Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-07-08
ORIGINAL K U-KLUX
Ex-coNFEDERATE CONCEIVED
IDEA OF ORGANIZATION WHILE
CONFINED IN PRISON.

Life Story Of the Man Who Organized
the Dread klan-orignaI Purposes
of Society Was Protection of Weak
and Innocent,
The death of Captain Joseph Rich.
ardson, in Norfolk, Va, recently ends
a life which was replete with expert
ences and adventures such as are often
read in works of fiction. He and seven
other men, while confined in a con.
federate prison in Rock Island, Ill.,,
are said to have planned the Ku-Klux
Khan.
The Coomes family lived in Mary
land and when the war broke out there
were seven brothers in ALL Four en-
listed, two were too young and one
died soon afterward.
Split Between Brothers.
Captain Joseph R. Coomes and
Charles B. Coomes took sides with the
confederates, while Richard w.
Coomes and George E. Coomes stood
by the union. The alleged planner of
the Ku-Klux rose to the rank of lieu.
tenant, and so did Richard Coon es.
Both were in the cavalry, one with Cole
and the other with Ashby, and they
met near Strasburg, Va, in 1861. The
battle was a hard one, and when it
was over many confederate prisoners
were taken. AS he was rounding them
! up, Lieutenant Richard Coomes found
his brother. All men were alike to him
and the brother received just the same
treatment as the others, and served
his term.
The memories of the Ku-Klux are
anything but pleasant to those North
erners who went south directly after
the war, despite the fact that they are
time-worn and threadbare. Many tales
of horror were furnished history by the
secret order, and many more tales suf-
Heed to cause CONSERVATION and fear
among thousands when a Ku-Klux
warning appeared in town.
The Ku-Klux Khan really came into
public notice In 1866 and continued to
exist until 1872. 1t was a secret order
and taken from the Greek word for
circle, meaning a secret society or
clan in English, but the spelling was
altered to give the mysterious abbre-
Walton tx. X. k which had SO start
ling an effect upon nearly everyone
who came in contact with the letters
In those stirring times just after the
war.
The organization was formed in
Giles county, Tenn, it is said, during
the administration of Governor Brown
low. It was the original idea, it was
said for the members of the society to
assemble for the purposes of pleasure
and amusement. However, the de
moralization and turbulence of the ne
groes at the close of the war necessi
tated 1t was said, some means of re
straint, which the government did not
then afford. The Ku-Klux Khan was
adapted to this purpose and in the be-
ginning it was conducted like the old
slave patrol with the idea of soaring
the superstitious into good behavior
and obedience. The members of the
association we're at that time promin
ent men and some Of the best citizens
Of the south.
The original purposes, set forth in
constitution were the protection OF
the weak and innocent from the out
RACES of lawless and brutal persons
the relief of the injured and oppressed
the extension of aid to the widows and
orphans of Confederate soldiers and
assistance to the government in all
constitutional laws. 1t was testified
by some Of the prominent southerners
that the Ku-Klux Khan was intended
to counterfeit the evil done by the 10y
al leagues, secret political orders
among the negroes which were formed
under the direction of the "carpetbag
politicians" for the purpose of con
trolling the votes Of the blacks at cleo
lions.
Became Perverted.
1t was not long however, before the
association was perverted 1t became
band for the whipping ,banishing and
numbering of negroes and northerners.
The better men of the Khan drew out
and the more lawless continued on
with the work. At first it did not bear
the same name throughout all the
southern states and in some parts of
the southern section it was known as
the "Pale Faces" "The Brotherhood,'
"The knights of the White Camelia,. .
bur eventually became known by the
more mysterious name of Ku-Klu
Khan.
The sphere of the operations Of the
khan was known as the Invisible EN-
pre- the chief functionary was the
grand wizard; each state was a realm,
ruled over by a grand dragon; each
congressional district was a dominion.
at the head Of which was the grand IT,
tan; each county was province, I'M
der the rule of a grand giant, and each
county was subdivided into camps and
dens, each governed by a grand Cy-
clops. The members were called
ghouls. They went disguised on their
raids, the prevailing costume being a
long white gown, mask for the face
and high cardboard hat with ears
and horns attached. The horses
too, were discussed and the sunerna+-