The devil is getting up a new team, and wants some nigger preachers to work in the lead. If you stay here until we come again, the devil will be certain to have his team completed. K. K. K." The consternation of the freedmen was so great upon the receipt of the above warning that not a colored preacher dared to show himself in the vicinity for months afterwards. The Klan oppressed everyone not members of or in sympathy with their organization, and sought to over-ride all law and equity, upon the principle that might made right. To this end they issued warnings to business men who had come into their vicinity from the North, and who were disposed to invest capital and establish trade, but who were not of the right stripe politically--and this meant who were not sound Democrats. Numerous instances of this kind are on record. Two enterprising business men--Messrs. Gottschalk and Hughes--purchased a mill property in Atalla, Ala., belonging to one J. B. Spitzer, and made their arrangements to get out lumber. Messrs. Gottschalk and Hughes were under suspicion of not sympathizing with the Klan, politically, and a pretence was made that Mr. Spitzer, from whom they had purchased the saw mill, was indebted to persons, whom the new firm were politely requested to accept as their creditors. This they refused to do, and the following warning was sent them. "DEN OF THE GREAT GRAND HIGH CYCLOPS OF ETOWAH COUNTY, ALA. To Messrs. Gottschalk & Hughes: His royal highness, your great, grand high worthy master, notices with much pleasure that you have purchased and become the owners of the saw mill, lately owned by Mr. J. B. Spitzer. He understands very well, everything connected with that mill transaction, and it is his great pleasure that you call on the creditors of J. B. Spitzer in the morning, and approve of the debts of Mr. Spitzer. He wishes an answer to-night what you will do in the matter. By order of his royal highness, _The Great grand Cyclops of Etowah County, Ala._" Messrs. Gottschalk & Hughes paid no heed to this missive, and on the night of the 13th of November, 1871, the Klan assembled and set fire to the mill, destroying it entirely, and compelling its new proprietors to leave the place. Mr. William Gober, residing in Dade County, Georgia, was an avowed Unionist and Republican. He was active in politics and expressed his sentiments with great freedom, and was consequently classed by the Ku Klux as a carpet-bagger and a scallawag, and warned to leave the country, in the following terms:-- "DEATH. K. K. K. DEATH. Take heed for the pale horse is coming. His step is terrible; lightning is in his nostrils. He looks for a rider. Now this is to warn you William Gober, that carpet-baggers and scallawags cannot live in this country. If you are not gone in ten days, we shall come to you, and the pale horse shall have his rider.