Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1921-10-14
INPE TRIAL WIZARD
DEFENDS XII kLvX
Head of Khan Is Called Before
House Committee.
SUBMITS GATH AND RITUAL
Nothing Unlawful in Organization,
Says w. J. Simmons, on Stand
Band is Stronger in North
Than in South.

/ Washington, Oct 13.-Col William
Joseph Simmons, imperial wizard of
the Ku Klux Khan, was called before
the house rules committee in refuta-
ton of charges made against his or
ganization. Paul S. Etheridge attor-
ney for the Kan, pleaded for a recess
because of indisposition of Colonel
Simmons, and Mr. Etheridge was in
vited to the stand before recess. Later
Colonel Simmons took the stand.
Mr.. Simmons read a long statement
giving history of the rebirth of the
Khan. He introduced various exhibits,
such as charters granted the order,
rules, bylaws and so on. He told of
traitor in the ranks in 1916, giving
no names, who embezzled all funds of
the Khan and attempted to form a
rival Kan, leaving Simmons penniless.
1T has been charged that the Khan
is a gigantic swindle," he said. "In
the last six years have received only
about $4,000, an average of $1,000
year. The secretary, treasurer and
other officers of the Khan receive low
er salaries than they would from bust
ness houses. We have spent and are
spending $150,000 on Lanier univer-
sity in the education of young men
and young women. / wish to intro
duce as exhibits the pay roll of the
Khan and a schedule OF payments on
the university.
IF the Ku Klux had been a lawless
band it could not have obtained so big
a membership, including leading men
of many communities, said he.
Looks Into Tyler Scandal.
Simmons denied that Edward Young
Clarke and Mrs Elizabeth Tyler,
heads of the publicity department of
the Khan, have received large sums of
money for their work
"a personal-character attack has
been made against Clarke and Mrs.
Tyler, but has not been proved" he
said ''The Khan is investigating it,
and when that investigation is com
pleted a full and complete statement
Will be issued. The charge has been
made that the Khan takes the law into
It's own. hands. These charges are alb
solutely untrue We have no room in
our organization for persons who take
the law into their own hands, The
Beaumont (Tex) aSfair-the beating,
tarring and featherihg of a physician
was not committed by klansmen. 1t
grew out of the emotions of an out
ragged community"
1t was said that a 4.00O-word state
ment was given to the newspapers
after the Beaumont affair, assuming
full responsibility by the Khan, bear
ing the local Klan's seal. Simmons
stated that the seal had been stolen
from the Klan Office the day before.
Oath and Ritual introduced
AS exhibits the Imperial wizard
introduced into the record the Klan's
ritual, oath and constitution. He
characterized as a tremendous indict-
ment against American citizenship"
the charge that the Khan has planned
to dominate the lawmaking and en-
forcement bodies Of the nation.
1T has been charged" he said. shat
the Khan proposes to disfranchise the
negroes of the South. 1t may surprise
the committee to know that the great
est growth of the Klan has been in
the East and North. The charge is
false.
"The fight being made against the
Khan is identical with that made 80
years ago against the Masonic order.
The charges against the Khan were
by the New York World for
the purpose of adding circulation. The
circulation manager of that newspa-
per has stated to trade paper pub
Usher that the Khan expose had added
100000 subscribers to their clrcula-
ton"