The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1921-02-19

KHAN IS TOLD.

Continued from page -
soul or conscience in his predatory
pursuits in the South. The Negroes.
set free. IGNORANT simple. confiding
and utterly penniieas. they were an
eosv prev for the narauder. Made to
believe thew were not only the equals
eucially and IN all respects TO the
Southern white people. these deluded
wards Of the Nation soon became
menace Ercatlv to be feared The
whites were dlsfranchised. while the
Colored populations began to run the
country. So conditions became apali-
ing Something had 70 be done.
This necessity resulted in the Ku
many great achievements. have origi-
mated accidentiy IN Pulaski Tenn, in
1853 the younk mon. returned home
from the war; for social purposes or
Ranized a club and for the name OF
that club a whimsical genius suggest
ed Ku Klux Khan. A weirduniform was
contured UP and an absurd. fun-pro
voking ritual and Initiation ceremon-
les were adopted In their midnight
ridlngs and carousals It was discover
ed that the reFalia OF long white
gowns. their horses covered with
white trappings and their sudden adj
vent mere AnO aNOn ana cQudllY abrupt
disappearance, had terrorizing ef-
feet on the Negroes. esnecially that
class disposed to be lawless. In their
superstition they saw only "hannts"
This led n the rand spread OF the
Ku Klux Khan throughout the South
ern States. 50 that by 1867 the order
was In operation throughout the late
Confederacy especially IN the Caro-
linas. Georgia. Florida, Mississippi.
Alabama and Louisiana.
Mo Desire to Harpa.
For many reasons. the Southern
people did not in any way desire to
how true and faithful they had been
during the war; they remembered
when President Lincoln issued In 1858
his proclamation declaring all slaves
free that vaErnnt emissaries from the
North flocked into the South and I'M
the bushes OF the night visited the
Negro quarters on the plantations. U.S.
Ing every persuasion and- promise to-
the NEGROES to induce them to rise up
and slay the old men and women and
the children and take possession Of
their homes Such course on the
part Of the blacks. thav knew. would
at once bring every Confederate sol
der home and thus break up the
Southern armies. But a kindly Provi-
dence interviewed. Tho Negroes re-
manned faithful to their old masters
and mistreases IN nearly every In
stance, telling ''the white folks at
the house, 81 these visitations. with
the result that not few Of these
Northern night providers went up
tree and never came down. ] have
never thought these emlssaries came
on their murderous mission by any
authority or countenances from Pres
ident Lincoln or the Union Govern
mont. But whatever inqultous in
ing they failed In their purpose and
the South never has forgotten the
NeRroes' fidelity and for this reason.
in the menace Of those dark and ma
licious days OF reconstruction. when
they were being led into mischief. the
Ku Klux Khan chose to brighten the
Negroes and manage them In a way
not to harm them by playing upon
their fear OF spirits of hobgoblins and
witches. To do this frequent incur-
sions were made into he midst OF
their dwelling places In phantom garb,
human skulls. with candles burning
tering gibberish. declaring themselves
to be dead Confederates just from
hell and parched to suffocation for
water. begging only drop.
Invisible Empire.
Being supplied they would empty
a bucket at one gulp pouring II into
rubber bags under their gowns). All
this may now seem to both whites
and blacks but childish nonsense and
folly but Il worked like a charm
and saved the lives OF the Negroes.
Timely warning to the too offIcfous
white or black politicians generally
put a quietus on their movements
The general Organization was
Iseown as the Invisible Empire" (the
whole South) The constitution was
known as the "Prescript" The head
.of tho "Empire' the Grand
wizard" was General NJ D. Forrest
Of Of. Memphis, Tenn. Each state was
Several counties formed a Dominion
under Grand Titan" The smallest
unit was q Den" under a Grand
cyelopsn The staff officers bore va
"Turies,' Goblin" might Hawks"
'Magi," Monks" and Turks The
rank and file were known as "Ghouls, I
The 'TeutOnic Band OF Brothers, and /
the Knights OF the White Camelia.'' ,
~ DFain 9. OF the main body, operated I
In 1857 ] was living In Anderson
Grimes County Business called me to I
Houston. and meeting some old army
FRIENDS there, they said TO me- You !
are me very man we want. Come with
u.s." ! followed up a flight OF stems
into g lawyers office where was
introduced to Colonel Dudly Jones. /
Ss9nfederate ex-colonel. They told
Through three or four darlxened rooms n
they led me into a den" There / /
was initiated into the "Teutonic |
Band OF Brothers" and commissioned !
to organize den" IN Grimes Cou0fv.
"a hour or two later. Canaan lin
MAJ I'm put me through the courses ~ (
the knights OF the white Cameiia''
WITH a commission TO organize the or
ed home ] consulted the boyE,y and
they decided the ''Teutonic Band 81
brothers" would suit car county best
and we organized "CAn.'
Hon. j. G. Hutcheson and were
49,
the company and was made second
Hutchinson was elected to command
In command. Supplying ourselves with
s sbou Fes SCI 90 and parsph MALTA vas
there were quite number OF Ne
groes in Grimes, County, especially
around cuortney In the south end OF
Grimes County was blessed with
Freedman's Bureau agent who was
sensible, Just and kindly gentleman,
and never In any sense mistreated the
bIaeks The Ys detsc n3nss h ne h sad
Captain amIett was his name--he
made attend strictly to their duties.
captain ,futcheson now lives in Hou
ston, mere for many years he was
city, serving also in Congress from
that district His son Is now Judge
Of the Federal Court for the Hous-
ton district He made q most conser-
yatlve captain OF his Ku Klux Khan
company and no Negro ever suffered
more than q fright at the hands OF
the company.
No Were in the South did the Me-
gross fare worse at the hands Of the
Khan than through their superstitious
fe RS Of ghosts and witches and hoo
doos.r The Khan underwent search-
Congressional con mittee but not q
wrong or an Outrage on Its part could
be discovered There vere few
acts OF violence perpetrated against
and carpctDaggers. but they were by
other people than members OF the
Dallas News.
TIE SOUTHERN G. 0. PA PRAC-