Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-10-13
KLUX'S FOUNDER
Continued from PAGE Qnel

Khan has been greater in the north
and the east than in the south"
Asserting that the Klan could mot
do anything outside of it's lodgeroom,"
except by specific orders of its i'm
perial wizard, so as to hold its mem
bership in line, Mr.. Simmons added:
Before God, | have never signed
any instruction that could be con-
strued or carried as a violation of
law The Khan does not tolerate or
teach lawlessness; instead we preach
respect for the law" tu
At times there was intense quiet in
the room. and at one of these mo-
ments the witness rapping the table,
declared that no man could charge
disorder in any city where the Klan
was well organized. The Khan, the
witness testified, is conducting an in
veStigation of it's own into charges
against Edward Young Clarke. impe-
rial kleaEle and head of the propaga
ting bureau and Mrs. Elizabeth Tyler
his assistant and will issue an official
statement when it comes into posses
sion of all the facts, Mr. Simmons
also stated that when the charges
were first made Clarke and Mrs. Ty-
Ter presented their designations to be
acted upon after full opportunity had
been given for a thorough sitting.
The revocation of charters at Pen
sacola, Fla, and Mobile, Ala, was or
dered by the Khan. Mr.. Simmons tes-
titled, after it had been found that
some persons purporting to be MEM
bers had violated it's best traditions.
Discussing charges of violence on
the part Of alleged Klansmen. Mr..
Simmons declared that when a MEM
Der took the law into his own hands
he was automatically dropped from
the organization.
"And | have never yet failed" he
added ''tO turn over to the local
authorities if I had it, any evidence
needed to bring about conviction.
have been doing everything in that
direction and no man living can say
that /, personally, or as head of the
Klan, ever attempted to shield a
criminal. A members oath requires
him to uphold and respect the law.
Our ritual, about which so many
slanderous things have been said, is
copyrighted, and filed these five years
in the library of congress. Surely it
would not have been put there under
the eye of the government If we have
anything to conceal. There is nothing
in it but love of country and pure
Americanism."
1.-The Ku klux Khan is purely a
Protestant and non political organi-
zation." he said ut does not seek
political power. 1t has offered big
rewards for capture of law breakers
posing as klansmen and its records
STOW where it has provided srite'an-
tiol aid for those needing i. In the
six years I have been with the order
I have received only s12.S0o. and my
Atlanta home was the gift of mem
bers. most of whom. subscribed less
than a dollar If the Ku Klux Khan
were l2wless band. there would not
be such n growth of membership, in
Guiding leading citizens of many
communities, east and west"
1.-The charge is made that we ar,
organized to preach and teach reli-'
g'cus intolerance. and especially that
we are anti Roman Catholic, anti
Jew and anti-negro," Mr.. Simmons
e-ntinued. "The works of the Khan
prove this absolutely untrue. Many
alleged outrages nave been attributed
to the Klan. but morn OF these were
against Roman Catholics. Jews. and
I4egro persons ard meme were COM
mitted by the Khan"
Declaring that the attacks against
the Khan We're originated and started
by the New York World the witness
said:
THE World il the STRONGHOLD Of