Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-10
Imperial KIeagIe E, Y. Clarke
Issues Statement for Colo
mel Simmons Concerning
Articles in New York World

IlGl OlllIIllOlIS OOllCGl lllllS
Articles in New York World
That the initial article in the New
York Worlds announced series lex
posing" the Ku Klux Khan contains
a number of false statements for
which the World will be made to
answer in a libel suit; that all 9TH
er newspapers or publications pub
fishing false statements regarding
the organization will be held Ito a
strict accountability" in libel suits;
and that individuals uttering false
statements regarding the organiza-
ton or regarding persons connected
with it in official capacity or other
wise, also will be made to prove in
court the statements they make or
stand the consequences, was the sub
stance of a statement issued Thurs
day by E. Y. Clarke, imperial kleagle
of the Khan, after consultation with
Colonel William J. Simmons. impe-
rial wizard.
The Worlds initial article appear
ed in the issue of Tuesday morning,
September 6, and is to be followed
by a daily article until the series
is completed. Tie articles of the
World are being published simulta-
neously by the st. Louis Post-D1s-
patch, Boston Globe, Pittsburg
Sun, Cleveland Plain Dealer, New
Orleans Times-Picayune, Houston
Chronicle, Dallas News, Galveston
News, Seattle Times, Milwaukee
Journal, Minneapolis Journal, Day
City Oklahoman, Fort Wayne News
Sentinel, Syracuse Herald and AL
bany knickerbocker Press.
All of these newspapers. it was
stated by Mr.. Clarke, will be MADE
defendants in the libel suits to be
brought by the Khan on account OF
the series of articles worked up by
the World and supplied by 1t TO
Attorneys Preparing Suits
Mr.. Clarke stated that Paul 5.
Etheridge, of Atlanta, supreme at,
torney of the khan, is now engaged
in associating with him 200 OF tine
leading attorneys OF the Onileu
States" for the purpose OF institute
ing court dCllOH SAHN
ever false statements are made re-
garding the khan.
Although Mr.. Clarke did not go
into detail concerning the plans OF
the Khan for instituting libel suits,
he minated in the course OF the IN
terview that the suits would aggre-
gate $10,000,000 in damages asked,
and would involve newspapers ana
other publications in many parts OF
the country, and would involve 1ndl-
viduals of prominence in Atlanta and
Mr.. Clarke also informed the in
terviewer that the Ku Klux Khan is
growing at the rate OF l,oOo new
members a day; that it is planning
to inaugurate in the near future an
investigation department manned By
experienced agents who will cover
the entire country, a part OF their
work being to gather evidence to be
used in the libel suits; that the i'm
perial palace en- Peachtree road, near
Atlanta, recently purchased, is soon
to be enlarged by the addition of a
duplicate of the colonial mansion in
which the supreme officers are now
quartered, and also a white marble
building TO house the executive Of
fees, with elaborate landscape de-
velopment.
Mr.. Clarke returned Wednesday
from a trip to New Orleans on Of
fetal bushes. He read in that city
Tuesday morning the opening article
of the New York World series, as
telegraphed to the New Orleans
Times-Picayune. On arriving in At
lanta he at once went into confer
ence with Imperial Wizard Simmons
and other officers of the order at the
imperial palace, and issued the re-
ply to the Worlds opening article
immediately thereafter.
Text of Statement
His statement was as follows:
Colonel Simmons authorizes me
to issue the following:
1--WE do not intend to answer
in detail the articles appearing. in
the series has been completed
but we do intend to hold legally liza
BILE the New York World and every
other newspaper or other publica-
tion in America, from this time for
ward, for any libelous statements re-
garding this organization.
THE supreme attorney Of the or
ganization, Paul S. Etheridge, is now
associating with him approximately
two hundred of the most prominent
attorneys in America, and we intend
to file libel suits against every pub
beled this organization in the past
six months.
I'm the opening article of the New
York World series there are any
number of positive assertions for
which the World must assume full
responsibility and either prove OF
accept the consequences which are
sure to follow from legal action.
"Mob Charge False"
without going into detail re-
garding these assertions, it may be
stated that their statement that six
ty-four mobs wearing Ku KluX re-
gala have threatened individuals is
an absolute falsehood, and we intend
that the World shall either prove
| this in court or bear the conse-
quences. The statement cannot be
proven because no such thing has oc-
Cured.
1.-THE statement that masked mobs
| wearing Ku KluX regalia have whip
ped two white women is absolutely
false and had not even been charged
prior to this publication in the World
1.-THE statement by anyone that
this organization is encouraging or
fostering race hatred or religious
prejudice is absolutely false, and
from this time forward we intend to
compel those making such State