Hide Article Text (OCR)
MOUNTAIN KUKLUX.jomy rriGoirr*Toir, a oofbiz tmai-TO It* oy MX* WAT TO JASPER JAIL.Two Qthiri Brouflit to Atlanta Twtcrtny,but RcknMd on Boml-Kaklug » Total of FlftND of Utfl CUtn Amitcd.Tlirt leader of the Pickens ku4lux is on Iub way to jail at Jasper With lug arrwt came a lot of developments, and a full Btory of tlie organization and working of the band is now in black and vlnte in the possession of tlie state and federal authorities It is one of tl a moot remarkable chapters m the criminal history of Georgia James Wigpngton, the prisoner referred to, is the man who wrote the solemn compact, or constitution of the order, find w ho admiiue to red the oath to most of the members llo was the head and front of the gang His position m the more remarkable because he was justice of the peace in the mihtaa district w licro these outrages were committed In the mount*!ti district* a peculiar dignity attaches to this office The ‘ squire Is the represcntatii e of law and order, and usually selected for Ins honesty and stability That such an officer of the law nhoald forget his oath and not only forget It but cover violations of law w »th lus cloak of office, is something almost incredible Wigginton, moreover, is thought to be the man that burned W M Ledford's house in December last He was arrested m this chagjc, and hia arrest caused great excitement, even lndigha-tion Not one of hie neighbors belie*, ed that he was guilty of tlie charge, and when Wig gmgtcm was “sworn out” by members of the c’an they were all ready to congratulate him 011 the acquittalA DOtTBt.1t TRAITOtt Wigginlou betrayed Ins associates Through him tlio officers liad tboir first mtu tnnatiou of tlie existence of the Clan Ho can ccalod lus own part in the matter, and was released with tlio understanding that ho was to tuin state s evidence As soon as ho was released, however, he lt;hs appeared from home \\ hen the officers needed him, ho conld not ta found Gradually »t leaked out that Wig guigtou Inmsell was concerned in the outrages, and was a member id the order No effort w vs spared then to secure his arrest lit* w is finally Hacked to Binning him one sled aud »s now on his way 10 J ispciHu, testimony agaiust him is said to bo con ihisn i.TW ( OTHttllS CAPTURFD t liter IVndley and William Fields were In ought in fioin Pickcua comity yesterday limy liad been surrendered at Jaspei by then friends bond having teen arranged for them beforehand Each of thorn gam bond for SI 000 anil tlie are at liberty now They arc wrested ujxin a chaige of arson Then u-mcs arc two of the tweiiiv^evin that in ide the li-st. of membership o£ the Honest Man a brtend and ProtectorTHF OnDER HROKtN OPA instory ol the organization has already been given in Thk Cu8TiTtT«0N Twenty se\en moonshiner*. whose ijawcs are all known, banded tl.emsolves together to dme olT informers, and for mutual protection in tlio carrying on of illicit distilleries\Y ]|f.n oue ot their members was asif ated, tlicsc men wore sworn to perjure themselves to acquit him In tins way it was almost impossible to convict one of them Heath was the penalty prescribed for belt iyalAh an organization, they havo planned and executed a number of outrages Houses have been burned at night, and several times the deputy marshal s posses have been fired upou Now, however, more than half of the whole number lia\ o been arroted, and other arrests will followBy common consent some of tho prisoners are to answer charges m tho state court for aT son, and others are to be tried in tlio federal courts for conspiracy Where the charge of aison ran likely be proven, the state court has preference Tho charge of conspiracy holds ag.nnst all of them, and where tho proof of arson i- incomplete the prisoner is charged in the federal court with conspiracy Hiitrirt Attorney Darnoll will carry all tlie cases before the United State9 circuit court grand jury, and secure billa against nil Tor conspiracy In case n conviction is not had in state courts, the prisoner ran be Immediately re-arrested and tncd in the federal courts Those arrested are J AMES WIGOINGTON.HARRISON JONES THOMAS FUNLEY THOMAS FIELDS ELI FIELDS JACK LAN8UON JACK SINGLY SEABR LANSDON JOHN FORREST GEOROE COFFEE DAVE WHEELER HAMILTON RICHARDS PATTON MILLER CARTER PKNDLEY WILLI VM FIELDSThe two lost are the ones released yesterdayon bond in Atlanta There ore twelve moreA BMALL PIECE OF BUSINESS,
Newspaper Details
Atlanta Constitution
Atlanta, Georgia, US
Sun, Mar 09, 1890
Page 21
Full Page
Clipped by
Pat F.
TX, USA 14 Jun 2019
Other Publications Near Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta Weekly Intelligencer and Cherokee Advocate
Atlanta Presbyterian of the South
Atlanta University Center Light
Atlanta Crogman Cycle
Atlanta Daily Constitution
