The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1868-09-18
WAR on TIE KUKLUX,
The Legislative Edict Against the Ghost
ly Brotherhood.
Heavy Penalties Against Midnight Mas
querading.

ate bill to suppress the Kuklux KIan, as it
passed the House on the 10Th, and which is
now a law:
a bin to be entitled can act to preserve the public
peace"
SECTION 1. Be at enacted By the General
Assens5Iy Qtt6e State Of Tennessee, That if
any person or persons shall unite with, as
sociate with, promote or encourage any Sc
oret organization of persons that shall prowl
through the country or towns Of this State,
by day or by night, disguised or otherwise,
for the purpose Of disturbing the peace, or
alarming the peaceable citizens Of any por-
ton Of this State, shall be fined not less
than FIVE hundred dollars, Imprisoned in
the penitentiary not less than Eve years, and
shall be rendered infamous.
SEG g. Be IT, further enacted, That it shall
be the duty of ell the courts in this State,
before the empanneling of any Grand Jury
or petit jury in any cause whatever, to in
quire of the Juror, on oath, whether he shall
be associated in way obnoxious to the first
section of this act; and If such juTerashall
decline to give voluntary answq Fall
answer affirmatiyely, such persof~1ll be
disqualified as juror in any case in any
court in this State.
Sec. 5. Be Il further enacted, That, for
the purpose of facilitating the execution of
the provisions Of this act, it shall be the du-
ty of the Prosecuting Attorneys of this
State. or Grand Jurors, or either of them, to
summon, or cause to be summoned, 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 person shall fail OF refuse to obey
such summons, or shall appear, and refuse
to testify such person SO summoned shall
suffer the penalty imposed by the first sec
ton of this act; and if such witness shall
avoid the service of said subpoena or sum
mons, the Sheriff, or other officer, shall re-
| turn such fact, on said process, when the
court shall order copy of said process to
be left at the last place of residence of such
! person sought to be summoned; and if such
person shall fail to appear according to the
command of said process, SAID court shall
enter judgment ni8j against such person,
for the sum Of FIVE hundred dollars, upon
which SCI. ia. shall issue, as in other cases
of forfeiture of subpoena.
SEC. 4. Be Il further enacted, That nc
prosecutor shall be required on any iudiot-
ment under the provisions of this act; and
all the courts of this State shall give a re-
medal construction to the same, and that
no presentment or indictment shall be
quashed, or declared insufficient for want 0
form.
SEC. 5. Be IT, further enacted, That it shal
be the duty of all the courts of this State
at every term, for two years from and a(te
the passage Of this act, to call before it al
the officers thereof. who shall be sworn
and have this act read or explained to them
and the court shall ask such officers if they
shall have any knowledge of any person c
the State, or out of it, that shall be guilty
Of any of the offenses contained in this act
and that, if at any time they shall come t
such knowledge, or shall have q well
grounded belief that any person or person
shall be guilty of violation of this act Q
any of its provisions, that they will imme
diately inform the Prosecuting AttoFne
for the State thereof and if such Prosecut
ing Attorney, upon being so informed, sha
= fail, refuse OF neglect to prosecute sue
person or persons so informed on, he sha
, be subjected to the same penalties impose
by the first section of this act, and shall b
stricken from the roll of attorneys in sal
court.
SEC. 6. Be 4: further aractsd, That if an
officer, or other person, shall inform an
other person that he or she is to be sun
moned. as witness under any Of the Provi:
ions of this act, or any other statute or la
of this State, with the intent and for Il
purpose of defeating any of the provision
=. of ihis act, or any criminal law of th
State; or ifany officer, Clerk, Sheriff OF Coz
: stable, shall refuse or fail to perform any
9 the duties imposed by this act, upon oOnvi
. ton, shall suffer the penalties imposed
the FIRST section of this act, and shall be di
; qualified from holding Office in this Sta
= for two years.
SEc.7. Be Il further enacted, That if ar
person shall voluntarily inform on any Pc
l. son guilty of any of the provisions Of th
J. act. upon conviction, such informant sh'
It be entitled, and receive half Of the f
-e imposed; and If an officer, three-fourths
/ said fine.
SEC 9. Be Il further enacted, That if al
IN person, guilty of any of the provisions
offences enumerated in this act, that shI
appear before a jury or prosecuting ofic
~ for the State, and shall in form him or the
Of any offence committed by any person