Question. Did you ever inquire whether they have been here or not? Question. How? Answer. I could see it in the paper. Question. Did you ever inquire to know whether it was true? Answer. I believe the paper. Question. Did you ever make inquiry to know whether it was so or not? Question. How soon after that Sunday were you in town? Answer. It was some time before I was here. Question. How long? Answer. I can't say particularly how long it was. It was some time. Question. Was it that week? Answer. I don't think it was, but probably the second week it was before I was here; about the second week. Question. Did you make no inquiry then about it? Answer. Very little, in fact, I made none. Question. Whether there had been any Ku-Klux here or not? Answer. I heard they would say, "The Ku-Klux have been here;" "There have been Ku-Klux here." Question. Who told you that? Answer. It was frequently spoken about. Question. You know John Tomlinson here? Answer. I know him when I see him. Question. Have you no other acquaintance with him? Answer. None at all. Question. Do you know John Hunter? Answer. Yes, sir. Question. Do you know William Owens ? Answer. I just know him when I see him; that's just about all. Question. Have you never given the sign of recognition to either of those men ? Answer. Never in my life. Question. Have you never met them in any enterprise connected with the Ku-Klux organization? Answer. Never did in my life. I can say that with a clear conscience. Question. Have you had any talk with either of them since you came into town? Answer. I talked with Hunter, I think, a little. Question. What did you talk about? Answer. I just spoke to him. He had heard I was sick. I told him I was getting along pretty well. He was glad to hear it. Question. Did you tell him you were subpoenaed here before this committee? Answer. Yes, sir; I said I was subpoenaed yesterday about 12, but could not come until this morning. Question. Did you confer with him about your testimony? Answer. No, sir; not a word was said about it. Question. Did he ask you what you knew? Answer. No, sir; he never asked me a word. Question. Did you confer with anybody else in regard to your testimony here? Answer. No, sir; not a word. Question. Did you know what you were subpoenaed for? Answer. I did not. Question. Had you no idea? Answer. No idea what I was called for. Question. You had not the most remote idea? Answer. No, sir; I didn't know what I was called for. Question. Have you never heard from any quarter that you were charged with being the captain of a Ku-Klux Klan in your part of the county? Answer. No, sir; I never heard of it. Question. What part of the county do you live in-what township? Answer. Bethel Township. Question. Have you heard of Ku-Klux operations out there? Answer. No, sir; I think not-not right in our settlement. Question. Has anybody been whipped in that neighborhood? Answer. Not right in the settlement. Question. Who is the nearest one who has been whipped? Answer. The nearest to us was a boy, Grandison Currence. He lives about three miles off from us. Question. When was he whipped? Answer. I can't tell you now when. Question. How long ago? Answer. It was along in the spring. Question. Who whipped him? Answer. I can't tell you. They said it was Ku-Klux. Question. Don't you know anything about it? Answer. I don't know a thing about that. I didn't know it until it was done. He was out log-rolling one day, and I was up to Mr. Currence's shop and met this boy going to log-rolling, and noticed there was something wrong as soon as he came in sight. I didn't ask him any questions, but I saw there was something wrong with him, and went on down to the shop, and Mr. Currence said it was reported that the Ku-Klux had been down after him. I asked him why he looked so drooping. He said he supposed the Ku-Klux had been after him. Question. Did you talk to the boy himself? Answer. No, sir; not at all. Question. You didn't ask him about it? Answer. No, sir. Question. Did you know who whipped that boy Answer. No, sir, of course not. Question. You have no knowledge? Answer. No, sir; none at all. Question. Have you any knowledge of a man named Jim Rainey or Williams, in this county? Answer. No, sir. Question. Never heard of him-captain of a militia company? Answer. No, sir; not one of that name. I know some Raineys. Question. Did you never hear of a man of that name being killed in this county-Jim Rainey or Captain Williams? Answer. No, sir; I never heard of him. Question. You never heard of a man named Williams being killed in the county? Answer. No, sir. Question. Do you take the county newspaper? Answer. Yes, sir, the Enquirer. That is the only paper we take. We take the Baptist paper from Columbia. Question. Did you ever see an account of his being killed in this county? Answer. I don't remember; I might, but it slipped my mind. Question. Did you ever see an account of Roundtree being killed in this county? Answer. Yes, sir. Question. Did you know anything about it? Answer. No, sir; only what was in the paper. Question. Did you know anything about the ammunition being taken from the probate judge's office? Answer. No, sir. Question. Never heard of it? Answer. No, sir. Question. That is the first time you ever heard of that? Answer. I think it is. Question. You never heard of the probate judge's office being opened? Answer. No, sir. Question. How many guns have you at your house? Answer. But the one-one rifle. Question. What kind of a one? Answer. A rifle that shoots buckshot and squirrel. Question. Was none of the ammunition which was taken from the probate judge's house taken to your house? Answer. No, sir, unless it was taken by some one besides the family. Question. Do you know what became of that ammunition? Answer. No, sir; I don't know anything about it. Question. Then, according to your knowledge of the subject, and you say you have given it a great deal of study-you do not know whether there is a Ku-Klux band in this county or not? Answer. I do not. Question. You have no belief on that subject? Answer. No belief. I have studied a great deal about the thing, but have never come to no belief. Question. Who do you believe made this raid on the county treasury? Answer. I don't know a man, and therefore can't say a word. Question. Do you believe they were Ku-Klux ? Answer. I don't know what they were. I never saw them. Question. From the description you read in the paper, did you form any idea of whether they were Ku-Klux or not? Answer. I didn't form any idea; I only noticed it. Question. Do you know whether they put on disguises or not? Question. Do you know whether they carry arms or not? Answer. No, sir, I don't. Question. Not from public information, or any other way? Answer. No, sir; I don't know whether they do or not. Question. Have you ever heard at all of there being any Ku-Klux in the county? Answer. I have heard that talk, but whether there are or not I don't know. Question. You are entirely doubtful whether there have been any? Answer. I can't tell you a word whether there have been or not. Question. You have no idea whether there have been any here or not? Answer. I can't tell you; I never saw them. Question. How old are you? Answer. Twenty-two years of age, and a little over. I was twenty-two the 9th of last November. Question. Have you taken any part in politics in the county? Answer. None. Question. What ticket did you vote? Answer. I didn't vote. Question. Were you old enough to vote at the last election? Answer. Yes, sir; but I didn't vote. I was at the election, but didn't vote. I was at Bethel Township. Question. Was that the reason you didn't vote? Answer. We had a box; there was a box. Question. Why did you not vote? Answer. I didn't think it worth while. I just saw. I never voted in my life. I didn't take any part in the election. I had some reasons for not doing so. By Mr. STEVENSON: Question. Have you any militia organization in your neighborhood? Question. Have you any arrangement among the young men? Answer. None that I know of. Question. Did you have any heretofore? Answer. No, sir. Question. Have you ever been out on night expeditions ? Answer. I never was out on any night expedition in my life. Question. Has there been any alarm in your neighborhood on account of the negroes ? Answer. Not much alarm. Our settlement is doing very well around there. It has been pretty still. Question. What is the reason you are not willing to tell what you know about the Ku-Klux? Answer. I have nothing to tell about them. Question. You say you have no opinion about them? Answer. I don't have nothing to say in regard to that at all. Question. But you must have some opinion about them, whether they are riding in this county or not? Answer. [No answer.] Question. Do you swear you have no opinion whether they are in this county or not? Answer. I never saw them. Question. Do you swear you have no opinion? Answer. I do. I don't know that there is one about. Question. Do you swear you have no opinion about it? Answer. I have no opinion of them at all. Question. You have no opinion whether they are in this county or not? Answer. I have not. Question. You swear so? Answer. I do-in that way. Question. Were you raised in this county Answer. I was raised in North Carolina. Question, How long have you lived in this county? Answer. Going on four years. Question. In what part of North Carolina were you raised? Answer. In Cleveland County. Question. Are there any Ku-Klux there? Answer. I don't know. I have not been there for some time. Question. Have you no opinion about that? Answer. None at all. I visited there sometimes, but I saw none. Question. Were you in the rebellion? Answer. No, sir; I was not old enough. Question. Where do you reside, doctor? Answer. In Chester village, Chester County, South Carolina. Question. Are you a native of the State? Answer. I am. I was raised within five miles of Chester. Answer. About fifty-four. Question. What is your occupation? Answer. Physician; practicing for over thirty years. The CHAIRMAN. I will request Judge VAN TRUMP to continue the examination of this witness. By Mr. VAN TRUMP : Question. Please state your position in regard to the late rebellion, to nullification in 1832, to the question of extreme State rights, and the proposed secession in 1852 ? Answer. Well, my father before me was a Union man, and a hot partisan. I was not old enough to vote in 1832, but I took great interest in the contest, and I battled against nullification and secession and all those doctrines throughout my whole life. Question. Were you a writer on that subject to a considerable extent in 1860 ? Answer. Yes, sir; and first in 1852. They attempted secession in this State at that time, but the people had an opportunity to discuss the matter and defeated the leaders who intended it. My writings were merely in a local paper, and argued against the right of the State to secede and State sovereignty; in that strict sense of the term. I never believed the State had the right to secede or sovereignty in the strict sense of the word. I viewed the United States as my nation, and that my allegiance was due to it. Question. What was the position of your county of Chester in relation to the secession of 1860 ? Answer. In 1860 there was a great majority of the people there who were Union in their sentiments; and part of the people were for secession, but they changed. I was satisfied there were men at work for the purpose in the State. If I do not go too much into detail Question. We do not want much in detail in regard to 1860. Make it as brief as possible. And I ask you, doctor, to speak as slowly as you can and as distinctly as you can, as your articulation is difficult to be understood. Answer. In 1860 I was the first that wrote a piece in the Chester paper warning the people that the State By the CHAIRMAN : Question. We cannot go into any essays on the position of Chester County or South Carolina in 1860. Answer. I will make it as short as I can. I was the first who wrote a piece warning the people of their danger, and battling against it all summer. By Mr. VAN TRUMP: Question. Was there a Union sentiment in Chester County? Question. Please state your present political feeling, whether a politician or strictly identified with any party. Answer. I am not. I have been a Union man throughout my life, and continued so in my district throughout the war. I never had any sympathy with the war. I always expressed that, and my sentiments are Union to this time. I have not identified myself with any party. I am opposed to the States-rights doctrine. Question. Have you voted for men on both sides? Answer. Yes, sir. Question. Who did you vote as a candidate for Congress at the last election? Answer. I voted for Mr. Wallace. I was under the impression that all our lawyers would vote for him at one time. They appeared not to care about politics at that time. Question. As a practicing physician and citizen interested in the condition of the country, are you well acquainted with the state of affairs for the last two years in Chester County? Answer. Yes, sir; I am. Question. Please give us the history, as brief as possible, of whatever disturbances have occurred in Chester within two or three years. Answer. I will endeavor to do so. You mean since the surrender? Question. Since 1868-including 1868. Answer. Well, just at the close of the war———— Question. We do not care about that. Answer. They got down tolerably quiet, and ever since-I am thinking of 1868—ever since the negroes got to voting they have been very domineering over men. Question. The negroes have? Answer. Yes, sir; and particularly since they got these arms their conduct has been utterly unbearable, and at the public meetings they have had, and particularly the last year or so, they have grown worse and worse. They would take occasion, since they got these arms, in all their celebrations, to come to Chester; march through the streets in the most imposing manner, with one or two white fellows at their head. I can give you details of some of the meetings if you desire them. Question. That is what we want, if anything occurred. Answer. This last congressional canvass I will commence with. There was a man named Stokes, rather a crack-brained fellow, a lawyer, who seemed erratic in speaking, but inoffensive. He undertook to speak in Chester one night. The negroes congregated in large masses, insulted him, and hooted at him. I recollect various expressions to the white people, as that, "We have got you down, and we are going to keep you there." He said nothing offensive. There were very few white people there. I am satisfied their effort was to provoke a collision. They were congregated where he spoke from the court-house platform. They were sitting around and singing John Brown. That was about the conclusion, after interrupting and not letting him speak. Persons persuaded him not to speak. Finally, when he went to the tavern he was followed by a large crowd singing John Brown and hooting. In canvassing for the election of members of Congress last summer there was what was called a reform ticket. I had nothing to do with it and did not attend the meetings. I had been somewhat isolated of late, not in personal friendship, but in political matters. I never approved of the course of this State. I was a member of the convention under Johnson's call, and favored giving the negroes all civil rights. I voted with only three men, one a northern man and another Judge Cross, of Charleston, to give all civil rights to negroes, not mentioning color, and proposed that we should present some qualifications in regard to education and property. I am satisfied that a large proportion of the older men were in favor of that proposition, but they looked to their constituents and hesitated. They expressed themselves so-Judge Dorking and others, leading men, but they had not discussed the matter with the people, and were afraid. One evening, I recollect that Judge Frost made a long speech. By the CHAIRMAN: Question. Was this in 1868? Answer. Yes, sir; I am running back a little. By Mr. VAN TRUMP: Question. We want to get, as soon as possible, to the disturbances at Chester? Answer. Well, a reformi party had a meeting. I think the feeling of the great mass of people was that they cared nothing for politics. They wanted self-preservation. They would have taken any part to save themselves. They had a called meeting of the reform party, and this fellow Wimbush, a yellow fellow, a senator, got up and interrupted the meeting. They said that was not the place for him to speak. They put him off by saying, "We will meet you when the regular meeting is held to speak on the canvass." I do not remember whether he made that proposition first or whether the reform party did; anyhow, the agreement was made that the republicans should meet the reform party to speak. Question. Who were the speakers for the reform party that day? Answer. I will tell you in a moment. They entered into a written contract how they should speak; that there should be no interruption of any speaker of either party without his consent. They signed the contract and had a meeting. There was Judge Carpen ter and this General Butler; they came. There was Tomlinson and Chamberlain came from Columbia. The negroes on that occasion-I did not see this myself, but I was informed by a republican, and he is here too-after they made this agreement they had stones all piled under their benches ready for an assault. I took occasion to get the |