PREFACE
------------------------------------------------------------- The pages of this book have been written, some of them by active participants in the scenes herein portrayed, and others by persons who were in a position to obtain, in detail, accurate and reliable information. This book is the first advance made in this section of the country by the hardy sons of toil on the reading public, and its capitulation may be looked for if the public should prefer facts revealed in the plain, uncouth garb of an unstudied dialect rather than smooth, flowing sentences and well-rounded periods of glittering generalities based on false or imaginary premises. The fondness of the people for reading, aided simply by a rudimentary education, is developing a common ability to express in a few plain words the thoughts in our minds. And, everything considered, having something to write about is, after all, of more importance than the manner of writing it. The hardy mountaineer, whose life is spent wrestling with the forces of nature and who comes in daily contact with natures works, may have ideas, though in a crude state, of more intrinsic value than he who knows only the artificial life of the city and the intrigues and turmoil’s of an artificial humanity which Never uses Gods name except for gain, And therefore never takes His name in vain, and which finds that philanthropy converted into five per cent bonds is a paying investment. Crime in the country, to a great extent, is the result of unrestrained natural propensities - the animal in man - while crime in the city, in too many cases, is the fruit of minds diseased by pampered living and a false education, which “Hamper and entangle our souls and hinder their flight upwards.” While some chapters in the present volume contain harrowing scenes of savage cruelty, affording us a glimpse into the depths of human depravity, others exhibit those innate qualities of love, mercy and truth which are slowly but surely civilizing man and which are our only shield and protection against the demon of evil in our nature. Especially it is shocking to the moral sense to recognize the fact that the cruel deeds herein related were committed in behalf of and for the sake of good morals. We are taught the valuable lesson that the injunction, Judge not, that ye be not judged, should be as strictly observed, as the commandment, Thou shalt not commit adultery; for only He that is without sin among you is privileged to first cast a stone. Every citizen should obey the law, no matter what its defects or imperfections, until by the exercise of the elective franchise, he can remedy those defects or imperfections through the properly constituted authorities; above all, should he take care that the authorities themselves are capable, courageous and law abiding. Of the many defects in our civil law, the laws delay seems to be the most exasperating to the good citizen; yet experience and observation teach us that all law, both human and divine, move along with a mysterious tardiness that puzzles our comprehension, unless it be that deliberation is an essential requisite of perfection. Thousands of years have passed since the foundations of the earth were laid, and it is not yet completed. Nineteen hundred years ago the herald angels shouted the glad tidings, Peace on earth; good will toward men; yet there is no peace, nor has been all these years, and good will toward men is not the universal rule, though it is encouraging to note individual exceptions. A perusal of the following pages will confirm once again the many proofs in the annals of human affairs that organization, no matter what its character, rather retards than expedites the object and purpose of law, if that object and purpose be clemency and justice, based upon righteousness and truth. If any organization is necessary to strengthen the weak against the strong, the few against the many, the good against the bad, it is only a question of time when the strong, the many and the bad will dominate and control that organization, and thereby enslave those who originated it. In reality, it is the individual who improves and advances; and society keeps pace with his improvement. The individual furnishes the brains of the world: individual effort does the work of the world. Organization manacles his will power, retards his efforts and places a padlock on his mind. These thoughts have been suggested and are supported by the facts detailed in this book. A few good citizens of Sevier county, desirous of ridding the county of a certain lawless element, and disgruntled at the dilatoriness of legal methods, determined to take into their own hands, and by summary punishment eradicate the crime or exterminate the criminal. This desire led to the formation of the order called White-caps. The object of this organization made it popular with some of the better element, who aided and abetted the movement. But, lawless in its inception, it was soon dominated by the lawless element against which it was formed. The good citizens, instead of restoring law and order, became the servants and tools of disorder and mob violence. After two years of white-capism another organization was formed to down the White-caps, called Blue Bills. For one year longer, the warfare waged between these two factions kept the county in a continual state of fear and frenzy. Lawlessness was rampant. The administration of justice was a farce. The execution of the law seemed impossible. Finally the efforts of a single individual, brave, indefatigable and prompted only by a sense of duty, adopting legal methods and sustained by a fearless judge and district attorney, accomplished what two organizations failed to do - restored good order and re-established the supremacy of the law in the good county of Sevier . It is to the individuality of such men - men of character, courage and convictions - that the United States owes her greatness, society its progress and man his advancement. The Publisher
Signs and Oath of the White-Cap Organization. _____________
Passing the right hand over the right cheek indicated I am a White-cap. Passing the left hand over the left cheek answered, So am I. Subsequently the following signs were substituted: The challenge sign by placing the right forefinger on the tip of the chin, and answered by placing the left forefinger on the chin. _____________
The Oath I do solemnly swear before God and man that if I reveal anything concerning our organization or anything we may do, the penalty shall be to receive one hundred lashes and leave the county within ten days or be put to death. Now I take this oath freely and voluntarily, and am willing to abide by the obligation in every respect. I further agree and swear before God that if I reveal anything concerning our organization, that I will suffer my throat to be cut, my heart to be shot out and my body to be burned; that I will forfeit my life, my property and all that I may have in this world and in the world to come: So help me God. |