THE KU-KLUX CONSPIRACY.

This report consists of thirteen volumes.

Volume I contains the report of the committee and the views of the minority.

Volume II contains the testimony taken by the committee in relation to North Carolina, and the report of the trials in the United States circuit court held at Raleigh, North Carolina.

Volumes III, IV, and V contain testimony taken by the committee in relation to South Carolina, and the report of the trials in the United States circuit court held at Columbia, South Carolina. Index to the three volumes is contained in volume III.

Volumes VI and VII contain testimony taken by the committee in relation to Georgia. Index is contained in volume VI.

Volumes VIII, IX, and X contain testimony taken by the committee in relation to Alabama. Index is contained in volume VIII.

Volumes XI and XII contain testimony taken by the committee in relation to Mississippi. Index is contained in volume XI.

Volume XIII contains miscellaneous testimony taken by the committee, testimony in relation to Florida, and miscellaneous documents.

CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.

SOUTH CAROLINA-Continued.

SPARTANBURGH, SOUTH CAROLINA, July 10, 1870.

HAMPTON PARKER (colored) sworn and examined.

By the CHAIRMAN:

Question. Do you live in this county?

Answer. Yes, sir. I live about eight miles and a half from here, at Mr. King's place, below that old camp ground.

Question. How long have you lived in this county.

Answer. I suppose about twenty years.

Question. Where did you live before?

Answer. I was born in the low country, and my old master moved up here. Mr. Parker lives out here now at Rich Hill.

Question. What business do you follow?

Answer. I follow farming.

Question. Have you land rented, or do you work on shares?

Answer. I am working on shares now.

Question. Have the Ku-Klux ever been to disturb you ?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. When?

Answer. I reckon it has been about two months ago, as nigh as I can get at it.
Question. Go on and tell the committee what they did to you.

Answer. They whipped me. They came in upon me and whipped me. When they first came in they asked me who did I belong to. I told them my name was Hampton Parker. They said, "Who did you belong to?" I said, "Mr. Parker I used to belong to, and go by the name of Hampton Parker." "Where do you live now?" they said. I said, "I am staying now at Mr. Sam. Mean's place, farming." They first asked me if I had a gun, and to bring out that gun. I had brought the gun out before. I had stepped out when I heard an owl over the fence, but that was when they came to the first house. I had heard an owl, and had stepped out after it. They were coming down the line then. I took the gun out then; I sat it over my door; when I came back I laid it in the corner of the chimney. They made such an alarm that it scared me, and they asked me where was the gun, and I said, "It is here." They told me to get it. I told them I would get it. They said, "Get it quick." I said, "I left it lying in the chimney," and I went to get it, and they asked me what I was doing with it. I told them I had 'low'd to shoot at the owl that was going to catch the chickens. They said I was a d-d liar. I said no, I was 'not. He said, "I'm going to shoot you." I said, “O, no, master; I have done no harm." Says he, "I'm going to shoot you." Says I, "Please don't." He says, "I will do it ;" and he took a pistol and rammed it to my breast, and said, "Do you know what this is?" I says, "Yes; I know." They

knocked it against my head. I had two pistols, one at my breast and another at my head. They brought in the gun; I had it loaded; they put it against my breast, and said, "Do you know what is in that?" I said, "Yes, sir." They asked me for cartridges. I told them I knew nothing about them, for I never saw any in my life. They asked for my pistol. I said I never had one. They asked for a line to hang me. I told them I had no line. I had this coat lying on a stick. They dragged it down. They had broken the door down. They pulled this over my head. I told him, "Master, I have a handkerchief in my pocket." They took that and drew it across my eyes so tight that they almost put my eyes out. I'low'd that would be the last of me, though I was not guilty of anything. They said, "Let's go." It was just as blind as midnight to me, but I knew that they were neighborhood people, and God knows it. They took me by the arm and double-quicked me about one hundred and eighty or two hundred yards. I was a cripple too. They asked me what crippled me. I told them, "Driving the coach for my boss all the time." They said, "I will cripple you better than that. Hurry up, and let's go to the other company." I could not see, being blindfolded. By the time I got there, just in the twinkling of an eye, they had hauled off my shirt this side and that side, and tore it loose and took it off. They didn't give me time or wait for me to unbutton it; they jerked it right off, and slipped it over my head; and they hauled my suspenders over my shoulders. They got over the fence, and cut and handed brushes with the peaches and all on them; they were young peach trees about as big as the end of my finger. Then they gave me about forty or fifty lashes that cut me into the flesh. I never have had such a whipping since I have been a man grown; I might have got it when I was a little boy, for little children have to have whippings; but I have always tried to behave myself, and act like a negro ought to act, and I didn't think there would be ever such a time as this. I had laid out in the woods for months like I was a dromedary or a hog or a cow, afraid to go into the house; that was hard, I think, for poor negroes; but I knew it was neighborhood people did it. Question. Do you know who they were?

Answer. I could not preserve the voices at all when I was blindfolded, they were talking so furious.

Question. What makes you think they were neighborhood people?

Answer. I know it because, there has been so much riding about in the neighborhood, since so many of them have happened.

Question. How were they dressed?

Answer. One had horns-the one that put the pistol to my breast. I was right by the fireplace. I was turning up my old eyes to find him out, but his voice was so curious I couldn't tell, and for fear I could tell him he had me blindfolded in the twinkling of an eye. When he got my ammunition and gun that was all they wanted. Question. Did they take the gun?

Answer. Yes, sir. I have never seen it since.

Question. What kind of a gun was it?
Answer. It was a breech-loading gun.

Question. Where did you get it?

Answer. I bought it from Bill Littlejohn; it used to belong to Mr. Littlejohn. I had one small gun, and we made a swap.

Question. Was it your own gun?

Answer. Yes, sir. I paid the money for the first gun, which I swapped with Bill, because his gun was heavier. I didn't get the gun to do any injury, and had not done any injury with it since.

Question. Have you ever heard of it since that time?

Answer. Not hide nor hoof of it since, nor never will under God's sunshine.

Question. Was that all?

Answer. Yes, sir. I will never tell no lie.

Question. Was anybody else whipped there?

Answer. Yes, sir; another man in my neighborhood, who is out here sitting down on the steps.

Question. What is his name?

Answer. Joe. He belonged to Dr. Miller, and lived up on Tiger.

Question. Was he whipped the same night?

Answer. Yes, sir; and double-quicked.

Question. Have you told all that you saw and heard?

Answer. I have told you all that I know that will justify. I didn't think no such thing would ever happen in our country.

Question. How old are you?

Answer. About sixty something, sir; a poor old critter, trying to live right and do what is right, as near as I can, and then to be cut up without having done nothing, for I had done no harm.

Question. How long have you slept out?

Answer. Two months.

Question. Had you slept out before that?

Answer. No, sir; not until just before they come upon us. After they killed old uncle Wally out there-when they had killed such an old man as that, with a head as white as that paper, I didn't know how soon they might come to send me up.

Question. Have you any family?

Answer. No, sir. I have sisters and brothers.

Question. You live by yourself?

Answer. I live on Mr. Mean's place; we are cropping together.

By Mr. STEVENSON:

Question. How do the other colored people feel out there?

Answer. They all have to sleep in the woods.

Question. How do the white republicans feel?

Answer. I don't know what they have to say about it. They were as much troubled as I was.

Question. They were disturbed too?

Answer. A good many of them, I suppose, was disturbed, and a good many of them were as much disturbed as I was. I expect some of them have been here to-day.

By Mr. VAN TRUMP:

Question. What white people that you know of?

Answer. Mr. Henly, Mr. Foster; and Mr. Gossett, and they disturbed Mr. Bates too; that is as far as I know.

Question. How do you know that all the colored people in all that whole region are sleeping in the woods?

Answer. I have heard them say so; that they cannot rest at night.

Question. Have you heard everybody say so?

Answer. Yes, sir; several have said so. The colored people have to rest in the woods. Question. That is not all.

Answer. No, sir; but there is not many in the neighborhood. They are pretty nigh shuffled out of that neighborhood.

Question. Where have they gone?

Answer. I don't know. They had orders to leave.

Question. How long have they been gone?

Answer. They have gone since the planting of the crops, and have had to leave the crops, I suppose, like it is in other places.

Question, Where have they gone from?

Answer. Several have left from Mr. Bates's place, but that is not in my neighborhood Question. Who left your neighborhood, and where have they gone to?

Answer. I don't know where they have gone to.

Question. How many families have left?

Answer. Two families left our neighborhood.

Question. Why did they leave?

Answer. They had to leave.

Question. On what account?

Answer. On account of the Ku-Klux.

Question. How do you know that?

Answer. They said they could not stay. They told others, and it passed from others. Question. Is it a habit of you colored people never to move about?

Answer. We have to move about.

Question. Do you not have to move about every season?

Answer. Yes, sir; but if you start your farm, you wish Providence to provide for you and finish your farm work; but if you have to run away from it by enemies, of course you can't tend to it, nor any one else can tend to it, and you lose it. If you have orders to leave you are obliged to leave.

Question. I ask you if it was not a habit of the colored people to leave?

Answer. Yes, sir; when the season is out, after they have made their farms, but not while they have their farms all ready in order to then leave it.

Question. Who has left in that way?

Answer. Several there.

Question. Who are they?

Answer. I called two familes from Mr. Bates's.

Question. Who else?

Answer. I know a family down here at Mr. Parker's, right were I live. They had to leave and go where Master Edward is. They is right in his yard.

By Mr. STEVENSON:

Question. Do you know how much these people have planted, or had to give up on Mr. Bates's farm?

Answer. I don't know.

Question. Are there not several fields there?

Answer. I know there is a good many fields, but I can't tell.