New Orleans Republican

Berea, Ky., April 12, 1871.

Editors Louisville Commercial:

The following account of Ku-Klux barbarity is furnished at our request. Mr. Wheeler is a worthy Christian farmer, living in this place, and a trustee of Berea College. We have known him intimately for five years, and have no doubt of the entire truthfulness of his statement. We send several copies simultaneously to leading papers, hoping it may help to impress good citizens of both sections with the necessity of maintaining law and order, and promoting Christian civilization in the South.

What cognizance Kentucky courts will take of this crime is yet to be determined.

E. H. FAIRCHILD,

President of Berea College.

JOHN G. FEE,

Pastor of Christ Church.

J. A. R. ROGERS,

Professor in Berea College.

JOHN A. JACKSON,

Justice of the Peace.

Statement of Mr. Wheeler.

On the fourteenth of March I went with my wife and little daughter to Fitchburg, in Estill county, the seat of the Red River Ironworks, on business. We were acquainted with about a dozen colored people, most of whom had been students in Berea, and two whites. On the fifteenth, after attending to my business, I visited my former acquaintances. We took dinner with a colored family, former residents of Berea, and toward night the woman rode out with my wife from the hotel where we were stopping. At night I attended a prayer meeting at the colored church—the only church in the place—and as I was returning alone, was met by two men, who, when they had passed me called out roughly, 'Hold on: you are the man we want to see.' I replied, 'I don't want to see you,' and passed on. They rushed up, crying, 'Surrender! surrender!' I ran, and they fired at me. At the same time two or three other men sprang from the roadside and fired. After running about thirty steps in the darkness I stumbled over a pile of cinders and fell. They had fired seven shots and ceased, probably supposing I had been hit.

Along the streets and at the hotel I met crowds who had heard the firing and thought it was an effort to rob me. I retired without informing my wife of the occurrence. About two or three o'clock we were awakened by confusion in front of the hotel, and heard voices calling 'open the door.' I looked cautiously out and saw by the light of furnace fires twenty or thirty men in line, some or all with guns. Several were soon at our door shaking it violently and calling 'open the door; you shan't be hurt.' My wife said, 'Oh, what shall we do?' 'Pray,' said I; 'Jesus will take care of me.' Knowing that resistance would be worse than useless, I opened the door. There stood the landlord with a light, and a half-dozen men who seized me, dragged me down stairs and rushed me, barefoot, over the cinders, the leader shouting, 'all in; file left, double quick.' Meantime the leader pounded me with his fist, uttering the most terrible curses and oaths.

In reply to some threats of theirs, I said: 'I love Jesus, and he will take care of me.' 'Yes,' said they, 'you Methodist hypocrite, you'll see how Jesus will take care of you when you are hanging twenty feet high.' I said, 'You may hang me, but you can not harm me.' About a quarter of a mile from town they halted at a large log. The leader then seized me by the hair, another by the feet, and stretched me over the log, and two strong men began to whip me with large hickory whips. After they had struck several times (I counted thirty-nine blows), they stopped for a parley. Their only accusation against me was that I was a Northern man, with Northern principles; that I associated with niggers, and had come to establish a nigger school.

I told them that I was formerly from Michigan, and held Northern principles, but had no intention of establishing a colored school. They said, 'You must give up your principles.' I replied, 'I can not.' 'Then we will whip them out of you.' 'This,' said I, 'you can not do.' 'Then we will hang you.' I said, 'This will not kill my principles.' They added a dozen lashes, then took me to a spring, and at my request let me drink. They asked me if I had a family, and if I wished to write to them. I said, 'If I never hoped to see them again I would.' The officers retired for consultation, and determined to give me ten more lashes and an hour to leave town. As my business was done, and we were expecting to go at daylight, I promised to leave within the time. 'Now, boys,' they said, 'give it to him.' I folded my arms, and they gave me ten lashes about the shoulders. I was very thankful that I could receive the blows in a new place. Having sworn most awful vengeance if I should ever reveal their names, they let me go. It was so dark I could not distinguish any faces. While I was gone from the hotel my wife entreated in vain for some person to follow after me. Though there were twenty or thirty lodgers at the hotel, and many of the company's hands within easy call, no one seemed inclined to do anything about it.

W. W. WHEELER.