Matters went on thus for nearly a year. On the night of the 15th of May, 1871, Washington shut and barred his cabin door, as was his custom upon retiring, placed his gun and a single barrelled pistol by his bedside, and turned in, to sleep. About eleven o'clock, he was suddenly awaked by a thumping upon the closed shutter of the only window in the hut, and upon inquiring who was there, he recognized the voice of a friendly negro, outside, who answered--
"Day's a pow'r o' men a comin' up der road, yender--an' yer muss look out for yar se'f Wash'n't'n, dass a fack."
This timely and kindly warning from his friend was very gratefully listened to by Washington, who replied that his informer must try to get help to him, if possible. And quickly dressing himself, the former slave awaited the assault which he now anticipated, from the look of affairs outside, so near his hut.
The mounted band rode up very soon afterwards, and having been refused admittance, some of them dashed in the door. Washington was a powerful man, well built and very muscular--while his self-possession was always remarkable, when in peril. The interior of the shanty being quite dark, he crouched down in one corner, and fired upon his assailants with the pistol first and then immediately discharged the gun. Both shots took effect, and two of the Klan fell heavily to the floor.
Clubbing his musket, he then desperately rushed upon the enemy, determined, if he must die, that he would sell his life as dearly as possible; but the odds were altogether too heavy against him. The gun-stock in his brawny hands, was shattered at the first blow struck by his powerful arm, and then the band sprang forward and secured him, though not without a furious struggle. He was at once taken out of the cabin, a rope was placed about his neck, and thrown over the projecting limb of the nearest convenient tree, from which his body was quickly dangling, a lifeless corpse. They hung him without accusation, judge or jury, until he was dead, dead, dead--in accordance with the terms of the bitter oath of the Ku Klux Klan, whose victims are doomed "for opinion's sake!"
One of the gang had been mortally wounded by Washington's first shots, and died on the following day. Two others had been seriously hurt, and one of them was crippled for life. The body of Washington was left hanging beneath the tree for several days after this conflict, and until the negroes in the neighborhood gathered courage sufficient to cut it down, and give it decent burial; which they did at night, secretly and mournfully, for their late friend's sudden and violent death, proved an affliction indeed to the poor creatures, towards whom he had been so kind and clever an instructor and companion.