The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-08-31
THE wHITECAPs.
This Band Of Iuaiana Ku Hlux to be Broked I'M. :.
Adjective Initiated with tho League,


A short time ngo detective was hired by
prominent Indiana men to investigate nnl
i possible expose the workings Of the white
Cap" regulators. He Joined the organization
IN Harrison county about two months ago.
being sworn by a branch Orgauixa ton Tho
oath demanded Of every candidate liz fairly
bloOtl-curslling in it's provisions, the penalty
of its violation being death, ns well M re-.
quiring the deposit Of 5000 In cash with tho
tho lc,st violation of any Of the bylaws. 1t
virtually makes nun swcnr thnt he is u
criminal, and places the evidence of Ms guilt
in the hands ofthc Nv hitc Caps" But tho de-
tcc,ive compiled with ull those conditions.
Once admitted he was ngain subjected to
many curious tests In order to test his
sincerity, one of these bcing frightful ordeal
in which he found himself convicted Of having
entered the order with sinister motives unti
condemned to be .hot therefor. At the
last moment. utter being led to dis
NAL swamp, gaegcd and blindfold,al
he was given an opportunity to
confess aud save his life. Tliese stages of tho
initiation lming pnssc,l, the purposes Of the
the enun,erating Of n long list Of mock NOR.
a!'ty, pis1cpts concerning the defense of
virtue the snnclity Of the domestic circle,
nni the disapprOvnl of drunkenness and
liccntiousness in ull forms. Those were really
a cover to the chief design; which was the
prompt avenging Of any wrong, real or
imaginary, to my member of the organiza-
tion. Upon any petext which he deemed suf.
ficient, superior officer could order the fiog.
ging OF any man orwOman, even though they
were unknown to the rest of the clan.
The members Of tho organization do not be-
iieve in the rse of firearms except as last
resort. The chief headquarters are ne;,,
English, though each county and even encl,
township have separate lodges. The mem
betsliip embraces n most startling roll of
prominent names. including leading farmers,
merchants. and even many officials There
are men belonging to the order whom the
general public would never dream of having
any such affiliations. 1t liz this fnct
which makes the conviction of mcm-
hers almost impossible. Being unknown
they Gun color II jury to their liking, thus
rendering their suppression u difficult mat
ter. A mistaken itlpa prevails regarding tho
magnitude and membership of the orgnniza.
tion, for while it cnll,firs many clasMs the
number of members in not nearly no large
ms in supposed. Many raids are made hy
men desiring to throw the responsibility on
the white Caps" The most of the lnclnlmrs
OF the order live in aud about I.cavellsworth,
Corylon and English. with II few in Orange,
Martin and Dubois counties. Their mode Of
operating is az follows: The head of the dis
trict is informed that II certain party shall
lm warned, whipped or ordered to leave the
country. lie calls IL meeting, nnd with.
out even putting the matter to IL vote
delegates cert ain men to perform the work,
which they are compelled to do without hes.
itntion. Although the detectives took part
in several raids lic refused TO go into details
or give the names of those participating hut
he will report to his employers aud will
probably meet them ut Louisiana. The pres.
rnt action Of Gov. Gray has excited the
White Caps" somewhat, and they have liz.
sued he following circular to members:
On the Ohio, Aug. s.-To nll "Whtc-Catw:"
II has been announced in The press that Gov.
Gray lns seen fit to interfere with our or.
g;,nizatiOn. As our own counties are lc lcst
judges of the cause of the "Whtcl,aps" /"
antlthpy have not interpOscl their authority
To modest us. this interference upon the part
of the state authorities is unwmrr,lntcl and
nnrallr,l for. We nrc willing to lm iulgc.l
by our acts and by our neighlors and fellow
citizens, but declare our unaltcr,lbie oppnsi-
tion To the invasion of our counties by the
minions of Gov. Gray in order to pcrsmutr
the "WhiteGaps." 1t has therefore lupn de-
ciir'l To resist this interference il necessary
with blond. The first one of our members
who liz subjected to injustice shall either be
released or revengrd.
There w;lR no signature