Chester. There was a big rqw. t
Mr. Corbin here objected to the admissipq
f such testimony, as being irrelevant.
Judge Bond said: Mr. Stanberry, I doq't
ee the relevancy of any of this testimony, qqBS8
you mean to prove that Ku Elux were
t the meeting and created no disturbance,
nd thus raise a presumption in their favor.
Mr. Stanberry. May it please your Honrs,
we are charged with having formed a
eneral conspiracy to interfere with and preeqt
the free exercise of the elective franchise,
Ve are, by this testimony, going to show
bat the parties here indicted did not interjre
or molest any one iq the exercise of that f
ight, either at the hustings or at the polls;
bat, on the other hand, the only attempted 1
iterference was by the other party?the names.
We intend to show that the object of }
bis so-called conspiracy was to guard rights I
ir more sacred than the elective franchise; I
tiat there were bands of negroes, armed with
ae most improved guns, traversing the coun- w
ry, creating a general feeling of alarm and 1
nxiety, and threatening to kill from the J
radle to the grave, so that the people had uo J
ther resource left but to disarm them ; and i I
bat the defendant engaged in this so-called I
onspiracy only for that purpose. J M