The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-11-11

A silent host, cOWleu anu So"heN
lin flowing white, treading with dig
nifty single file the downtown streets
of Jacksonville, marched last night
to remind the people here that the
South is not dead.
From a point unknown to point
unknown, mute, unserving, haltihs
traffic. demanding and receiving the
right of way, walked the hosts OF the
Khan. Ahead went couriers, masked
figures almost unconceivably massive.
on horseback to warn the crowds OF
the Klan's approach.
A two-note blast on cowhorh
trumpet was the signal. The eerle
tone reminded patriarchs of the days
THAT were, when the South struggled
against the forcse of intrigue ana
oppression, when white-clad hgures
Jared abroad by night to rlght
wrongs, to preserve traditions.
About an hour before the start
of the demonstration, two courlerrs
mounted and masked, rode through
the streets advising the public what
to expect-and advising against inter-
ference with the movement OF Nhe
line These couriers also heralded
their approach by blasts on a trum-
pet,
Thousands congregated. Whispers
ran through the crowds of saturday
night shoppers: "The Ku Klux are
coming!"
The sidewalks were lined. The
crowd overlooked into the streets
packed the throughfares to the cal
tracks until on Main and Forsyth
streets traffic was almost entirely
excluded.
Then-from nowhere, it seemed
came a blaze of light, file of white
clad figures. The flaming cross ap'
preached. Borne by stalwart figure
: whose robe of white whipped and bel
lowed in the wind. the Khan emblem
advanced. Behind it came file o.
white figures, each stately, eacf
masked, each in no whit differen
from the other.
Slltully IlC ph"i"'A<N
2 There were some who tried to coun
e them, but gave up the effort. 1t wa
e too much like counting sheep a
| night when sheep refuse to come
: The file seemed endless.
With measured tread, at interval
- of approximately eight feet, tn
EKlanmen marched. There was NJ
word uttered, during the demonstra
Etion. No mans features were visible
An endless file of robed men. mys
:. FERROUS, purposeful, it seemed, tn
: line moved in seemingly schedule
: order, through the principal down
+: town streets, past Hemming par
!. and to-nowhere.
(: I'VE were here yesterday
!. 1--WE are here today"
/. 1--WE will be here forever!'
/: Thus read signs which were born
I: by figures distributed through tt
): line.
!. What did it mean? Who could say
;: Apparently, from the comments c
!: the crowds, here was revivificatio
/: of the South's bulwark of reconstrut
!; ton days. How long the Klar ha
: lexisted, who it's members were, whe1
!. it met, what it purposed doing-non
l. could tell.
!. Turning into Main street from d.
!. val, up Main to Forsyth, thence mort
:: past Hemming park, east then
]. Hogan, then to-nobody knew. Som
Z said a fleet of autom obiles, each wit
]. a hooded driver with license plate
:: removed, awaited the arrival of IN
!. marchers. Some said the host dist
: peared as if by magic. Nobody seen
!. ed to know definitely what bccam
!: of the robed figures, where they wer
!. what their purpose.
!: Rumors that have been current fc
! the last several days were verltie
!. last night when tie couriers of tn
!: Khan appeared on the streets. Wher
!. did those rumors originate? No on
: could-or would say. No man kne'
!. whether his neighbor held member
!: ship in the mysterious organization
!. whether his own brother was veal
!. err of the robe and cowl. No ma
! had been asked to join, as far q
!. could be learned No man kne
! where meetings were held, yet, appa
!. emily, meetings had been held.
): Yet the existence of the Ku XIII
:: Khan was made evident. Older PEI
!. pie, in whose minds still run II
: memories of the days of reconstru
-. ton recalled similar sights, remen