The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-08-22
why Don Z the knights of Column
bus Answer Mr.. WatsOn's
Fair Questions {?

Fair Questions
q ERTAIN Augusta, Ga, KNIGHTS Of
Columbus published in the Augusta
Chronicle statements to the effect that the
oath which we publish is not that which is
taken by members of their reasonable organ
ization
Whereupon Mr. Watson telegraphed to
The Chronicle, daring those traitors to pub
lish the oath which is taken by their 4th
degree members
Those traitors have not, as yet, dared to
take up the challenge.
Mr.. Watson's challenge reads thus:
Thomson, Ca, Aug 1S, 1912
Chronicle, Augusta Ca
In your columns appear statements of various
knights of Columbus who accuse me of crculat-
ing what purports to be the oath of their order
but which they claim to be spurious Please
allow me to say that 1 copied the oath from
booklet published in Washington City and that
l did so in good faith. In order that no injustice
may be done these gentlemen 1 hereby invite them
to publish in your paper the oath which they
fourth degree men do actually take. If I have
published a falsehood, let them counteract it by
publishing the truth
I also invite them to explain why it is that
any church of the Prince of Peace finds it neces-
sary in this land OF religious liberty to establish
a secret military organization. They are also
requested to state whether each of them has not
provided himself with the kind of bayonet and
ammunition that is used in modern warfare Let
them tell us the reason of these swords and rifles
and bayonets which cannot be used in hunting
birds and other game, but can be used in hunting
men only. Let these knights of Columbus tell
us whether they not oathbound to obey the
Italian who is the Pope, rather than any authority
in this country and whether they are not there
fore, incpient traitors to this government. I
hereby challenge those Knights of Columbus to
tell us in plain English what is the real purpose
of their secret military organization.
1t seems strangely out of place in this country
where churches have always claimed to range
themselves under the white flag of peace.
In publishing what you did about the Kimball
House incident, Mr.. Editor, I regret that you did
not do as The Georgian did, interview the two
friends who with Young Mr.. A. o.
Blalock had told DR.. W. C. Bryant that he meant
to slap my Cd ID face. l trying to find
the young man SO that he might administer the
sapping. Unfortunately one of my two friends
pointed out Joseph Gray the Savannah Knight of
Columbus. Mr.. Gray has been flooding this State
with letters which contain offensive references to
me. Mr.. Gray belongs to the secret military order
which has been bounding me for year. Mr..
Gray is of those who inspired the prosecu-
ton of me by the Federal government, my offense
being that sent through the mails portion of a
Roman Catholic book which they do not wish any
but Roman Catholics to
When my prosecutor standing there a few
feet away 1 couldn't resist the temptation to
bump into him as passed Accumulated provo
cation had Infatuated me and my fighting blood
was up. Mr. Grays wasn't, and therefore moth
ing happened.
These knights of Columbus have vowed to
destroy my publishing business and to put me in
the penitentiary. They have published their
intention to have me beat beyond recognition"
They prepared to attempt this at the Balti-
more Convention. They in collision with
Hardwick when he invaded the auditorium in
Atlanta tht night of September O. 1910 and
broke up my meeting. / had paid the city $50