The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1868-09-19
WAR ON THE kUKLux.
The Legislative Edict Against
the GhostIy brotherhood.
HE1Tl PENA LPIES AGAINST
MI1NIGHT MASQUERADLNG.

HE4 w PENALTIES AGAINST
MI1AIGHT MASQUERADING.
The following is the full text of the
Senate bill to suppress the Kuklux Klan,
as it passed the Tennessee House of Rep
resentatius last week, and which is now
a law i:
A bin u be entitled "An act to preserve
the pdlic peace"
srorsx j. Be it enacted by tb/Gen-
eral Assmbly of the State of Tennessee,
That iffny person or persons shall unite
4 with, aspciate with, promote or encour-
age anytsecst organization of persons
that SID Prowl through the country or
towns Of This st. - by day or by night,
disguise or otheySse, for the purpose Of
disturinS the peace, or alarming the
State, on CONVICTION by any tribunal of
the State, shall be fined not less than
five hundred dollars, imprisoned in TIE
Fsnitentiary mai lass than FIVE years, and
shall berendered Infamous.
SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That it
shall be The duty Of all the courts in this
State, before the empannelling of any
Grand Jury or petit jury in any cause
whatever TO inquire of the juror, q oath,
whether be shall be associated iH any
way obnoxious to the first section of this
act; and if such juror shall decline to
give voluntary answer, or shall answer
affirmatiyely, such person shall be dis
qualified as a juror in any case in any
court in this State.
SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That.
for the purpose of facilitating the execu-
tion of the provisions of this act, it shall
be the duty of the Prosecuting Attorneys
of this State, or Grand Jurors, or either
of them to summon, or cause to be sum-
Inoned, any person he shall have well
grounded belief has any knowledge of
such organization as described in the
| first section of this act, and if any per-
son shall fail or refuse to obey such sum
mons, orshall appear, and refuse to tes-
tify, such persons SO summoned shall
suffer the penalty imposed by the first
section Of this act; and if such witness
shall avoid the service Of said subpoena
or summons, the Sheriff, or other officer,
shall return such fact, on said process,
when the court shall order copy of said
process to be left at the last place of res
idence of such person sought to be sum
moned and if such person shall fail to
appear according to the command of said
process, said court shall enter judgment
Risi against such person, for the sum of
five hundred dollars, upon which sea ta.
shall issue, as in other cases of forfeit
ure of subpoena.
SEC. f. Be it further enacted, That
noproseeutor shall be required on any
Indictment under the provisions of this
act; aud all the courts of this State shall
give remedial construction to the same;
hand that Do sprcse.- or fnlictment
shall be qtashed, or declared Insufficient
for want Of form.
SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That
it shall be the duty of all the courts OF
this STATE, at every term, for two years
| from and ifter the passage Of this act, to
call before it all the officers thereof, who
shall be sworn, and have this act read or
explained to them and the court shall
ask said officers if they shall have any
knowledge of any person of the State, or
out of il that shall be guilty of any OF
the offenss contained in this act, and
that, if stany time they shall come to
such knowledge, or shall have we'll
grounded belief that any person or per-
sons shall be guilty of violation of this
act or any of its provisions, that they
will Immediately inform the Prosecuting
Attorney for the State thereof; and If
such Prosecuting Attorney, upon being
SO Informed, shall fail, refuse or neglect
to prosecute such person or persons so
informed on, he shall be subject to the
same penalties imposed by the first sec-
ton of this act, and shall be stricken
from the roll of attorneys in said court
SEC. 6. Be it futher enacted, That il
any ofier or other person, shall inform
any ethe person that he or she is to be
summonsdas witness under any of the
provisioas of this act, or any other statute
or law OF this State, with the intent and
for the papose of defeating any of the
provisions of this act, or any criminal
law of this State or if any officer, Clerk
Sheriff or Constable, shall refuse, or fai
to perform any of the duties imposed by
this act, anon conviction, shall suff4r tht
penalties imposed by the first seeson o.
this act, and shall be disqualified from
holding ofice in this State for two years
SEC. I. Be it further enacted, That i
any persos shall voluntarily inform OF
any pers6n guilty of any of the provis
ions of this set, T>son conviction, sucl
} informant shall Be entitled, and recei1
one-hslf Of the fine imposed; and if al
J officer. thiee- -fourths of said fine.
SEC. 8, Be it further enacted, That ;
any perssn, guilfaff any of the provis
: that shafappear before any jury or pros
5 ecuting eRcer for the State, and shal
/ inform him or them of any offense com
4 mitted by any person or persons agains
the criminal laws of this State, s1sh per
. son or witness shall not be bound 10 an
swer any charge for the violation of an
provisios Of any law about which sue
: person or witness shall beexamined an
the couh shall protect such witness fror
: anv prosecution whatever.
SEC. Q. Be it further enacted, Tha
where any process shall be issued agains
!, the person of any citizen, in any count
, of this State, for any violation of th
nyovisions of this act, and such shall b
!. returned, not executed, for any caus
whatever, by the Sheriff or other Office
to the court from which it issued wit
an. affidavit appended thereto, plainl
setting forth the reason for the non-ext
cution Of such process, then it shall /
, the duty of the Clerk, without delay,
issue an alias cdpias to the same count.
a if the home of the defendant shall be i
!: said county, either in part or in Who'll
: uhon said Sheriff or other officer sha