Cheraw chronicle. (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, March 11, 1915, Image 2
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' Volume19 CHERAW, CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, S. C.. MARCH 11. 1915 Number y
KU KLUX KLAN '
/ *
%
(Paper prepared for the Hartsvilie
Chapter U. D. C. by Mrs H.
Llde Law, and published in the HartsIJH
v vllle Messenger.)
The War between the States termiW
nated In the Spring *>t 1865. Two
B months aftjer Lea's surrender there
r was* not a Confederate Soldier under
aims through the South Tlin mtwmiv W
* der was universal and In a way
? there was tfo desire to contltiNft tfcfe
BpS:'" ?Oa*gb. Complete suhmtssVyn -Wkh 'i
I R^eo to the true a nthnrrty 6t the't
\ 'txd'cetl States. Nofc Withstanding this, *1
L - 3>uvis was thrive l?to ptlson and othejt 11
' j prominent tenders of the Confederacy <
* - and prominent citizens were arrested ?
or forced to become -write. t
The condition <et thfe South was i
taplorable. 'The track of desolation
and devastation, without parallel in i
' history -especially, extended over five e
, ^ mite* wide from the Tennessee line, 1
thWWgh Georgia to Savannah, through I
SSouth Carolina into North Carolina, ?
mml the greatest desolatntlon through 'c
'Virginia. Four million slaves sudden- g
Ly emancipated with no realization t
of their responsibility. Many of them &
conceived the idea- that freedom meant r
cessation from labor, ro they left the 4
fields, crowded to the Cities expecting c
the Government to support them. }
To the general awful confusion was r
& added a flood of adventures from the r
North, called Carpet Baggers, :who *
were not soldiers, but only camp follow-; ^
" ' . ers of the Northern army. Men imbued ,
yW; i with the passion of the lowest type. ,
These men hated everything South- f
^ ?m and Inflamed the negroes against t
the lowest of the low and hated even
by the negroes. It la- impossible to
portray In language how these Seal a- v
wafts were, detested and rilmilfuwl Tho
Irish orator and patriot, Emmett, once v
declared "The meanest of all mean y
f things is an anti-Irish Irshman". If M
'he had lived during the Reconstruction, t
he would have said "That the meanest e
of all mean things, was an anti-South- t
-erner Southerner." These dangerous
leaders were the organizers of the y
fearful Black league, the negroes s
being used simply as means to an end. {
The Black and Tan Government j
composed of Carpet Baggers, Scalawags,
and brutal negroes, now held full j
sway. In this demoralized state, (
private property 'was seized in the t
name of. the United States Government.
Tills was the situation, the j
South, overpowered, exhausted, t
prostrated, hut not degraded, j
Hoiie remained in the hearts of the (
noble heroes who were willing to give f
their lives and to blee<l afresh for j
their loved ones. This condition of (
affairs brought into existence the Ku- (
Klux . Klan, and this organization (
provided the solution of the dark (
i problem. (
The Ku Klux Klan had its birth in
the town of Pulaski, Tenn., during the
winter of 1865 and 1866. There were" '
six charter members, all honorableCon- .
federate Bojdiers. The word Ku Klux
was really coined by them, being in a (
way'formed from the Greek word Ku ,
?_K1ob, meaning a circle. They added (
Khfli.xthua making the name at once r
uniquW* mysterious and fascinating. ,
The KJan was also termed the Invi- ,
sible Elnplre. The Klan spread rapid- ,
iy and in a year had reached suet
larged nnpihers, it was found neces- ,
sary to have some experienced leader. ,
so General Nathan Bedford Forrest, a ,
distinguished Cavalry lender of the i
Confederacy, was selected. He took ,
the solemn oath in No. 10 of lv~
well House. Nashville, Tenn., in the ]
fall of '66 and was made Grand Wiz i
ard of the Invisible Empire. Gen. Geo. i
W. (Jordan, of Tennessee, prepared i
the rituals and oath of the Klan, which <
are as follows: ? ,
/' CONSTITUTION. I
This is an institution of .Chivalry, <
Humanity, Mercy and Patriotism, era- j
bodying in conduct noble in sentiment, >
t generous in manhood, and patfiotic in I
purpose. Its peculiar objects being I
1st: to protect the weak, the innocent I
and defenceless from indignities, t
wrongs and outrages of the lawless I
violent, and the brutal; to relieve the (
j injured and oppressed; to succor tbe i
tutoring and unfortunate, espeeiall:
li% Widows and orphans Of Confeder
tie soldiers.'2nd < \b protect and de
'end the Constitution of the Unitec
States ahd all laws passed in con
oTfi&Uy thereto and protect the 8tatei
ind the people thereof from all inva
>;ons frotu any source whatever. 3rd:
jo aid and assist In the exgcutlor of al
Zkmstitutl-uuil inwa hud to l?rotect ttu
>eople frcm unlawful seizure and fron
:rl?K eJfdfrp* hy their peers. In ndh
'OfmUy t< he laws of the land.
CREEft.
We, the order of Klu Klux Klan
everentii lly acknowledge the Majes
y and Supremacy of the Divine Be
ng, and recognize the goodness am
providence of same. We recognizi
>ur relation to the United State** Gov
srnment, the supremacy of the Const!
ution. the Constitutional laws thereo
Hid the union cf States thereunder.
Most solemn of all, was the oath
tlways given under the most awe in
ipiring circumstances possible. Thus
before the great immaculate God o
leaven and earth, do take and sub
icrlbe/to the following sacred, bindinf
tath and obligation. I promise an<
iwear that t will Uphold and defent
be Constitution of the United States
is it was handed down by our fore
athere in its original purity. I prom
ae and swear that I will reject anc
ippose the principle of the Radica
)arty in all its forms and forevei
nalntain and contend that intelllgem
nen shall govern the countty. I prom
fee and pledge myself to assist accor
ling to my pecuniary circumstance!
tlf, brothers in distress. Females
widows, and their households shal
iver be especially in my care and pro
ection. I promise and swear that :
vlll obey all instructions given by m:
shlef, and should 1 ever divulge oi
:au?e to be divulged any Becrets, signs
i death; death, death, at the hands of
ay brethren. '
BANNER.
Hie Banner or Ensign of the K. K. K.
h'ft* a tringle in shai>e. five feet long
md three wide at staff. The material
ran yellow with red Inverted scalloped
order. On this Itanner was painted
i black flying dragon and the following
notto in Latin: "What always, what
very where, what by all is held to be
rue."
The Invisible Empire extended from
Virginia to Texas, covering fourteen
Uates. The Empire wns subdivided
nto Realms, Realms into Dominions,
dominions into Provinces, and Provin es
into Deans. Each dcpartmeni
?ad its head officer, their duties being
leflnltely designated, except those ol
he (>raml Wizard, whose control waf
uiprcrafr. Hie following is the lis!
?f officers and their departments ir
issisted by his ten (ienli; the (Irani
Dragon of the Realm and his eight Hy
Ira, the Clrand (Mailt of the Province
he Grand Giant of the Province anc
lis four Goblins; the Grand Cyclops.o1
lie IHmi and his two Night Hawks. /
rand Turk, Grand Monl
rami Exchequer, Grand Scrlh
I rand Sentinel were officers o
lie local Dens. The Genii, Hy
Iras, Furies, Goblins, and Nigh
Hawks i.were staff officers and tin
irivato niemliers were called Ghoul*
rhe Dens of places of rendezvous wen
jenerally in dark dismal places, cave*
?tc. Their apiiearance was alway
oidden, ns if they rose from the earth
lisappearanee-was quite as mysterious
These mysterious maneuvers were al
ways Ihtd in the brain of the Ku Klux
md the velrd, unearthly and ghostl;
ilways piedominnted.
The cos tuna's were inteuded to worl
upon the suiierstitlous fears of th
negroes. No special instructions wer
<lven as to the color or the makenii o
these costumes. However, the rolie
were nearly always white with a cros
fiery red, a mask, and high conica
tint. The horses were also cove re
with a sheet. These costume
ivore all made by the women o
the South, those noble women whi
luring the war made clothing, etc
oununj; 110 sacrince too (treat to alt
their protectors. A note to a Mothei
Ulster or Sweetlieart always met wltl
i prompt reply. There being m
qieclal uniform adopted, accounts fo
:he different colors use<l. Of course
wnenth this disguised, the men wert
leavlly armed. A favorite device wai
:o wear false heads and arms. In thli
Instance, tliV r< l>e was pulled ovei
heir own heads and the false hea<
ilaced on top with some device to hoh
\
j It Thejr often road ufc> to ft Chubch
- or meeting house of some description,
. where negroes were assembled, seemI
lugly for water A Ku Klux wjrtild ftfty,
. Here, Sambo, hold my heftd while I
j drink. Oh handing the negro the skilll,
. the sui>erstltioU8 creftturft with a
: scream of fright would tftke to the
1 woods. When ft fftlse hand wfts used,
, the Ku Klux would offer to shake
! bauds, leaving the false one in the
. hands of the negro as a souvenir.
You will ask, why all this mystery)
We all know the supersitltion of the
t negro and also of the uneducated white.
. The negroes were u.ade to oelteve
. their old masters had risen from their
j graves tu this ghostly garb and under
} the conviction that if they did wrong.
spirits from the other world would
visMt them, hence the negroes became
much subdued.
It must not l>e understood that this
Me band that took their lives Into
their own hands, tfere ever unkind
or cruel to an Innocent negro. Far
from it; mdny lustances could be
related where they protected the Just
right of the faithful ones. Mercy was
alwhys upitermost In the heart of a
true K. K.
The KIan'8 watch worda were, the
cunning ^>f the fox, the bravery of the
lion. The sign to distinguish a broth'er
was thus: (described by the reader.)
There was at all times per^fct cooperation
between the Hlanr- It\was
Often necessary to secure assistance
of a brother Klan an;** membfir
of the Klan was sent. This was considered
an honor as only those of unquestionable
bravery Wif6 selected.
As soon as the neighboring Klan wan
located, the message wiO^?Hvered,
the Grand Cyclops blew t-'8 whistle,
, their sign of command. In * few
minutes every horse and n**n was dis-v
guised, and at the secon*_ P?nhd Of
, a mission of etern duty! a deed of
Justice is about to be performed and
woe to the guilty wretch that falls
under the condemnation of the Klan.
i ne sworn secrecy and rjlndlng oatb
made a bulwark of defense as strong
as Gibraltar. \
Tn February 1869, G^n. Forrest,
, Grand. Wizard of the Invisible Em[
pirc issued a proclamation to his
| subjects to disband and'this strange
and mysterious order, having accoin(
plished its great amnion in relieving
l the South of Carpet-bag rule, pn?Ked
I out of existence forever. They
t
Deposit yov
; The "Bank
\
! Chera^
i /
i ?
' STRONGER THAN ALL OTHER !
t ______
. y
: a compoui
* /(J in savinj
i.
iV
marched silontly through Nashville
k though It wag cf wdert with the mip
litia and police, 1 ho<ve orders were to
e tuke them dead c alive, but who were
f overawed by t' e brave, mysterbsus
H band ae not t make the slightest
s movement of a? est, but allowed theirt
] to silently mar a up Capitol Hill, then
[I down and ou of the city into the
s forest to the ? eetlng place, where tin?
f chaplain led in prayer for tho lr?3t
0 time. The men disrobed, drew from
their horses the disguise and solemn1
ly buri3d the regalia, sprinkling them
with the ashes of the burned ritual.
ti This weird ceremony ended the most
a remarkable revolution in many ler
spects. In history. The Xu Klux Klan
i, was born in mystery, lived In mystery,
e and mystery will ever shroud its grave,
s and The Invisible Kin pi re vanished in a
? night and has been seen no more by
p mortal man.
1 Too long have we of tho Soytfc
1 malned silent and perhaps our sljttnce
I fri +
09B
has been construed as an uckiioa
edgement Of Shame Of being cotinec
ed with the K. K. K. and Its lilstor
whCrtae, it should be bur proude
boast that it was organised and ke
up by bur bravest men. dladstoi
writes, "NO greater calamity can b
(all a people than to break utter
with her past and if we forget oi
ancestor*, we ourselves aro unwo
thy to be remembered.
Many of the secrets were lo?k<
up In the breasts of the Ku Kli
and nover given to the world. The E
Klux warnings to offenders were
keeping with their mode of carrying <
affairs, mysterious nud terrlfyin
often by n figure dangling from a tr
or some such gruesome emblem wl
a warning to a negro or Scalawag,
Betvare. ,
The Ku Klux were opposed to she
ding of blood and violence was nev
used except in extreme cases. Mai
violent deeds were put upon the shoi
deTs of the Klan of which they we
entirely Innocent. They dhl cm
their stern duty, and silently sto
away.
The Invisible Army gave back
its beloved land much that she k
during four years of bloody carnival
depth. Restored In a measure t
grandeur and majesty that was t
envy of all the world In days gone 1
No holder or grander men ever gather
on the earth than those assembled
the meeting places of the Klan. 1
|umane hearts were ever moved wl
pXVt.- impulses. The love of law a
order, the afotec^lon of virtue of t
noblest woniafc*(Kxl in all annals
tlm? moved ?_ ?? ??
?^ ??{? "** i"1, UIC11 iu ui'iiuu.
T^the-w ord^?f another who kn
t,ie ^Lrful struggle of t
iheft the 5'?"nK^r gen
I . \ir Southla id was so firm in 1
to ?lief\ that* she was constitutions
r ght; Y> proud >f her heroes that s
ti as nVt fell the necessity
I idlcatiug her acts, hut It l>ehoov
i h now to turn the search light
truth 011 lier pn|t in the war and
taie world know the true history. Soi
(lay when she coines to her own and t
t Hie is nil told, no brighter chain
1 er history, no fairer page will ever
i cad than that which tells of t
llustrlous and glorious orgunizntl
< illUmI the Ku Klux Klan. Its h
1 i?ry is a* precious heritage. It lndc
; r money in
j)f Cherav
(T, S. C.
BtNKS IN COUNTY GOMBINI
n ded quarter iy
13 department.
1 >rmed a circle of protection aroi
t*?c homes ot the south, n great clrch
Iwlit illumined with deeds of love i
Patriotism. ,
III mir tliro nrlrnmUr ?rwl
the Ku Klux Klan. the gi
mysterious organization,
eered^nnon the scene, and relieved
jtaeadfuT. and humiliating distress.
I The Kii\ Klux Klan has justly h
'filled Um* Mqjvntlon of the .South
i;s h^tory hMo^ild in? written in let
o* light
\ > t
V
1*?W Peat masters.
Washington, l*arch H).-r-New ii
pasters in Soutll Carolina wore
jjointed today as ^follows: Allard
juagg, at LaliruccJ Springs, a n?w
ice in Gcorgetowi^ county; Jacot
afinmerinan, at By?rcel, Horry c<
V; Lottie G. Meyets, at I'amlico, F
cbce County. I
!Oire us you* oflHI lor printin
l _ T
M! /
BHeMHMBeeK=eB9=aHH0BBBBES9RSSSS
1- COURT H0U8T ITEMS.
t
y, All 1m quiet since Court adjourned,
et Those convicted have entered upon
pt the service of their sentences.
ie
e- Sheriff Douglass and deputy sheriff
ly Abbott are kept busy these days trailer
ing down violators of the law.
r
MnclHlrAtA Wntxnti'H oonrt has ho#?n
3d bu?y several clays quite recently. Mr.
ix Watson la becoming familiar with the
[u duties of his office.
In -
3ii Rev. James Russell, who was at
ig, one time i?astor of the Chesterfield
ee group of Presbyterian churches, Is
th In town this "Week and is the guest of
to Mr. C. C. Douglass. Mr. Russell's
great numt>er of friends in the* town
id- are glad to see him looking so well,
er He lectured last night in the Baptist
ny church on the "war in Euroi>e," and a
ill- large number enjoyed his masterly
re address.
ily
le Even now the school children can
lift the veil and see "the good old
to summertime " and vacation days.
>st Your correspondent has recently
of made a trip through one or two of the
be lower counties of the State, and the
be conditions, generally siteaking, are
)y. more favorable in Chesterfield coun e<l
ty than in any county visited. In evin
cry section, however, it seems that
too the cotton acreage will be materially
Ith reduced and "something" to eat will
ud be given a prominent place on the
be furrn this year,
of
xue vjouucy ttquuizauon uoaru win
ew meet on Tuesday, March 23rd. -7 ./
:he
er- There is no doabt that taxes are
the high, but there is nothing to do but
for I>ay up. It does seem that we are
yg. taxed too heavily and in many cases,
ier ment is costing a great deal, and evlly
ery year the Legislature creates new
he offices. This year an extra appropriof
atlon of $2,000.00 was allowed to fee a
es siKH-ial attorney for Governor Manof
nlng. We lyould like for some one to
let define the duties of the attorney genlue
eral of South Curolina. He should be
he logal adviser of all the State offlin
cers.
be
he LaCoste Evans, the "Good Roads
on Pusher," was in town a few days ago,
!ls. and he is a hustler and you can count
>e<i on liini when he is needed to push for
good roads.
Muster Rufus Porter, the little son
of Mr. and Mrs. W. II. Porter, is quite
sick this week. Hoiie for Master Rufus
a rupid recovery.
Master Minor Hough, the little sou
iT M ? miil \fno \f T U,in?k kno
is "* ? * * uuu u. nuii^ni uan
W lieen quite sick this week. Hope Master
Miuor will suon l>e well again.
Monday, March the first, Mrs. Ellen
Sowell, the wife of Willie Sowell
of the Zoar section of Chesterfield
"County, made the fatul mistake of taking
a bichloride tablet for another
qU tablet which had l>een j>resoril>e<l for
her. In a little while the mistake
was discovered. Everything possible
was done to overcome the power of
the deudly drug but nothing could be
donet After lingering for a week
life slowly ebbing away, Mrs. Sowell
died early Monday morning and
was burled Tuesday at Friendship
Methodist eruchh, her pastor, Ttev.
T. B. Owen conducted the services
?? Mr. and Mrs. Sowell were married less
than a year ago. Before her marriage
Jll(' to Mr. Sowell, Mrs. Sowell was a Miss
* Mcl/enu, of Patrick. Mr. Sowell. is a
member of the well known family ol
that name in this county,
cost
|?fl t
Davis l'erkIns, the young man whc
a'' tried to commit suicide a few days
fna
ago hy shooting himself with a pistol
is fast recovering.
>een
an Court adjourned only n few dayi
[nru
ago, and the jail is ulready rnpldlj
lilling up again. Stealing and blinc
tigering is the usual oharge.
lost- Mr. A. J. Weathersbee, a promi
ap- ilent merchant of Norway. K. C., ii
1). visiting his daughter, Mrs. Docto:
of- Carducr.
> I).
>uti- Some of the women's pages continu
'lor- 'to publish instructions about puttini
up jams andj ellies, when, what th
'housekeepers want is points on auctioi
g. ridge.?Gaffney Ledger.
i - '
J. J 1 -" 1 1 f '
OBSERVATIONS
BY OUB MAN ABOUT TOWN.
)iOIOEtOIOIOIOIC^^
Wbeu a thing la spiced up with m
little daah ef danger, It's oftentimes
more inviting and interesting. Most
folks like to take a sporting chance
occasionally?that's why they play the
races, buy cotton margins and?get
married.
???
With the approach of Spring; s.
wouldn't it be a great thing tor our
town if the majority of citizens would
determine to do a little landscape girding
this year?
What if every home should remove
any unsightly shrubbery that may have
been permitted to grow in their yards
or along their boulevards and replace
it with really attractive plants!
All of us could do this, and we tod
sure we should be glad for it after the
passing of a few months had shown
us the Improved appearance of our /
streets and lawns.
The writer knows of towns where
the citizens in certain blocks engage
a gardener by the season, each resident
iu several blocks contributing a small
sum toward his salary. In this way a
sufficient amount can be raised to pay
a man for giving bis entire attention
to the lawns and boulevards of that
tdistrict, and when this is done, all of
them are neat and clean at all timesi \
Two days work each month through
the summer will keep almost any yard
and adjoining boulevard In conditloo.
'Jur civic pride should force ua to gtvw
them this much attention.
If a census of boys under fifteen who
tn settling their little difficulties, would
10 just as well to keep the soft pedal
11 their voice chorda
This old world of ours has queer people
in it They seem to get prejudiced
against a fellow that has never harmed
'hem but has really done them favora
Now we know of a young man in our
home tcwn who can never see ua He
never speaks to us. He thinks we most
'?e his enemy. The only thing that we
know of doing to him was that when
he was hard up and had not the money
to get a suit of clothes, we gave our
word to the clothier that we wonld
see it paid. Well the fellow evidently
knew a good thing when he had it and
after paying a few dollars on the suit
concluded to let us finish th^ job for
him. We did. Well, that fellow has not
-tpoken to us since. He must be of the
'tniniun that we are his enemy. WelL
we guess we are. It never helps a
voting fellow to pay his debts for him.
He does not seem to like It and then it
makes him loose his selfrespect. When
this is gone the fellow is on the down
jrnde. He must regain his self respect
In some way if ever he gets on the upgrade.
It always does one good to shake
hands with a man Who has a heart
under his coat It cheers, it encourages,
and has a vitalizing effect.
This is the genuine, the pure article,
while occasionally we come in contact
with people whose hand shake is
> cold und clammy as a pickled tongue,
whose sticky grasp conveys to you the
uncanny suggestion of a grave yard.
You are not quite sure wnen you
drop his hand whether he Is dead
or alive, yet you are pleased when
the solemn ordeal is ended. This is
the counterfeit, the spurious and the
easily detected.
> Mansion Ready for the Governor.
; The legislative committee, which has
, in charge the matter of repairs to the
Governor's Mansion, has completed its
work and is ready to turn the Man)
sion over to the Governor. The comr
mittee overhauled the inside of the
1 Mansion and did a considerable
amount of needed repairing.
Ship Building in America.
s Washington, March 10.?There were
r 55 sailing, steam and unrigged vessels,
of 8 24 gross tons built in the United
ates artd officially numbered during
e February, according to the departg
'ment of commerce.
e
n Try The Cronlcle for 6 months?Wly
50 cents. '
. .?- S?Vifllisa i'sis' *' .ssss. ?