Report of the Joint select committee appointed to inquire into the condition of affairs in the late insurrectionary states, so far as regards the execution of laws, and the safety of the lives and property of the citizens of the United States and Testimony taken.

ALABAMA-SUB-COMMITTEE. 1917
Question. Did they make any threat in case you did not?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What was that threat?
Answer. That I would be killed.
Question. Were there any insignia or devices on the letters t
Answer. What do you mean by that?
Question. Ku-Klux signs.
Answer. It was signed " K. K. K."
Question. Had they any devices such as cross-bones, and death's-heads, and coffins?
Answver. No, sir; nothing of that.
Question. Both of these letters were signed "K. K. K.?"
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. You understand that to mean " Ku-Klux Klan?"
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. How was the last one signed?
Answeer. That after I was shot? It was reminding me that I had been shot, that I
made a narrow escape, and warning me that this was the third and last notice.
Question. Notice to leave the country?
Answer. Yes, sir; and that if I did not, it would be at my peril-at the peril of my
life.
Question. Did you consider your life in danger?
Answer. I did.
Question. You may state your position and course during the late war.
Answer. Well, sir, before the war, up to the time of secession, I was a whig, and belonged to the whig party, and I opposed secession with all the power I had. After secession came on us, and our State seceded, of course I went with that side-with the
people.
By Mr. BLAIR:
Question. Which side?
Answer. I went with the secessionists. I was for the war, and was as anxious for
the war to succeed then as any man in the community. I did all I could.
By the CHAIRMAN:
Question. Were you in the army?
Answer. No, sir. I was fortunate enough to stay out of the army.
Question. What course did you take after the surrender?
Answer. Well, sir, I surrendered with the army, sir, and have been surrendered ever
since. I was for the Government.
Question. Were your sentiments after the war well known to the public?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Did they make you odious with your former friends and acquaintances
Answer. Well, sir, I was very neutral; I had nothing to say about the war; I was
for accepting the situation; I did not make myself odious, nor officious, nor disagreeable; I submitted quietly; I had very little to say; I advised men that talked with
me to take the same course.
Question. When you took office under the State government after the war, what
were the sentiments of your old neighbors and acquaintances?
Answer. They advised me to do it.
Question. Advised you to take the office?
Answer. Yes, sir; they signed my petition for the office.
Question. How do you account, then, for this uprising against you; this attempt to
drive you from the State?
Answer. Well, sir, after the elections here-last year's elections-in the fall of 1870,
when the State went democratic, the appoiiting power went back into the democratic
party. W ell, the idea then was-that is my opinion-that if they could get me out,
and get others out, and get vacancies, those parties could get appointments.
Question. You think the object of this persecution, then, was to get you out of office?
Answer. I think so, and to intimidate the party as much as possible.
Question. Had you, while in office, affiliated with the radical party or the democratic
party?
Answer. I had affiliated, sir, with the radical party.
Question. Did that create any ill-feeling against you in the community?
Answer. I expect it did. A great many professed to be friends, to have great friendship for me, but I do not know whether it was real or not, sir.
Question. Do you suppose these letters to have been written and these shots to have
been fired by the same persons?
Answer. I cannot say, sir. I have not my mind made up upon that-no opinion. I
saw the party that shot me on the road. That was in the day-time. He was lying off
the road about thirty steps in the corner of the fence with his gun poked through a
crack, and he fired into me as I drove along.