Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-10-18
YEARS KLAN FEES
Of KLEAGLE CLARKE
PUT At S225,58G
Session EnIivened by Lively
Tilt Simmons Admits He
Was Paid $4,000 Back
Salary

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17.-Testify-
ing today before the house rules
committee regarding the activities
of the Ku Klux Klan, particularly
as to it's finances, William j. SIM
mons, of Atlanta, imperial wizard,
declared that Edward Young Clarke,
also of Atlanta, imperial kleagle of
!, the order, received So out of every
SO fee and that So went into the
Khan treasury. In addition, the wit
ness said, Mr.. Clarke received eX-
pense money.
! Figures previously submitted to
the committee showed that Mr..
Clarke collected S225,568 during the
last fiscal year and that the organi-
cation got Sill, 432.
A sharp clash between MIR. SIM
mons and Chairman Campbell
marked the reopening of the
wizards examination when the khan
head touched on the question of
his physical collapse last week.
Campbell Denies Charge
Mr.. Simmons declared that Assist
ant Attorney General Grim re-
marked at the time: Damn such
taking. I've been expecting it all
along"
ST also was told" Mr.. Simmons
added, 'that Mr.. Grim and Chair
man Campbell had said it was cheap
theatricals, intended to create sym
pathy."
Chairman Campbell broke in with
q bang on the table.
eff all the rest of your state
ment is as false as your statement
{, as to me, it is utterly without foun'
dation. The conversation you men,
ton did not occur. I made no such
statement"
Upshaw Ordered to Seat
Representative Rodenberg, Repub-
fcan, Illinois, declared the witness
should not dignity such reports to
insult the committee. Mr.. Grim took
q hand.
ST Nave no reply" he said. "Mr.
Campben's reply covers it.
Representative Upshaw. Demo
crat, undertook to speak, but was
ordered to sit down.
Demand was made for the name
of newspaper correspondent who
is alleged to have said that mem
bers of the committee looked upon
the wizards collapse as fake.
Mr.. Simmons could not give it, but
Representative Upshaw said it was
the correspondent of the New Or
leans Item, whose name he did not
know. Representative Pou, Demo-
crat, North Carolina, insisted that
the wizard have fair play and
Campbell said he was getting it.
Attacks New York World
est heard. comment in this room
Z. that Mr.. Simmons collapse was
= stage play" said Mr.. Pou. ANY
body could see the witness was ILL.,
In beginning his statement today
Mr.. Simmons launched into an at
tack against the New York World,
declaring that newspaper, in pub
fishing an alleged expose of the Ku
Klux, never had presented any evil
dence to support it's charge that law
less acts had been committed by
klansmen.
Seeing great circulation gains by
a rival, Mr.. Simmons said the Hearst
papers reached out for a part of it,
employing "a former klansman who
had been discharged by Edward
Young Clarke" head of the Ku klu1
publicity bureau.
Everybody grinned when the wit
ness declared the World was pre-
pairing to have one of it's representa-
tives tarred and feathered in an eff
fort to make it appear the crime
was the work of the Ku Klux.
Short Answers Asked
Taking the wizard in hand for di.
rect examination, Chairman Camp
bell announced he wanted some con-
crete information and short answers.
The order was called the Ku Kluz
Khan, Mr.. Simmons said, "as mem
oriaI to the men, north and south.
who served in the old wartime or
ganization and to perpetuate its spir-
itual purposes" Prior to 1920, he
said, the membership was around
5000. Until June, 1920, the order
went slowly, he testified, collecting
In that time about $151 900 as indi
Gated by exhibits, which Mr.. Sim
mons said were not exactly correct
Mr. Simmons was questioned at
length about financial operations.
Beginning last August his salary
was $1,000 a month, he said, but
the grand council recently directed
that he be paid $4,000 year back
salary, running back for a period OF
five years. !.
4 Mr.. Simmons said he had no per-
sonal knowledge of the news letter
sent out confidentially announcing
that the chief of police of Norfolk
IVA, was member.
Stating that the Norfolk chief had
denied membership, Mr.. Campbell
asked what the wizard thought oil
sending out false information.
"It's unjust to the organization
and will be investigated" he said
eff any trick has been put over or
me, I expect to get at the bottom
Of it."
Norfolk Case
Reverting later to the Norfoli
chief. Mr.. Simmons said he did moi
know whether that officer was
member.
Representative Garrett, Democrat
Tennessee, said the news letter abou
thel chief showed on it's face thai
Clarke undoubtedly had received in
formation from Norfolk that th'
chief had Joined.
Chairman Campbell wanted tt
know if revival of the old ku klu1
name and regalia was calculated tt
tcreate good feeling, even in the
south.
eyes" he replied. The wizard sait
the report that 200 masked men wh'
entered an Oklahoma church ant
announced to the minister that h
was not with them,. but that tn
order was with him, three thou
sand strong, was bit "unconven
tional." He said. however, that h
had no direct knowledge OF the al
legged occurrence.