Persons not named..
Prison guard and two colored men
Quiet, —, Madison County..
Rogers, Calvin, Jackson County, October, 1869.
Simonton, Harry, Alachua County, 1867.
Smith, Gordon, Alachua County, November, 1868..
Smith, Richard, Madison County.
Stephens, Alachua County, November, 1868.
Sullivan, Cæsar, Alachua County, October, 1868.
Tension, Oscar, Madison County.
Washington, Henry, Alachua County, October, 1871.
Weaver, Samson, Columbia County, 1868.
Yerty, James W., Calhoun County, March, 1871...
Young, Wyatt, Jackson County, September, 1869..
Kreminger, J. N., killed in La Fayette County, October, 1871
KREMİNGER, REBECCA N., testimony of..
1869......78, 145, 150, 191, 207,
.80, 110, 140, 145, 291
112
.115, 117, 119, 120, 145, 179, 278
.80, 94, 112, 148, 150, 192, 207
78, 145, 150, 289, 303
168, 177, 223
forty-one years old; born in Darlington District, South Carolina; resident of
La Fayette County, Florida; widow of late Dr. Kreminger.
lived in La Fayette County since December, 1865.
her husband, Dr. John Newton Kreminger, was a native of North Carolina, and
graduated in South Carolina; was in the United States service as commissary
sergeant; enlisted in Mississippi; was drafted in confederate service from
South Carolina, but crossed the lines at first opportunity; was fifty-three years
old 16th of September, 1871; was elected to the legislature, and when killed
was county judge; was a member of State constitutional convention; was
killed on the morning of October 5, 1871, while sitting on the piazza of his
house -
was shot by J. C. Poncher; Dr. Kreminger was a leading republican in the
county; witness believes other parties were privy to his being killed; Dr.
Kreminger was objectionable to others on account of his politics; a true bill
has been found against Poncher for killing Dr. Kreminger
he has not been arrested; her husband told witness if he was killed it would
be slyly; his was the eighth murder in little more than two years; Samuel
Edwards, Mr. Ashley, and Mr. Foster, republicans, killed in 1871; a colored
man was killed in Old Town by another colored man; there are not many
northern men in the county.
lived in Darlington District, South Carolina, at the commencement of the war,
and came to Florida in 1865; Dr. Kreminger at once went into political life;
Poncher was clerk of the court for a time, and was removed through influ-
ence of Dr. Kreminger, on account of acts in office.
the character of Poncher was bad; he was a drinking-man; he shot Dr. Kre-
minger about 7 o'clock in the morning, from court-house window, forty yards
distant
witness gave testimony before grand jury, and true bill was found against
Poncher; Poncher was a democrat .
KREMINGER, REBECCA N, testimony of-Continued.
the killing of Edwards and Foster was said to have been done by Dick Hunter
and Henry Parker, who were indicted; have heard of the Ku-Klux and of
people who boasted of being Ku-Klux; the murders committed are supposed
to have been by the Ku-Klux organization; believes the murder of her hus-
band was on account of his politics.
has no personal knowledge of Ku-Klux..
Ku-Klux outrages, (see Killed, Shot, and Whipped.)
Ku-Klux threatening letters
..70, 85, 129, 261, 262, 268
Livingston, Stewart, killed in Jackson County, 1869...
LONG, T. T., testimony of...
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appointed judge of fourth judicial circuit in 1870; before that time was judge
of the third circuit, and before that of the Suwannee circuit.
pardoned by Congress, upon recommendation of military officers, and is a re-
constructionist
disabilities removed by Congress; had been State senator in Georgia, but held
no office under the United States; was a secessionist and in the war; first
came to Florida when two or three years old; removed when about twenty
years old, and came back in 1859
was a democrat, afterward a secessionist, and since the war has acted with the
republican party, till lately
sentiment of the community generally peaceable and orderly; northern men
who behave themselves have no trouble; juries are mixed, and colored jurors
more inclined to convict than white jurors; no discrimination in the courts on
account of politics; colored men can obtain justice as well as white men...
have known B. F. Tidwell, county judge, since he was a boy; before the war
Tidwell was a professional gambler; not much regard for the veracity of
Frank Myers; many cases of homicide in district of witness; the case of
Goodbread, in Columbia County, only case before witness in which there was
any politics..
police officer killed by Dixon, colored; a white man killed another white man,
both democrats; Henry Mill killed another negro; McGwin killed another
negro; Jenkins killed Winter, both colored; men of the same political party
will kill each other; seven out of ten crimes are committed by colored peo-
ple; troubles in Jackson County..
have heard that the governor said that Purman and, Hamilton caused the diffi-
culties in Jackson County..
the course of Major Purman, and others like him, has exasperated the blacks
against the whites; believes that Dickinson was killed by Bryant, colored,
on account of colored woman kept by Dickinson...
not aware of anything in the condition of Jackson County to prevent a full
investigation of cause of Dickinson's death; Calvin Rogers, colored, killed
Miss McClellan and wounded Mr. McClellan, and was killed while attempt-
ing to run away
most stringent criminal laws in Florida of any State in the Union
financial condition of the State.
tax-payers' convention in Florida.
issue of railroad bonds..
concerning taxes; legislature of the State reckless and incompetent; resources
of the State squandered.
saw Mr. Tidwell keeping faro-bank in 1859–60; played faro with him; knows
nothing against his character for truth and veracity; would not believe Frank
Myers, on account of his vacillation in politics..
a great many homicides in Jackson County since the war; thinks the course of
Hamilton and Purman had a great deal to do with them..
was told by Mr. McClellan that Dickinson was killed by Bryant, a colored man-
murders of Fleischman, Dickinson, and Finlayson.
issued warrant for parties charged with counterfeiting; did not say anything
to marshal about letting warrants be stolen from his office.
LONG, T. T., testimony of--Continued.
understood that enough democratic votes were thrown out at last election to
secure return of Walls, republican, to Congress..
Lucy, W. M., killed in Alachua County.
McClellan, James F., shot in Jackson County, 1869.
78, 145, 150, 188, 207, 290, 309
McClellan, Miss Maggie, killed in Jackson County, 1869.....78, 145, 150, 191, 207, 290, 309
Madison County, disturbance at election in..
Madison County, outrages in, (see Killed.)
Madison County, political complexion of..
Mahoney,
killed in Columbia County.
Marianna Courier, articles from...
MARTIN, MALACHI, testimony of.
forty-nine years old; born in Ireland; resident of Chattahoochee, Gadsden
County, Florida, and warden of State prison since January 1, 1869..
came to Florida in January, 1865, as captain and assistant quartermaster of
volunteers; left the Army and went to planting; the only position he has held
in the State is warden of State prison..
received a threatening letter through the mail, postmarked Marianna, Jackson
County..
received warning from two acquaintances not to go outside of walls of prison
until further notice from them; also warned not to go on a fishing excursion;
in 1868 the governor purchased in New York some arms for militia, and they
were taken from the cars and broken
have heard of secret political organizations, such as Union League, Ku-Klux,
Brotherhoods, &c.; frequent murders in Jackson County, committed by an
organization; have heard persons say they belonged to the democratic club;
first heard of it in 1868
the political feeling in Gadsden County is very peaceable; some difficulty on
day of election; threats made against republicans; Lincoln Brotherhood...
in 1869 some of his guard made arrangements to capture Thomas Barnes, un-
derstood to be a Ku-Klux assassin, and supposed to be the murderer of Dr.
Finlayson, in Jackson County; two colored men were killed, whose bodies
witness buried
murder of Mr. Fleischman.
murder of Mr. Yerty by Luke Lot.
murder of Miss McClellan, and wounding of her father.
murder of Mr. Dickinson; one black man killed and another wounded; Calvin
Rogers, colored, killed; young ladies in Marianna, Jackson County, exam-
ined concerning desecration of graves of Union soldiers..
understood that the Lincoln Brotherhood was formed in 1867 or 1868, and after-
ward merged in the Union League; is not a member of the organization;
Thomas Barnes shot in a drunken row.
threats made against Major Purman, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Gibbs, and others;
colored man and child shot while going to a picnic, in Jackson County..
republicans largely in the majority in Jackson County; two-thirds majority at
election of Hamilton for Congress; have heard persons say they preferred a
monarchy to the Government of the United States
MEACHAM, ROBERT, (colored,) testimony of ....
about thirty-six years old; born in Gadsden County, and lives in Jefferson
County, Florida; State senator and register of United States land office ;
lived in Jefferson County since May 30, 1866; before that time lived for
fifteen years in Tallahassee, and before that in Quincy, Gadsden County,
where he was born and raised..
his father was his master, and when he died left witness acting as servant to
his master's wife's sister; once sent him to school, but parents of white chil-
dren objecting, he had to leave school; the first office witness held in Florida
was that of registrar, under reconstruction acts, under General Pope; was a
member of constitutional convention, and is a member of State legislature ;
has been superintendent of schools in Jefferson County, and clerk of county
was a domestic servant till close of the war
the colored people are getting along tolerably well; a few are procuring homes
for themselves; persons who have land will not sell to colored people, or ask
more for it than colored men can pay; colored people have had much trouble
about their contracts; they are discharged on the slightest grounds when the
crops are laid by in August and September, thus losing their share of the
crops
MEACHAM, ROBERT, (colored,) testimony of-Continued.
many colored people are committed to jail by justices of the peace for the most
frivolous and trifling things, though but few in Jefferson County; there is
not a good feeling on the part of white people in regard to colored people
voting; white people say they are in favor of colored schools, but will do
nothing to help them, and will not engage in teaching them; teachers of col-
ored schools are treated with contempt.
particulars of disturbance at election in Jefferson County, November, 1870.
about five hundred republicans prevented from voting; all the democrats voted;
Colonel Bird indicted by grand jury of United States court for disturbing
election
colored vote of Jefferson County about 2,500 or 2,600, and white vote 600 or
700; two colored men and one white man elected to legislature when witness
was elected; at last election two colored men and one white man elected to
legislature; the colored members-elect can read and write
there is State provision for public-school system, and State law concerning
contracts between employer and laborer
believes that among white employers there is some understanding to manage
so as to prevent colored people from having all they have justly earned; per-
haps six white people in Jefferson County vote the republican ticket
white men in Jefferson County pretty much all democrats; men who treat
laborers fairly can get all the labor they want..
Militia, arms for, destroyed....
MONTGOMERY, DAVID, testimony of...
thirty-five years old; born in New York; resident of Madison County,
Florida; been sheriff of that county over three years.
made five hundred arrests..
came to Florida in 1857, and been in the State off and on since then; was a
mason, brick-layer, and plasterer before the war.
was collector of the county for a time...
there have been 37 murders in the county, and no person convicted; John T.
Glass was tried and acquitted for killing Oscar Tension, colored; the grand
jury has found a bill against no other person for murder; three white men,
Smith, Quiet, and Allison killed; Smith killed by colored men..
three white men went to the house of Mr. Allison, about half-past 12 at night,
called him out and shot him; four or five persons whipped in upper part of
the county, near Georgia line; the last person whipped about 1st of October,
1871; believes there is a Ku-Klux organization in the county; been told so
by one person who was solicited to join it; colored man of the name of Gent
killed
two years ago the wife and daughter of a colored man named Scarboro were
whipped; a man of the name of Sapp told witness there was a Ku-Klux or-
ganization in upper part of county and in Georgia; store and stock of goods
belonging to witness burned December 17, 1870; store of Mr. Hausman
burned November 6, 1871; store of Mr. Katzenburg set on fire twice; the
night before the last election seven or eight companies of armed and mounted
men came into town, and many colored men were thereby kept from voting;
all the victims of murders, whippings, and burnings belong to the republi-
can party...
no jury can be obtained to convict those offenders; witness was fired at one
night while going to his residence in the country; his horse was shot in two
places, two shots in his buggy, and witness was obliged to remain in the
woods all night; could not recognize the party; they were armed with guns
and muskets...
a colored justice of the peace received a letter signed K. K. K., threatening him
if he did not resign; a colored deputy sheriff, of the name of Sampson, re-
ceived a similar letter; Glass was tried in 1869 by a white jury and acquitted
on the ground of self-defense...
there are perhaps a hundred white republicans in the county, if they could be
got to vote; do not know any one who belongs to a secret political organiza-
tion; heard a man of the name of McClary say "he could toot his horn and
get eighty men at his call any time;" he said it while under the influence of
liquor; summoned a posse to assist in making an arrest, and they refused..
no difficulty in making arrests, if the parties can be reached; think they get
information from members of the grand jury and keep out of the way.
armed parties came into town the day before election from different parts of
the county; they were armed with pistols, guns, and muskets, and camped
in the woods..
MONTGOMERY, DAVID, testimony of-Continued.
have seen no bands of disguised men; it is difficult for a northern man to live
in the interior of the State..
southern republicans are treated as badly as northern men.............
a man by the name of Bryant was killed in October, 1870, and the parties
charged with killing him have been arrested.
they are colored men, and are awaiting trial.
Morris, Alexander, hanged in Alachua County, 1871
MYERS, FRANK, testimony of..
thirty-three years old; born in South Carolina; resident of Columbia County,
Florida, for about two years; before that time lived in Alachua and Her-
nado Counties; for a time was traveling agent of the Florida Courier.......
was county commissioner at one time; never voted any but democratic ticket,
but does not now affiliate with democratic party; holds no office now
joined a democratic club in 1868, in Alachua County, and was invited to join the
Secret Service Club, but did not; the object of Secret Service Club, as ex-
plained, was to use force or violence, if necessary, to prevent secretly and
effectually certain parties from exerting too great influence with the colored
population of that county
thinks that organization is what is commonly known as Ku-Klux.
constitution of Young Men's Democratic Club..........
the oath of the Secret Service Club was not committed to writing..
the secret service oath was to obey all orders or edicts from the chief of the
club, the central chief of the county, or the central chief of the State; also
to remove, by any means possible, any obstacle in the way of the success of
the democratic party.
the attack, in 1870, on William H. Birney, district attorney in the fifth judicial
circuit of the State, was stated by one of the parties to be by members of
the Secret Service Committee; a negro hung in Alachua County, in the
winter of 1870-'71, by the same organization; a copy of the constitution of
Young Men's Democratic Club was given to witness, when he removed to
Hernando County, in order that he could organize clubs in that county
do not know who was at the head of the order; has understood that the State
organization was completed; has had nothing to do with the club since
1869; the central chief in Alachua County was Dr. Dudley; signed the con-
stitution in 1868; was then acting with the democratic party; organized
two clubs in Hernando County; has no knowledge of Secret Service Com.
mittee, except verbal instructions to enable him to organize them.
no disguise was provided; do not know personally of unlawful acts committed
by members of the club; obtained the particulars of the attack on General
Birney from one of the parties concerned in it..
secret service oath was not administered to witness, but stated to him in order
to enable him to organize clubs; in February, 1869, two negroes were hung
by Ku-Klux in Hernando County.
believes there were half a dozen clubs in Alachua County; do not know the
members of the Secret Service Committee; was told by members of the dem-
ocratic club that members of the Secret Service Committee hung the negro
in Alachua County
each club had a name; witness was one of the first to join the club to which
he belonged, which was the first club in the county; does not know where
the club originated
NELSON, JOSEPH, (colored,) testimony of..
going on twenty-two years of age; born in Calhoun County, Florida, and now
resides in Jacksonville; came from Marianna, Jackson County, in 1869,
because of an attempt to kill him; followed carpentering and farming in
Jackson County.
voted at last election, and voted for some officer two years ago, and after-
ward found that he was not old enough to vote
in 1869, Oscar Granberry, Matt Nichols, and wife and son, were killed; and
Calvin Rogers killed; Silas Pitman shot since 1869..
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