Arizona republican., 1921-10-14
CHIEF CLANSNAN DEFENDS RITUAL IF KU KLUX AT SENATE HEARING
Hearing Adjourns After Imperial Wizard Breaks Down on Witness Stand;
 Deny Million Members
Republican A. p. Leased WIreI

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13.-Closing an all day defense of the Ku KluX Klan, William J, Simmons, it's i'm perial wizard, toppled over in a chair today while the chairman of the house Investigating committee was attempt ing to stop the applause which broke out before the crowd knew he had collapsed.
 Friends of MT. Simmons rushed to 1 his side and supplied stimulants, but as it waseevident he was in no con- dition to continue the hearing, filled with many dramatic incidents, was l adjourned until tomorrow. Physi- clans later reported his condition was not serious.
 Bundled up about the chest, Mir 1 Simmons returned this afternoon un- l steady, his voice hoarse, but appar- 1 ently eager to denounce what he characterized as outrageous charges 1 against the organization which he | founded in Georgia five years ago. | Stiffness prevailed at times while the 1 wizard, holding aloft the ritual of the l Klan, read parts of the oath taken l by klansmen.- Then he told the com mittee that while Julius Caesar had
 his Brutus'and Washington his Bene-
 dict Arnold he, too, as imperial wiz
 ard of the Ku KluX, could enter that l fellowship because he had suffered from the reasonable conduct of those within.
 tIf this organization is unworthy then let me know and I will destroy l it." he exclaimed. but if it is not l then let it stand.'
 Turning to the crowd, Simmons de l clared he wanted to "call on tht l Father to forgive those who had per secuted the Klan,' and as the words ] left his lips he tumbled into a heap
 The first dramatic incident was tht appearance of Senator T. E. Watson
 of Georgia, who stepped up and shool
 the wizard by the hand. Whisperins
 something, he turned and sat down
 but a moment later he was on his fee
 demanding the right to question tn
 witness in the interest of fair play. Chairman Campbell broke in t,
 say that the witness was getting tha
 and that it was not in line with reg ular procedure to permit question
 by outsiders.
 l Senator Watson insisted he had tn
 right, first announcing, however, tha
 he was not a klansman. although il
 sympathy with it's aims, and tn chairman cut through the colloquy b. ! directing the senator to proceed. Tn e senator merely asked the wizard if h . knew of the big salaries being vote f by congress for shipping board law
 yers, reaching as high as S35,00 :, which the people had to pay. Wit ;, that MT Watson left.
 Through the testimony of Mr. Sim
 mons the committee learned that tn ! total membership of the Klan. her
 aided as having passed the half mil
 lion mark actually was around go, 00i
 The witness declared it's growth Eas e and West had been greater than i if the South. Asked if he had nc : claimed "a million membership" NJ = Simmons smiling replied he migf e have done so but that he was speak l. ing generally.
 n Representative Garrett, Democrs
 of Tennessee, took the witness .a hand to find out something abot r revenues and profits. asking if men 2 bership fees had been listed as dona ', tions rather than fees to prevent co u lection of federal corporation taxe Simmons replied there was never thought of that, declaring that whe T. the tax law first became effectiV IS he went to the revenue office at A lt lanta and was informed that the Kla 10 did not come under the law H. ''If it does it is not my fault"
 said, and if it is shown we are liab
 we stand ready to meet our obIg; C. tions."
 es Denying huge profits from the sa n- of robes, the witness declared tn IS less than 30 per cent of the Kan H. men owned regalia. Our robes a le, not worn for the purpose of terro O. izing people" he shouted They a
 as innocent as the breath of an ange'