The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-10-12
POLICE CHIEF OF
NORFOLK is SAID
TO BE A MEMBER
Statement Is Made That He
Promised Rifles to Local
Order When Needed.
IMPERIAL WIZARD TO
BE PUT ON THE STAND
Nearly a Million Dollars Collect
ed by the Order in Frac-
tiOn Over a Year.

WASHINGTON. oct. 1i.-DIgglng
into tho activities Of tho Ku Klux
Klan. the house rules committee dor
vol0ped by testimony today that the
Organization had taken in &1.4ss. .710
since its foundation. that the depart
mene o. Justice was stili conducting an
investigation Of its own that. accord
ing 10 the Klan's confidential informa-
ton to field agents. the chief OF police
of Norfolk, Va, was a member.
Through newspapers said to have
ben sent from khan headquarters and
not intended FOR general publication,
tho statement was alos made that the
Norfolk chief had promised 260 rifles
20 the local order in time Of trouble :"
and that Representative upshaw, dem-
oorat, OF Georgia, in whose home dis
fgict the khan was born. had been
"uut 10 AZ to deny membership ia the
kian mad at the same time square hts
conscience az q preacher and church
member"
The imperial wizard 0f the Ku
Klux. William j. Simmons, OF Atlanta,
sat ell dag Ia the crowded committee
#~NAA4 *AAAA AA~HtAM F&tWNNMN%@ AN~A1A9 tAt&e
10 was not Its actual head, that all
powers seemed vested IN Edward
Young CLARK. head 0f TIE publicity OF
propaganda bureau. ana Mrs. Elizabeth
Tyler, his assistant. The committee.
conducting q hearing on resolutions
calling for & congressional investigR-
tlon Of the khan viii put the imeprial
wizard on the stand. probably tomor-
row. All Of the evidence today was BY
witnesses demanding an inquiry and
those who had conducted Independent
inQuiries for the post office depart
mont and newspapers.
q. B. Williamson, a. post office in
spactor. told Of a seven day prelimi-
nary investigation at and around the
imperial palace at Atlanta. Mr.. wal
Hanson. who. presented the news let
ters IN evidence. declared their trans
mission established improper use Of
the malls, and that they had been sent
out for the purpose Of stimulating the
membership drive, at $40 head Asked
by Chairman Campbell IL any part Of
tho funds collected by the khan had
been spent for the needy. the witness
replied:
III yoa cA9 Colonel Simmons needy.
then some thousands were spent for
him, but none for charity Colonel Sim
mons salary is S1.00 a month"
Then telling what he bad discovered
IN connection with disposition OF tho
fund, tho Inspector said that the i'm
perial palace. IN the fashionable
peachtree section Of Atlanta, had been
bought partly with ISu Klux funds and
listed in the name Of Clarke; that the
same system had been followed in pur-
chasing more pretentious home for
the wizard; that $4,000 Of Ku Klux
funds had been turned over to L.anier
university IN Georgia without security, !
and that when anyone Joined the khan
ho got a receipt showing the funds /
had been accepted IN trust for the or
der,
These was sharp conflict between
tho testimony OF Williamson and that
ot officer Wright, formerly a klans-
man. and who recently published what
puiported to be an expose of the order
conctrning palace" at Atlanta own
ed jQkntly by Clarke and Mrs. Tyler
Wright said he had often boon enter
tanned within its hospitabie portals /
and that 1t cost upwards Of $4,000. but
Williamson said II it was there he
eouldApot get any track of it.
Wright who testified that he quit
the KHAN because he objected to the 1
methods OF management by Clarke and I
Mrs. Tyler. was pressed by committee
men % say whether acts of violence
committed BY alleged lSlansmen, actu- i
silly could be charged to them. lie de-
clarcd that he had no knowledge Of
such affairs, nor was he able TO sta.e |
whether members OF congress be.ong- /
cd TO the organization, but he added /
that simmons had openly boasted" OF
q congressional membership list
There was a buzz in the room. with
nearly 100 members Of tho house Sit
unuand standing around. when Chain :
marl Campbell called william ]. &uriis /
dircttor Of the department OF Justice
bureau of investigation to the staaa.
But he was there only a moment I
merely stating that the department l
was still Al work investigating the
ku Kiux, that Il was not ready to re-
port. and that Its inquiry had not been
(Contlnned on Page Two)