Part 3
This degree differs from the first or probationary degree in the fact that those upon whom it is conferred are of the better class of the masses, and take upon themselves a more binding oath, administered under circumstances intended to be more impressive in character. The candidate for this degree is brought blind-folded into the center of the Camp, and caused to kneel at an altar erected for the occasion, his right hand placed upon a Bible, and his left upon a human skull. The Commander then says:
"Brethren, _must_ it be done?"
The members respond, "_It must!_" and this in a tone intended to strike terror to the heart of the novitiate.
The candidate, of course, has no knowledge of what is meant by the ominous "_Must it be done?_" and there is a mournful groaning in the response "_It must!_" indicating that a terrible experience awaits him, which the Brotherhood would gladly spare him if they could.
A death-like silence ensues for a few moments, which seem ages to the candidate, and affords ample opportunity for his imagination to picture the unheard-of horrors through which he may possibly be called to pass. The silence is finally broken by the Commander, who says:
"BRETHREN, this brother _now_ kneels at the altar of our faith, and asks to be bound to our fortunes by the more solemn and mysterious provisions of our Order. Fortunately for him in this hour of peril, he has been found worthy, and in commemoration of his being made one of the great 'Unknown Multitude,' I again ask, '_Must it be done?_'"
The brethren, in solemn tones, again respond, "_It must!_"
The Commander then says, in a stentorian tone of voice, "_Let the blood of the traitor be spilled: bring the victim forth._"
The members here make a rustling noise, to resemble a struggle, a heavy blow is struck upon some appropriate substance, and a few drops of blood are trickled over the hand of the initiate that rests upon the skull. The brethren then surround him with knives and pistols presented in a circle about his head and neck, when the Commander then says:
"Must I swear him by the oath that shall forever bind, and never be broken?"
The brethren, placing their hands upon their left breasts, respond sepulchrally as before, "_Swear him!_"
The Commander now addresses the candidate as follows:
"_My Brother_, kneeling at the solemn altar of our faith, as one who desires that no government but the white man's shall live in this country; and as one who will fight to the death all schisms, and factions, and parties, coming from whatsoever source they may, which have for their design the elevation of the negro to an equality with the white man, I am now about to administer to you the oath of this, the supreme degree, of our Order--that oath which shall forever bind, and never be broken; at the same time informing you that this oath, being taken in a cause which has for its object the deliverance of your country and the land of your birth from the rule of the negro-worshiper and the fanatic, is paramount to every other oath which you have taken, or may hereafter take, outside of this Order. You will now repeat after me, pronouncing your name in full, and your words aloud, on pain of instant death:
_Oath of the Second or Supreme Degree._
"I, A. B., in the presence of Almighty God, and these my friends here assembled, kneeling at this altar, with my right hand upon the holy Bible, and my left washed in the blood of a traitor, and resting upon the skull of his brother in iniquity, and being fully impressed with the sacredness of this act, do solemnly swear that I will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, as it was handed down by our forefathers, in its original purity; that I will reject and oppose the principles of the Radical party in all its forms, and forever maintain and contend that intelligent white men shall govern this country. And I furthermore swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Order of the Constitutional Union Guards, and will never make known, by sign, word, or deed, any of its secrets now about to be, or that may hereafter be confided to me; that I will obey all its precepts, mandates, orders, instructions, and directions issued through the Commander, and aid and assist the brethren in carrying out and enforcing the same; and that I will keep secret, even unto death, the plans and movements of this society. I furthermore swear to obey the South Commander in the Camp, in preference to any known law, precept, or authority whatever, and to defend the brethren, if need be, with the sacrifice of my life. I swear that the enemies of the white man's race, and the white man's government, and the friends of negro equality shall be my enemies, and that I will uphold and defend the white man's government against all comers, whether in the name of Radicals, Negro-worshipers, Carpet-baggers, Scallawags, or spies in the land. I swear to forever oppose the social and political elevation of the negro to an equality with the whites, and that I will come at every hour of the moon to execute the trust confided to me by the Commander and the brethren. I furthermore swear that, in case of our being interrupted in the establishment of the principles for which we are contending, that I will regard no oath that will convict one of the members of this Order, but under all circumstances will stand by the Order in blood and death. I furthermore swear that I will not give the signal cry of distress, only when in real distress, and that I will yield my life, if necessary, in aid of a brother giving the double cry of this degree. Lastly, I swear by this Bible, and this skull, and this blood, that should I ever prove unfaithful in any particular to the obligation I have now assumed, I hope to meet with the fearful and just penalty of the traitor, which is _death_, DEATH, DEATH, at the hands of the brethren. So help me God."
The candidate having kissed the book, the bandage is removed from his eyes. He sees before him a human skull upon one side of the Bible, and a small chalice or cup filled with blood upon the other. The brethren are all disguised in long black gowns, covering them completely from neck to heels. Black masks and black conical shaped hats of enormous height, decorated with representations of death's head and cross bones, complete the costume.
Some of the members bear pine torches, which throw a wierd and unearthly glare upon the unholy scene, and render it a fit counterpart to the abode of the demons who seem to have instigated the proceedings. When the bandage is removed, these torches are swung violently to and fro, and the brethren simultaneously utter a loud cry.
The candidate is now informed that the signs, grips, and passwords of the preceding degree are used in this, with the exception that the signal cry of distress in this is composed of two words: "SHILOH, AVALANCHE."
OPERATIONS OF THE KU KLUX KLAN.
AN AUTHENTICATED ACCOUNT OF OUTRAGES COMMITTED IN THE SOUTH.--THE PERPETRATORS AND THEIR VICTIMS.
THE MURDER OF EDWARD THOMPSON.
From the close of the war, up to the fall of 1870, there resided in Lowndes county, Georgia, an exceedingly intelligent colored man, named Edward Thompson. He was noted for his piety, and the peculiar influence he exerted over the members of his race who resided in Lowndes county, and Hamilton county, Florida; and being thoroughly imbued with Republican principles, lost no opportunity in disseminating them among those of his race with whom he associated. Through his exertion, and by the force of his example, the negroes voted the ticket of the Republican party at every election, always seeking his advice before going to the polls to deposit their ballots.
Thompson's case was brought before the Camp of Hamilton county, Florida--at that time, presided over by one Elihu Horn, Commander of the Camp--as one requiring energetic action upon the part of the Order. A warning was issued to Thompson, the import of which could hardly be mistaken. The following is a verbatim copy of the same taken from the original.
"K. K. K.
"_His Supreme Highness of Hamilton to Edward Thompson._
"His Supreme and Mighty Highness has heard of your seditious practices in leading others astray, and encouraging them in opposition to the white man's government. Time is given you to repent and submit as your fathers have done. Now this is to warn you, and all such as you, on pain of punishment and death, to abandon your vicious harangues, and abide by our orders. The moon is yet bright; it may turn to blood.
"By order, "K. K. K."
Thompson paid no heed to this warning, but continued to pursue the even tenor of his way. He had resided so long in the place, and been so favorably known there, both among the whites and blacks, that he scouted the idea that this meant anything more than a threat intended to intimidate him, and he continued exerting his influence in the Republican cause with his brethren, as had been his custom. Several warnings were subsequently sent to him with no better effect, and it was finally decided in the solemn conclave of the Camp, that he should receive the long threatened "visitation."
On the 19th of September, 1870, Thompson retired to his bed between nine and ten o'clock, as was his usual custom. His family consisted of his wife and two children, all of whom occupied the same sleeping apartment. Between eleven and twelve o'clock they were aroused from their slumbers by the door being broken in with a tremendous crash, and before Thompson had time to collect himself, he was rudely seized and dragged from his bed by a number of men, armed and disguised, two of whom fired their revolvers into the roof of the cabin, as a menace, and assured Thompson they would turn the weapons upon him, if he offered the slightest resistance. His wife and children were also dragged from their beds, being at the same time severely struck by some members of the band, and told to remain quiet.
"In the name of the Lord, what is this?" asked Thompson, as soon as he could command his voice.
The response was a blow upon the head from the butt of a pistol, delivered with a brutality that convinced him that he was in the hands of those to whose hearts mercy was a stranger. He was then told to ask no questions, and make no noise, but to dress himself and go with the band.
His wife was subjected to the most revolting indecencies. The last garment that covered her nakedness was wrenched from her person and torn into shreds, leaving her utterly exposed to the malicious and lecherous eyes of the intruders. She was then told "to get her rags on," and go with the party. The children terrified at seeing their parents thus brutally assailed, uttered the most piercing screams, but were ordered to remain behind and not leave the house, or they would be killed. The band started out with their captives in the direction of the house of John and Samuel Hogan, two white men who were known to be Republicans, and had thus rendered themselves obnoxious to the Camp. They compelled the Hogans to accompany them, and started for the woods, nearly a mile from Thompson's house.
One Micajah Amerson, a colored man living near the scene of this outrage, hearing the report of the fire arms, arose, and dressed himself, and taking a shot gun, started for his son's house on the Joseph Howell plantation. Amerson was just in time to meet the band having Thompson and his wife and the two Hogans in custody, and was at once seized and compelled to go with the party. Amerson seems to be the only one of the captives able or willing to give an intelligent account of what subsequently transpired, which he did to the writer as follows:
"I saw the company in the road, and knew they were the Ku Klux from their disguises. I saw it was no use to try and get away from them, and one of them told me to go along, at the same time striking me with a club. Edward Thompson and his wife (colored), and John and Samuel Hogan, two white men, were with them. Thompson said nothing but his wife moaned all the way on the road to the woods. We went about a quarter of a mile into the woods, and were then ordered to halt. When the halt was made, one of the band gave a peculiar whistle, which was answered almost directly by a similar sound. This proved to be the signal for the appearance of a party who was addressed as the Captain, and who at once took charge of the proceedings.
"I and the two white men were ordered to sit down, a pistol being placed at our heads to enforce obedience. The colored man (Thompson) was then told to strip himself naked. This he commenced very reluctantly to do, begging for mercy, and asking what he was going to be whipped for. The members of the band seemed to be enraged at this, and taking out their knives, commenced cutting his clothes off, wounding him in several places. The Captain then struck him a powerful blow with a gun, shattering the stock and knocking Thompson senseless.
"No one paid any attention to him as he lay upon the ground,--the Captain and two or three of the band holding a consultation. The Captain then asked for the "executioners." Two men came forward and said: "Where are the warrants?" At this another of the party produced two long leather straps, and handing them to the two men, said: "Here they are."
"These two then commenced to beat Thompson and his wife in a dreadful manner. The punishment on the wife was brief though cruel. That upon Thompson was continued until the "executioner" was thoroughly exhausted. He then handed the strap to another member of the band, who renewed the assault with great fury. Thompson, at first, made no exclamations, but on being struck in the more delicate parts of his body, screeched fearfully. He was brought to his feet several times while the punishment was being inflicted, only to be knocked down by the strap, and kicked by those who were standing around him. The members of the band laughed at his agony and said to the executioners: "Give it to the damned radical; learn the son of a b...h to keep his piety and politics to himself; we'll teach him how to lead the niggers."
"Thompson finally ceased to scream. His body was a mass of blood, and he appeared to be unconscious long before the beating was through with. I thought he must be dead, but dared not say anything. When the executioners had ceased, he lay perfectly still. One of the members said: "The d....d skunk is playing possum." He then jumped at Thompson, kicked him several times in the side and back with great violence, and turning him over, ground his boot heel in his face. He lay for a long time unconscious, and was several times raised to his feet, but could not stand. His wife continued to pray during a portion of the time, asking God to bring her husband to life, and begging the Captain to spare him for the sake of his family, and let her try and get him home.
"The Captain finally said, she might do what she liked. It was easy to see that Thompson could not live, but some of the band were not satisfied. One of them called out:
"'Captain Smart, can I shoot the dirty radical?' to which the Captain replied:
"'No! the black son of a b....h is dead enough.' The Captain then said to me and the two white men:
"'Now, you take this for a warning, and if we ever hear of you divulging anything about this, you may expect the same treatment.'
"The white men and myself were then taken to the road, where we were met by another party, also in disguise, making about forty in all. I was then told to go to the Joseph Howell plantation, and remain there two hours, or the rest of the band would take me and put me up the spout.
"I done as directed, and returned to my own house about 6 o'clock in the morning; I then went over to Thompson's house, and found him dead. How he came there, I do not know; I heard that his wife got him home, and that he was not entirely dead, when he got there."
In addition to the testimony of Amerson, as to the terrible details of this brutal murder, we have that of Mrs. Thompson and the two Hogans. Dr. Mapp, a physician residing near Thompson, was called to see him, and at the earnest entreaty of the wife dressed his wounds, although he saw that the poor victim could not live possibly. He was literally beaten to a jelly. One of his eyes had been forced completely out of its socket, and he was otherwise almost totally unrecognizable.
Elihu Horn, _alias_ Capt. Smart, was known at the time as a respectable member of society in Hamilton county, Fla., and a leader in the democratic ranks in that vicinity, and violently opposed to the present administration. He was determined that no one should preach what he was pleased to term "the heresy of radicalism" in that county, and live, and his threat was fully carried out upon the body of the unfortunate Thompson.
In the light of such an outrage, can any one, of whatever creed or faith, question the policy of the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus and the proclamation of martial law in such a community, or doubt the wisdom of the executive head of the nation, in his efforts to suppress the unlawful assemblages, who aspired to hold the life and liberty of our citizens in the hollow of their hands, and annihilate the hopes of newly-made freemen, by imposing upon them a bondage infinitely worse than that from which the nation, through the blood of her sons, had but so recently released them?
BRUTAL WHIPPING OF A WHITE MAN FOR OPINION'S SAKE.
Shortly after the outrage which resulted in the death of Edward Thompson, a Mr. Driggers, residing in the county of Echols, and not far from where Thompson had been murdered, received a warning from the Ku Klux Klan, that he must change his political opinions, or leave the State.
Mr. Driggers was a prominent republican, and had made no secret of his political faith. He had freely expressed his opinions in that regard whenever he desired to do so, and had steadily voted the republican, or what was known to the Ku Klux as the radical, ticket. He was generally esteemed among his fellows, and especially among the colored people, in whose welfare he took a great interest, and this latter fact was deemed an offense not to be tolerated by the defenders of the white man's government.
Warning after warning was sent to him, and he was thus duly reminded, that, unless he recanted, the fate of Thompson would surely be his; but, he still regarded the matter as merely an idle threat, and time passed on until the night of the 25th of August, 1871, when a party of five men, armed, and disguised in black gowns and masks, visited his residence.
Mr. Driggers at once divined the object of this visitation, and was expostulating with the leader, when he was quickly overpowered and stripped in the presence of his family, and beaten with straps similar to those used upon Thompson.
He was dreadfully punished about the head, face, and back, and was informed by the Klan, that for the present they would accord him the mercy to live, but, unless he left the county, they would return and kill him, and destroy his property.
From similar outrages that had been perpetrated in the vicinity, Mr. Driggers was fully satisfied that this threat would be carried out to the letter. He was familiar with the brutal details of Thompson's death, and was now convinced that the members of this terrible brotherhood would respect neither color, social standing, or respectability, and at once made hasty preparations, and abandoned his once happy home to become a wanderer. The visitation upon him was made solely for political reasons. He was a man that stood above reproach in the community, and no person could be found in Echol county that could impugn his character as a man, a gentleman, and an upright citizen. It was not contended that he had committed any other offense than that of being a radical republican, who, being too obstinate to change his politics, must be whipped into renouncing a faith that he could not be argued out of.
Is it any wonder that men who substitute brute force for argument, should so strenuously object to the efforts of the executive officers to enforce the law and bring order out of the chaos, into which their wild and licentious acts have plunged the respective communities in which they live? Thinking men will say "nay," and will ask and demand that the policy now being pursued by the administration shall be continued until the supremacy of the law is fully established, and men of all shades of color and political faith may "sit under their own vine and fig tree, with none to molest or make them afraid."
Allen Wicker, William Smith, Butcher Smith, James King, and Lewis Kinsey, all residents of Echol county, Ga., and members of the Camp that had decided that Mr. Drigger must surrender his political opinions, leave his home, or die, were the persons upon whom the officers of the United States Secret Service fastened the guilt of this outrage.
AN APPALLING TRAGEDY.
TERRIBLE DEATH OF A WHITE MAN IN WILKINSON COUNTY, GEORGIA.
One of the most appalling tragedies ever resulting from the free expression of political opinions, was that enacted at Irwinton, Wilkinson county, Georgia, on the night of the 31st of August, 1871.
For more than a year previous to this date, a white man, familiarly known throughout the county as Sheriff Deason, had taken a very active part in politics, having espoused the republican cause, as one might say, in the very den of the lion himself, and standing almost alone, in what he considered a contest for the right.
Deason was a large, powerfully built, and muscular man, inured to hardship from his youth, resolute in his purpose, tenacious of his principles, and ready under all circumstances to expound them, whenever it seemed good to him to do so. He was a man whose good nature was proverbial. He delighted to get into the country grocery, and there, surrounded by an admiring audience of colored men, and such of the whites as sympathized with him, although secretly, express his opinion, that the principles of the republican party were the only ones upon which a righteous government could be founded, and which would eventually bring the ship of State safely to a secure anchorage.
Among his hearers were many of those who had sworn to uphold the "white man's government," and who believed that Deason's arguments were calculated to damage their labors in this respect, but, bold as they were, when in bands of twenty, armed and disguised, they assailed defenseless men and helpless women, they dare not single handed to make even so much as an utterance against his outspoken logic, and they writhed and twisted under it in silence. They comprehended, however, that seeds were being sown that would take root in the minds of thinking men, and produce results which they did not desire to see accomplished.
A formal presentation of Deason's case was made to the Irwinton Camp of the C. U. G., to which Order, at that time, two-thirds of the white population of Wilkinson county belonged. As was usual in such cases, it was decided to issue a warning to the intended victim, which was forthwith done. Deason replied to it by pasting the warning upon the door of his house, where it remained an ever present witness to the contempt in which he held its authors, until it was washed away by the fall rains.