OUTLAWS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 11 July 1901, Page 4

OUTLAWS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.

Fighting Desperadoes.

All readers of "Sherlock Holmes" remember the famous story in which mention is made of a Ku-Klux Xiao, or secret society with criminal intent. At the same time, says the ".Daily Express," it may come as a surprise to many people to learn that at the present time there is a very powerful secret organisation in America of the same name which is terrorising whole districts. This is the Ku-Klux Klan of Kentucky '■ and the whole of that State has been living in dread of these outlaws for some months past. The first fight of note this yenr in the mountains of Kentucky occurred at noon on April 19th, when four men were killed and two badly woundrd by a couple of members of the Ku-Kux Klan, whom they had gone in search of. Fighting Like Boers. On Sunday, April 21st, no fewer than fifty of these outlaws, under the leadership of Jack Reynolds and Creed Potter, defended their mountains stockade at tho back of Boone's Forks against Detective Wright's posse. One hundred shots were fired, but the fighting was after the manner the Boers used in Natal, no man on either side daring to show himself, the cold rain descending at nightfall finding both parties still intently watching each other. About seven o'clock, however, one outlaw, becoming careless, partially .showed himself for a moment. A dozen rifles instantly cracked, and he fell. At one o'clock on Monday morning the officer of the law executed a manoeuvre, surrounding three of the desperadoes and killing two.

The hnal battle may ake place any day now, for the authorities nro determined to stamp out the band, and have gradually been perfecting their p'aus to that end ; while the outlaws, knowing that they wilt receive short shrift as'soon as they are caught, are determined to fight to the death "We won't give up even if they bring Catling guns against us," they declare. Origin Of The Band. . It is a couple of years since tho lawless bands first began to bo heard of, their reign of terror having been marked by murder, arson, and all manner of brutality, not even women and children escaping their fell clutches. Their organiser is said to be at present in the Philippines. Within a few months of its inception lot) men had sworn to carry out the decrees of the order, tho first important expedition taking place about eighteen months ago, when a couple of d< zen members, taking advantage of the absence of a householder, so brutally ill-treated his family and servants that they barely I escaped with their lives. After that, they started firing into houses withont apparent reason, while those citizens who went after them were laid in wait for and shot from ambushes ; and though hundreds of men soon began to search the country for them, the membership of tho band seemed constantly to increase. Houses nnd farmsteads were burned right and left, and houses literally riddled with bullets. „ The fnd in Sight. The recent fights and captures of members of the Ku-Klux Klan, owing to the widespread and organised efforts of the police officials, aioed by farmers and citizens, have resulted in the number of outlaws being reduced to about fifty. These outlaws have already fought three desperate battles with the officers of the law; but they are now trapped in their mountain stockade, where they will probably be shot rather than surrender.

Not the least curious feature about these outlaws is the manner in which they get themselves up when going on their desperate expeditions, the favourite method apparently being to put over head and shoulders a sack with a couple of holes cut for their eyes. This is presumably to avoid identification.