The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-10-14
XII kLUX WIZARD
IN COLLAPSE On
WITNESS STAND.
DAY OF SENSATIONS
IN PROBE OF ORDER
Senator Watson, of Georgia,
Appears at Hearing and
Crasps Simmons
Hand. b

Washington, Oct. 13-Closing an all
day defense Of the Ku Klux Khan. Will
liam J. Simmons. its imperial wizard.
tOppled over in 4 chair today while tho
chairman of house committee tnves-
tigatinE the order was attempting TO
stop the applause which broke before
the crowd knew the wizard had col.
lapsed.
Friends Of Mr. Simmons rushed to
his side and supplied stimulants. but az
1t was evident that he was In no condi-
tion TO continue the examination. tho
hearing, filled with many dramatic IN.
cidents during the day. was ADJOURNED
until tomorrow. Physicians later re-
rortcd that Mr.. Simmons condition was
not serious.
4 solemn silence prevailed at the
time while the wizard. holding aloft the
ritual OF the khan. read reports OF the
, oath taken by the klansmen.
Turning to the crowd. Simmons de-
Jared he wanted to call upon tho
Father 10 forgive those Who had psf'
secuted the klan,'' and as the words
loft his lips, he tumbled into = heap.
Dramatic Incident.
The first dramatic incident Of the day
was the sudden appearance OF Senator.
Thomas E. Watson. Of Georgia, VINO,
edsing his way through the crowd, step
ped up and seized the wizard by the
hand Whispering something, he turned
and sat down. but moment hter ne
! wa 8 on his feet. demanding the right TO
question tho witness In the interest
Of fair play"
Chairman Campbell broke in to say|
that the witness was getting that ana
! that II was not In line with regular
procedure TO permit questions by out.
siders. Senator Watson insisted he haS
I the rIRht, first announcing, however,
that he was not q klansman, althouSA
. In sympathy with Its aims, and the
, chairman cut through tho colloquy by
! directing the senator to proceed.
The senator merely asked the Wixar0
u he know Of tha bIG.-salaT1so!SotaN'
voted By congress- for shipping boarS
/ lawyers, reaching as hish" a. 33t.ooe,
which the people had to pay. With thak'
Mr.. watson left.
Through the testimony Of Mr.. Sim.
mons, the committee learned that the
! total membership Of the khan. heralded
as having passed the half million marx
actually was around 10000.
! The witness was pressed by Chairman
Campbell for an explanation OF the re-
! inp klansmen near Waco, Texas. While
he replied that his information waa
based largely upon newspaper reports,
ne added that the parade had been au-
| thorIzed by the mayor, and that the
sh eriff, In attempting to stop 1t. seemed
under the influence Of liquor"
Simmons said he had called for an OF
hcial report. but 1t had not been FORTH
! coming.
Tot Aut-csthoIic, Claimed.
! When tho imperial wizard was about
| TO read the oath Of the khan, tho com.
mittee. after q whispered conference
announced he need not divulge 1t unless
he felt so inclined. 1t was placed In the
! record after certain paragraphs nao
been read.
! In yotink the witness declared the
ritual called for support OF men KNOWN
TO be patriotic above party.
| Discussing the membership restric-
J lions, Simmons said:
IT want TO state enphatically. ana
! In the fear Of God, that the khan Ii NOT
! an snti-Catholic order"
! But you do not permit Cathohcs 70
ioin." said Representative BoodenoeFs'
! Republican, Illinois.
! THAT is true but the KnightS OF
Columbus only admits Catholics. ne re-
nlied. I'VE antagonize no mans reh-
ZION. I have heard Of only one case
where q kleagel circulated anti-Cathoho
proraganda and he was instantly ois-
| charged.
1--WE are not anti-Jewish ANY JeN
who can subscribe to the tenente Oh .ne
christian religion can get In. We are
not anti-negro Scores OF other tra-
,.,,aI organizations will not aomt
n.rroes We are not anti-foreign borni
ws merely believe that members must
be native born Americans