The New York herald., 1921-01-13

for AmercaniSm no action will be
taken without sanction of the law
officers of the community. The
fifth article will appear to-mor-
row.
Special Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
AUGUSTA, Jan. 12.-Although Col.
Simmons. Grand Imperial Wizard of
the revived knights of the Ku Klux
Klan. and the officials Of his STAFF
have informed THE NEW YORK HERALD
that they are going to keep alive
merely the spirit" of the original or
ganization of reconstruction days in
the old South, and that their methods
are all new, a careful investigation OF
what the klan has been doing in
Southern cities in the last two years
Indicates that 1t does not hesitate to
resort to some forms of intimidation
as well as persuasion to accomplish its
ends In some instances.
Officers of the organization continue
to assert that no matter what methods
may be employed by the Klan In Its
campaign for Americanism. they will
always be sanctioned by the regularly
constituted law officers of the commune
ty, or they will not be undertaken. But
1t should be remembered by the inde-
pendent investigator that the first OBJ
1ect of the gospel spreaders'' in organ
izing local Khan In any community
Is to interest the law officers and city
or town officials of all ranks in the
organization; and 'if they are eligible"
to enroll them as members.
1t seems that on every occasion when
the Klan has operated, legittmately eX-
cluding the activities of other organiza-
tie~rs which have no affiliation with the
parent order at Atlanta, either Sher-
if or deputy sheriff, armed with his
badge sf Office, has been in the party
to give iS<.. least the semblance OF pub
lie authority. - is an ingenious scheme
to ally lawful ,overnment officers. with
a secret organization outside the gov
eminent
Some of Ttk Operations.
Several specific instances Of how the
Khan has operated in Southern cities
have come to the attention of THE NEW
YORK HERALD, and the stories viii be
briefly recounted here, with name and
exact localities left out. Although the
officers Of the Klan claim to have fore
stalled what might have been a serious
race riot In this city at the time Of the
race riots in Washington and other
Northern cities. about two years ago-a
matter which will be referred TO later
these more interesting examples OF
the working of the invisible empire
come from other cities nearby
In a certain city OF Georgia there was
a young white man whose personal
habits were not of the best and whose
besetting fault was an over-indulgence
In ''hootch"--the fiery mountain dew that
they are making In greater quantities
here and In other Southern States than
they did before national prohibition went
into effect, because il brings higher
prices. This young man married
young woman belonging to one of the
best families of the community, much
against the will of her parents and
other relatives.
Within a few months the amount OF
''hootch" he was consuming would have
killed almost anybody else. but 1t merely
put him in the frame of mind where
ne could think of nothing more enjoyable
than going home and beating his young
wife. The situation went from bad to
worse. OF course there could have been
court action for separation or divorce,
not want to undergo the publicity. At
the same time the young woman did not
want to lose her husband. it seemed, in
spite OF his faults.
Taken From His Home.
SO somebody brought the matter to
the attention OF the Ku Klux Klan in
that particular city. II was explained
that IL was an unusual case--one that
the law could not handle satisfactorily.
That is where the Ku Kiux shines. After
due consideration 1t undertook to fix
things"
One dark night about midnight two
big automobiles drew up before the home
of the aforesaid young married couple.
In the cars were about a dozen men.
One was a deputy sheriff. There were a
preacher, doctor and a lawyer and the
others were business men and rcpresen-
tative citizens who had been sele~.ed
however. because they were personally
unknown to the intended victim" or
sinner, who was TO be reformed The
deputy sheriff knocked on the door and
when the young man opened II he was
told to come out" He demurred, but
the deputy sheriff showed his badge and
the young man came.
He was conducted Into one OF the au-
tODlODlleS anu lUt HtIty pIOt'tNeu ABOUT
ten miles out In the country and stopped
In a piece Of dense and lonely woods.
The young man was told 10 kneol down
apd the Kiansn1en made a circle around
nm, holding up their flarng torches.
None OF the Klansmen were In costume
but were clothed in their ordinary suits
They were unmasked, but they were all
strangers to the serring one. The
preacher Of the party then offered n
prs,.er asking 80 Almighty 10 make the
young man ready to meet his Maker"
n was all calculated TO scare him half
20 death. and II appears that It had the
desired effect. Then when the young
man might be supposed to have req ched
the conclusion that he was going to be
put to death In some mysterious and
horrible fashion he was told with az
much show Of solemnity as possible that
he would be given another chance 20 act
like n white man--that the Klan knew
exactly how he had been acting, and
that at all times In the future he would
be surrounded by men OF the orgnniza-
tion unknown 10 hirr--perhaps some ~